1-of-8 Cobra Drag Car Brings Big Bids at Mecum Kissimmee Auction
Only eight Shelby Cobras were built with the drag-racing “Dragonsnake” package. The one that crossed the block on Jan. 29 at Mecum’s auction in Kissimmee, Fla., sold for $875,000. The car was CSX 2093 (the 93rd Cobra built) and was originally owned by Jim Costilow. Driving duties were handled by Bruce Larson, who went on to race the well-known “USA-1” funny cars.
The car set all new records in the 1965 season and won the NHRA Springnationals, Winternationals and U.S. Indy Nationals that year. The Cobra was so successful that it overshadowed Shelby’s factory-sponsored Dragonsnake, much to Shelby’s dismay, and thereafter factory support for the privateer effort began to dry up. Later, with new owner Ed Hedrick behind the wheel, CSX 2093 went on to win the 1966 Springnationals and U.S. Nationals. It also chalked up class wins at the 1967 Springnationals, Winternationals, U.S. Indy Nationals, and finished out the season with the World Points Championship. It continued to set records in 1968. All told, CSX 2093 held national titles in four separate classes.
This Dragonsnake underwent restoration by Ziegler Coach of Los Angeles, and was presented exactly as it competed, including the Weber-carbureted 289 Ford V-8, with Ballanger side mount headers, four-speed transmission, Cobra Sunburst rear wheels with slicks, wire front wheels, removable hardtop and eye-grabbing Magenta metalflake paint.
