1964 Shelby Cobra 289 Mark II 5-Speed
Presentation
This 1964 Shelby Cobra is one of approximately 528 Mark II examples produced between 1963 and 1965. CSX2231 was initially configured for street use and remained with multiple owners through 1978, when the next owner purchased the car after it had been parked for some time. It was modified for track use prior to the 1990s with a replacement 292ci V8 as well as a hood scoop, fender flares, and a roll hoop. The current owner purchased the car in 2004, and a subsequent refurbishment project involved stripping the car to bare metal and repainting the body in blue with white stripes. The engine was built to 292ci and modified with cylinder heads developed for DeTomaso and Shelby’s abandoned P70 project as well as quadruple Weber carburetors and tubular headers feeding a dual side-exit exhaust system. Shifting is via a Tremec five-speed manual transmission, and additional equipment includes 15″ Halibrand knock-off wheels and disc brakes. Inside, low-back bucket seats trimmed in black leather are accompanied by a wood-rimmed steering wheel and Stewart-Warner instrumentation. This Mark II Cobra is now offered on dealer consignment with removed components, refurbishment photos, awards, and an Illinois title.
Having retired from competitive driving due to a heart condition, Carroll Shelby instead began an endeavor to create a European-style sports car with American V8 power. In 1961, Shelby secured a partnership with AC Cars in Surrey, UK, to build a variant of the AC Ace that would be completed by Shelby in the US with engines supplied by Ford Motor Company. The resultant Cobra model was introduced in 1962, with the first 75 examples powered by a 260ci powerplant before production shifted to the use of Ford’s 289ci unit.
Noted to have left the factory in white, this example was modified for track use with a hood scoop, fender flares, a roll hoop, a Monza-style fuel-filler cap, and an external shut-off switch at some point prior to a vintage race at Road Atlanta in 1989. It was later disassembled and stripped to bare metal before being repainted in its current color scheme of blue with white stripes as part of the aforementioned refurbishment in the 2000s. Bumper jacks, dual side mirrors, wind wings, and a dual side-exit exhaust system were also added.
The 15″ Halibrand wheels are secured via three-eared knockoffs and are mounted with BFGoodrich g-Force Sport tires, as is a matching spare stored in the trunk compartment. Mark II Cobras utilize a rack-and-pinion setup, and stopping is handled by four-wheel disc brakes.
The cockpit houses fixed-back bucket seats trimmed in black leather with a color-matched dash. A multi-point harness is fitted for the driver, and additional features include black carpeting, AC-branded pedals, a sliding rearview mirror, translucent sun visors, and a fire extinguisher located in the trunk.
The wood-rimmed steering wheel was refreshed under current ownership and sits ahead of overhauled Stewart-Warner instrumentation including a 160-mph speedometer, an 8k-rpm tachometer, and gauges monitoring oil temperature, coolant temperature, amperage, fuel level, and oil pressure. The five-digit odometer shows 33k miles, approximately 4k of which have been added under current ownership. Total mileage is unknown.
Bids & Comments
SteveSunshine (The Seller) 601
Sep 16, 2026 · 17:36
@SN95Cobralover. New info on the 5-speed. 1st 2.87, 2nd 1.89, 3rd 1.28, 4th 1.00, 5th .82...Awaiting the T-10
Sep 16, 2026 · 17:35
@SN95Cobralover. New info on the 5-speed. 1st 2.87, 2nd 1.89, 3rd 1.28, 4th 1.00, 5th .82...Awaith the T-10
Sep 16, 2026 · 17:27
@SteveSunshine Thank you! Appears the T56R is a near identical match to the T10 ratio wise 1-4. A final drive ratio of 4:09 would put it in a good place for street use at ~9:1 Overall. Was worried it ended up with the silly 3:35 T5 first gear.
Sep 16, 2026 · 16:02
@SN95Cobralover We are trying to get the tag number indicating the ratio on the 5 speed and will advise. Here is a photo of the Bill. As for the T-10 we will check but since it was set for Road Racing, this was typical but not guaranteed until we check. The Original Early T10 "Close-Ratio" Set (2.20 First Gear) — The Classic Road Race SetCommonly found in early Corvettes, Shelbys, and Trans-Am style cars from the late 1950s and 1960s. The Ratios: 2.20 (1st) | 1.64 or 1.66 (2nd) | 1.31 (3rd) | 1.00 (4th)
Sep 16, 2026 · 05:55
@SteveSunshine Beautiful Cobra in a great color !! Do you know which 5 speed Tremec was used- what is 1st gear ratio? Same ratio question for the removed (and included) 4 speed. And also, what is the rear gear ratio?
Sep 16, 2026 · 02:08
The period Watkins Glen pics show this 289 MKII without side pipes, which is how these cars came. Side pipes were a 427 MKIII thing.
Sep 15, 2026 · 22:28
@1rag4nag Thank you very much for the kind words and for taking the time to share that. I remember both transactions well, and I truly appreciate your confidence in me. With cars of this caliber, provenance, accuracy and transparency matter. My responsibility is to represent the car and its history as accurately as possible and make sure prospective buyers have the information they need to make their own decision. This Cobra is a very special example, and I’m pleased to be representing it for its owner. I’ll remain available throughout the auction to answer questions and provide any additional information bidders may need. Thanks again — your comments are sincerely appreciated. Steve Sunshine
Sep 15, 2026 · 20:30
Great driving vid! Thanks for sharing! And as always, GLWTA!
Sep 15, 2026 · 19:24
Some pictures of CSX2231:
White, at Watkins Glen:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/poppybill/albums/72157625540233845/
Blue, nice plate:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sundudecan/galleries/72157646985053262/
White, at Watkins Glen:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/poppybill/albums/72157625540233845/
Blue, nice plate:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/sundudecan/galleries/72157646985053262/
Sep 15, 2026 · 13:32
There are mufflers in the side pipes
Sep 15, 2026 · 04:08
And some collectible memorabilia with DNA that comes with the car..
Sep 15, 2026 · 03:41
OUT STAND DING 🛎️, DING 🛎️, DING 🛎️! Both the car and the presentation. Plus some great stories to go with it. Very tasteful and useful modifications - like the 5-speed for highway driving, the classic color combo, the Shelby / De Tomaso lineage, wheel choice, etc., etc. The big question, to be answered when it closes, is how much all the changes from original will affect value. Regardless, it is an original cobra and just like a lot of 60+ year old people walking around, it has had a few modifications. 😉
Best of luck with the sale. Definitely following.
Best of luck with the sale. Definitely following.
Sep 15, 2026 · 02:45
Open pipes on the north shore
Sep 15, 2026 · 01:32
@FoxtrotOne
That’s just like what happened to my brother’s pit bull, and which got him kicked out of a residence: a shih tzu ran across a room and jumped int the pit bull’s mouth. Strange science!
That’s just like what happened to my brother’s pit bull, and which got him kicked out of a residence: a shih tzu ran across a room and jumped int the pit bull’s mouth. Strange science!
barney11
Bid
Sep 14, 2026 · 23:12
Bid in the amount of $552,000
Sep 14, 2026 · 20:57
When the serious bidding starts, in about nine days, there’s going to be a lot of hours lost at business while we kvetch over $1K bid increments.
Sep 14, 2026 · 20:16
Easy Off oven cleaner, LOL. You work with what you have. Hope the car & stories hits reserve. Quite the history.
Sep 14, 2026 · 19:17
Dreams are pictured here. The understated performance in this presentation is appreciated. Beautiful.
Sep 14, 2026 · 18:38
@oldcanuck Yes. See Photo's #185 & #186 as well as the continuous listing in the Shelby Cobra Registry.
JamesGallucci
Bid
Sep 14, 2026 · 18:03
Bid in the amount of $550,000
Sep 14, 2026 · 17:43
Now that's a great story. A good history of a properly used Cobra. Very cool car. Let's see what's happens.
Sep 14, 2026 · 17:18
What an absolute beauty and piece of history. GLWA.
Sep 14, 2026 · 16:55
Is this not a 1964 AC Cobra 289 ?
Sep 14, 2026 · 16:26
I love the styling restraint of this car versus the 427 cars.
Sep 14, 2026 · 15:20
Dealer memo to all employees: Do not park the trailer near the tree!
Sep 14, 2026 · 15:15
Welcome to the Auction of CSX 2231. I am here to answer any and all questions you may have. Also, the car is available for Inspection by appointment prior to the auction ending. Don't forget to look carefully at all the Original Spares that come with the car. They are a treasure.-Steve Sunshine
Sep 14, 2026 · 14:58
@a-snake. Yes, Back in the day, it was not realized it was there or of importance. The Chassis has been verified as the Original. Here is a handwritten letter from Bill Kemper, one of the well known Cobra Restoration Experts in the World.
Sep 14, 2026 · 14:24
Sep 14, 2026 · 14:20
What a story!
Sep 14, 2026 · 14:16
Great story!
5F08K
Bid
Sep 14, 2026 · 14:15
Bid in the amount of $500,289
Sep 14, 2026 · 14:14
I ordered one of these, a British Racing Green unit in NYC and put $25 down on it. It was priced at $6641.00. I didn't inherit any money when I turned 21 like I told the dealer I might and had to release it to sell to someone else. It did show up on the showroom floor and that was the last time I saw it. I later converted the front of my MGA to look like a cobra... and then changed it back when I made it my first race car... This was in 1965.
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:51
@FoxtrotOne Crazy stuff can happen when you’re dealing with trailers… I was driving thru Ashland, KY one day in the early ‘70s. At that time, the Pontiac/GMC dealer was on Winchester Ave. in the middle of the downtown area. There was a 6-car, double-layer car hauler delivering a new GMC van – one of those without any windows in the back. It was on the top level of the truck and the delivery driver completely missed the ramps. So, there sat the poor van on its back doors – pointing at the sky! I always wondered what happened to the van…
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:39
It’s real, and it’s SPECTACULAR!
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:32
And a 5 speed, made my day!
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:25
This has no impact on the present day value or significance of the car but it is a funny story to consider. So... it rolled off a trailer and hit a tree hard enough that the front suspension broke and the chassis number was removed at the time of repair commissioned by the first owner? The original Ford dealer in the 1960s sold it as-is with the damage. "during which time the chassis number in that area was removed" The front leaf spring tower/pyramid must have needed significant repair work. It sounds like 1960s car salesman speak for "we took it out on a hot lap and did something really stupid"...better find a way to put a good spin on this story. If it truly rolled off a trailer during the normal course of business operation that would have surly been covered by insurance and easily fixed before the original sale. Take it for what it is worth, just 0.02 cents from the peanut gallery!
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:18
There is nothing like the real thing and this is it!! Beautiful honest Shelby Cobra! GLWTA,
Sep 14, 2026 · 13:05
A killer Cobra, beautiful in blue. Gorgeous specimen, cool AF, and a fascinating history - GLWTA! 🍻😎👍🇬🇧
Sep 14, 2026 · 12:59
A racer, a daily driver, and now a gorgeous looker. The history of this car IS the Cobra story. It's been my dream car for almost my entire life, as it came out when I was 7 years old. I was smitten the first time a saw it.
Sep 14, 2026 · 12:58
There’s always a good story behind a REAL Cobra. This one’s had a wild trail since day one. What a history. The magic cylinder heads and valve covers are the icing on the cake. This one doesn’t need Carroll Shelby’s signature on the dashboard. This will be a very fun one to watch. WOW.
Sep 14, 2026 · 12:58
Now that a Cobra !!!!!!!!
lloyddon1
Bid
Sep 14, 2026 · 12:45
Bid in the amount of $200,000
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