Shelby CSX 4000: 427 S/C Cobra
"Fever all through the night.."

As a child of the 1970s, I grew up in a family that spent more time at some of California's finest racetracks (Riverside, Ontario, Willow Springs) than at the beach.

While participating in time trials at the now defunct Riverside International Raceway, I was given a hot lap around the long track in a 1965 427 Cobra. The experience jump-started my puberty, and I caught Cobra fever.

Fast forward: Resting in the form-fitting seat behind the wheel of Shelby American's CSX 4000 427 S/C Cobra, my pulse quickened as I reached for the key. "Whaddya wait'n for? Fire this bad boy up!" barked Gary Patterson, marketing and PR director for Shelby American. Yessir!

I twisted the key to 488 hp worth of all-aluminum 427 Ford. It erupted into life, then settled into a "blap-a-do, blap-a-do" sort of idle, with the firing of each cylinder fully audible. I selected first from the regulation Toploader four-speed replete with reverse-mounted 1965 Mustang shifter and gave it a little clutch slip while feeding in some throttle, and Shel's reincarnated Cobra made it clear it was ready. Then, like flipping a light switch, it happened: At 3000 rpm, the built 427 came on the cam, transforming the chugging big-block into a locomotive and nailing the small of my back into the seat. Think of it as being dropkicked by a buffalo.

The CSX 4000 series came about because Shel' was ticked off. After watching replicators sell knock-off Cobras by the thousands, he wondered, "Wouldn't people rather have one from Shelby American than one of those bootleg deals?" The answer was a definitive yes, with Shelby American selling over 300 CSX4000s since 1996.

Sold as component or roller chassis (which exempts them from a variety of DOT and EPA regs), with choice of fiberglass or aluminum body, Shelby's "component" Cobras are unlike most replicas: The CSX 4000 is faithful to the original 1965 427 S/C Cobra (CSX 3000) in design and proportion, with improved materials for increased structural durability. The cars are available through select dealers. Look to pay $44,900 for a fiberglass car in component stage or about $63,000 for a fully assembled fiberglass roller including paint and finishing, wheels and tires--but no engine or transmission. Aftermarket drivetrains (including gearbox and driveshaft) for this chassis run from about $8000 for a 351 V-8 to $30,000 for a built aluminum 427. Oh, and add another $20,000 if you want an aluminum-bodied CSX 4000 instead of a fiberglass one.

With sun shining and SPF 45 applied, we sought out a stretch of open test track and introduced the aluminum throttle pedal to the floorboard. That action immediately breaks the Goodyear Bluestreak racing rubber free--in all four gears, so judicious throttle application is a must.

Okay, screw judicious application; here's our recommendation: Mash the throttle and hang on while the chassis settles. As you enter hyperspace, lift, shift, mash throttle, and hang on some more. For best results, repeat the process through fourth gear or until tears of joy stream from your eyes. That's pretty much the drill Senior Road Test Editor Chris Walton used to launch the 427 to 60 mph in 3.90 sec, bury the quarter mile in 11.85 sec at 121.0 mph, and pull a 0-100-0 mph in 14.14 sec.

It's back to basics in the braking department, with four-wheel discs (11 7/16-in. Baers up front and 11 1/2-in. PBRs out back) handling the stopping. Because we were dealing with traditional flexible brake lines and no ABS, threshold braking was the best way to get the car to zero. The Cobra darted as the tires found grip. Nevertheless, our recorded best stops of 135 ft from 60 and 429 ft from 100 mph are reasonable for old-school technology.

Given its light rear and extreme powerplant, we expected the Cobra to handle like an elephant walking on marbles. That's not the case. Thanks to its A-arm and coil-over suspension, the 427 drives like a big ol' pussycat. On the road course, it proved the most predictable of the three Shelbys we tested. It leapt out of the corners all crossed up and sliding, without loss of control. When the front started to plow, we introduced more throttle to the equation and the rear slipped ever so slightly around. Frisky throttle input easily broke the back end free, but we dialed in more steering, and it was easy to wait for the drift to complete. The Big Cobra is Big Fun, no matter how you slice it.

Clicking the ignition off, flicking the battery switch to OFF, and flipping the cam lever on the Simpson race harness, I found myself wearing the same ear-to-ear grin I had nearly 25 years ago. This was living proof that a Cobra can keep you young and that catching a fever can actually be good for your health.