Disclosure: This site may receive compensation when you click on some links and make purchases.

Same Family Since ’71: 1965 Shelby 289 Cobra!

This one has to be one of the best “out of the woodwork” stories so far this year (okay, so it’s only January, but still!) This 1965 289 Cobra was purchased from a Ford dealer on July 4, 1971, and has covered less than 10,000 miles since then! It’s listed for sale here on eBay where a bid has already been received at $750,000 but the reserve has not been met! The Cobra is located in Huntington, New York.

Part of the story related by the seller is that his uncle had the choice of seven used Cobras that day and this one was the best kept. The uncle requested both an interior and exterior color change and states that the car’s engine was freshened up at Holman-Moody prior to delivery. Sounds too good to be true, but read on!

The seller relates that his uncle cherished the car and has only put just over 9,000 miles on it since purchase, bringing the total to 39,440. The car was chosen to be pictured in an Old Cars calendar in July of 1979 and the seller states it looks just as nice today.

Several items are included with the car including what look to be the original exhaust manifolds and the seller also mentions the “Class A” accessories. I found one reference that states this consists of chromed 5.5-inch wire wheels with “AC” knock-offs, a dash-mounted rear-view mirror, wind wings, chromed bumperettes and a quick-fill fuel cap and another one that states that it had a luggage rack, antifreeze, a radio, antenna, and whitewall tires! Anyone know for sure?

Naturally, the interior looks terrific. The only thing that concerns me slightly is that we don’t actually know how old these pictures are, although the tow vehicles in the background of the first picture imply they are at least from this decade.

Personally, I’d leave the headers if they came from Holman-Moody — who am I to argue with that pinnacle of FoMoCo performance! I can’t wait to see this car returned back into circulation and I hope it goes to someone who will drive it. I just hope no bears get to this car!

Comments

  1. Avatar DayDreamBeliever

    In 1969 my dad had the opportunity to buy what was I believe a duplicate of this car for $5000. It was owned by a member of a local sports car club. Of course, with a family having 4 kids with one just into college, he passed.

    Wouldn’t that have been a great car for my oldest brother and I to have now…

    Like 15
    • Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

      Sounds familiar, but it was me. Same year, went to see the new 69 autos (back in those days you went to the dealerships to see the new ones) and spotted a AC Cobra parked in the back of the lot, taken in on trade earlier that year. Did my best haggling and got them to come down a little as it had been there a while. Unfortunately being under 21 I needed my dad to sign with me on it. Being the logical farmer that he was, “NO Way” was his response. Shortly there after I got my draft notice and that became just another “Darn it, I missed it” in my lifetime.
      Oh well, if I had gotten it I’d expect the ex wife would have gotten it in the divorce. I’m still sorry about that missed opportunity.

      Like 20
    • Avatar angliagt Member

      Yeah,but you probably wouldn’t have lived to post here.

      Like 5
      • Avatar 86_Vette_Convertible

        You’re probably right, but what a way to go!

        Like 2
  2. Avatar LT1 Mike

    Very nice, and purchased on the 4th of July at a dealership ! Open it up and enjoy, good luck to the new owner.

    Like 10
  3. Avatar Woody

    Just wishing the lottery would have came my way,this is a gem! Great to see survivor cars like this!

    Like 10
  4. Avatar Beatnik Bedouin

    Wow, that’s quite some find! Brings back a lot of memories of hanging out at Shelby’s shop when that car was new.

    Sadly, as I was more interested in what was going on under the hoods of AC Cobras and GT 350s and not accessories packages, I really can’t add any more information on what constitutes a Class A package.

    Like 3
  5. Avatar Poncho

    I’m sure I could find room for it in my toy box, even if I had to kick something out!
    Perhaps that would be a really good reason to add onto the shop. Now, if I could just pick the right 6 lottery numbers.

    Like 4
  6. Avatar Mountainwoodie

    So I have a friend in another town who bought his Cobra twice! Sold it over forty five years ago and then bought it back about thirty years ago. It sits in his basement in a very modest house. I can’t remember what year it was but I think it was a 1965. Lucky guy.

    As for this car, seems to me that it would be perfect fodder for the pay-too-much crowd at a BJ or other auction. Strange its on Fleabay…maybe the seller doesnt want to deal with the auction folks. I dunno

    Like 8
  7. Avatar RICHARD TRUESDELL

    I suspect that all of the major auction houses (Mecum, RM Sothebys, Bonhams, Gooding) will be in touch with the seller begging him to consign it to auction, especially if it doesn’t meet the seller’s reserve on eBay.

    Like 5
    • Avatar Fred W

      With Barrett Jackson Scottsdale starting Saturday, I can’t believe the seller chose Ebay!

      Like 7
      • Avatar RICHARD TRUESDELL

        Of all the major auctions in Scottsdale, Barrett-Jackson is not the venue I would use if it was my car.

        That being said, I agree that eBay is certainly not the venue, and think that this might be the seller might be sending up a trial balloon.

        Don’t be surprised if we see this car again in six months no matter if it sells this time around or not.

        Like 8
  8. Avatar Jeepster

    ( best “out of the woodwork” stories so far this January )

    Hey knuckleheads ! What happened to the real barnfind Shelby GT350H from a few months ago ?

    Like 3
  9. Avatar Colby Traber

    There is a newer suburban or Tahoe in the back ground you can see through the windshield of the cobra, and as well as a Ford explorer closer to the waterline

    Like 0
  10. Avatar Derek

    I much prefer the 289’s looks to the 427’s. Plenty quick enough, too.

    Like 5
  11. Avatar David Young

    What a great car! I totally understand ebay. Anybody that really wants this car will hear about it thanks to folks like Barn Finds…and the seller wont loose the huge auction premium!

    Like 1
  12. Avatar Cobra Ned

    Class “A” accessories were: tuned air cleaner, chrome; aluminum rocker arm covers; chrome hood latch handles; chrome front grille guard; chrome rear bumper guard; chrome exhaust pipe tips; adjustable wind wings (wind deflectors on either side of the windscreen); tinted sun visors (green plastic); Smith heater; and seat belts.

    Like 4
  13. Avatar Steve S

    I went to a car show about 6 or 7 years ago now that was about a half hour away from where I live and I was looking through the cars and went out into the Hall and seen the 67 Shelby gt500 Elenore that they used for the slow stunts in the movie gone in 60 seconds like the donuts and stuff like that but that’s besides the point then I turned around and seen an all original 1967 427 ac cobra sitting nose to nose to a factory 5 cobra and they had a sign next to the original car that was about the car and that was the coolest car I have ever seen that and the 67 gt 500 but it was still cooler than the gt 500

    Like 2
  14. Avatar kenneth TILLY Member

    Punctuation?

    Like 23
    • Avatar Steve S

      Kenneth I could care less about punctuation

      Like 3
      • Avatar ken tilly Member

        That maybe so, but it does make reading your comments a lot more difficult.

        Like 6
  15. Avatar Legalgus

    The car was optioned with the Class A accessory package, which meant a luggage rack, antifreeze, a radio, antenna, and whitewall tires.

    Like 1
  16. Avatar glen

    This has had several changes done to it, can it be considered a “survivor”?

    Like 2
    • Avatar DayDreamBeliever

      Unequivocally.
      The changes are minor, and can be undone.
      It has not been restored or heavily modified.

      Like 3
  17. Avatar Gaspumpchas

    I wonder if this is one of the Cobras from the Carter Gette collection, Millbrook, NY?? He had five originals,one was blue like this one, saw it in bare metal in 1971, painted a beautiful Metallic blue. Rumor has it that he co owned a real Daytona coupe!

    Cheers
    GPC

    Like 3
    • Avatar Gaspumpchas

      I answered my own question, Yes this was one of Carter Gette’s Cobras, the one I saw in bare metal in 1971 at Lou Popko’s body shop, next to Carrol’s drive in , Poughkeepsie, NY. Lou Graced this car with the most beautiful Metallic Blue paint jobs ever. I was working evenings at Herbie Pelton’s Sunoco in Poughkeepsie when this came out of the shop, and Carter stopped by on the way home from the shop to show it to me. What a great Pedigree this beauty has. Good Luck to the new owner!!

      Cheers
      GPC

      Like 10
    • Avatar Chauncey Johnstone

      Carter had a 427, I drove it in a time trial, as well as his GT 350, we knew each other from the early 60’s. In Westport CT. Roommates in college . We had Healey’s etc. he had Donzi boats U name it. He owned Gette Ford in Millbrook NY. He passed away in 2003. Never forgot his prompting when I was driving that Cobra on the street” faster Chaunce, make the telephone poll look like a picket fence”

      Like 1
  18. Avatar angliagt Member

    Back when I had my Lotus Elan (series 1-1/2),
    I visited another owner in Salem,Oregon,who had
    one of the same series.
    As I looked around his garage,I saw a car in the
    corner.”What’s that?”,I said.”It’s a 289 Cobra” he said.
    Then,I noticed another car,covered up,in the corner.
    “And what’s that?”,I said.”Oh,that’s a 427 Cobra”.
    He sold the 427,as he said that it was so fast,
    that he figured that he be in a serious accident,sooner-
    or later.

    Like 4
  19. Avatar Bob S

    I am a big block guy, but I also love the styling of this small block Cobra over the big block car. I don’t know if the wire wheels were an option for the car, but I do like the way they look. There is no question that these cars are a classic.
    In 1967, I had the opportunity to buy a used Cobra for $3,500, or trade even up for my Mercedes 190SL. I took it for a drive and loved the performance, but the idea of using it as a daily driver in Saskatchewan in the winter made it a bad idea. I whine about missing on the deal, but I am sure I would have had a miserable time with the car, and probably would not have held onto it for long.
    Bob

    Like 3
  20. Avatar Brakeservo

    Seen in Arizona

    Like 1
  21. Avatar wuzjeepnowsaab

    When I first scrolled to this and saw the headline my thought was “wow…million dollar car”

    When I opened it I couldn’t believe it was on eBay of all places.

    Like 1
  22. Avatar Santa Fe Steve

    If this car went to Scottsdale it should go to one of the top notch auction houses like RM Sotheby or Gooding. As everyone knows this is a very special car. The top notch auction houses tend to limit their inventory to about 100 – 200 cars. Gooding has 160 lined up for Scottsdale 2019. What a find!

    Like 0
    • Avatar Chinga-Trailer

      Why do you call them “top notch?” You ever deal with any of ’em? They’re all slick slimy used car dealers, lookin’ to screw the consignor as much as the buyer. They’ve screwed me for the last time. And although eBay is the predatory playground of scammers and flakes, the seller may do as well. To properly sell this at a Scottsdale auction may cost nearly $100,000 after listing fees, transportation, detailing, commission, and lodging. Billionaires watch eBay too. The two most expensive cars I’ve ever sold were via eBay, not Bonham’s, Barrett Jackson, Mecom, RM, Rustle & Steal, or Silver. I have dealt with them all.

      Like 8
  23. Avatar Woody

    You could be right,does Wayne know about this? (Chasing Classic Cars)

    Like 3

Leave A Comment

RULES: No profanity, politics, or personal attacks.

Become a member to add images to your comments.

*

Get new comment updates via email. Or subscribe without commenting.