A 61-year-old Shelby Cobra said to be the first Cobra model with a 4.74-liter engine under the hood will go under the hammer in late January estimated between $1.2 and $1.4 million despite its poor condition. The seller claims that the car has a meticulously detailed ownership record that starts with Dr. Harrison Stratton “Hap” Horn, a colleague of Steve Jobs who assisted him in developing the world’s first Macintosh PC.
It is believed that Shelby assembled roughly 50 such first-generation Cobras with the 289ci Ford Windsor V8 engine under the hood. This particular example was custom-made for Horn, who optioned it with an exterior chrome package, side shrouds around the windshield, extra sun visors and a roll bar at the rear end.
Horn had actively driven the car until 1969, putting over 37,000 km (23,000 miles) on it. Near the end of that year, he accidentally broke the exhaust system by snagging his garage threshold with a tailpipe. Rather than repairing it, he simply abandoned the car there and then.
It had stood motionless until 2001, when famous Cobra collector Lynn Park bought it for his collection. In 2013, it was sold at an auction for $924,000 despite already having over 43,000 km (26,700 miles) on the odometer. It is now heading to yet another sale with 700 km (435 miles) added on top of that number.
The photos make it look like the car is ripe for a restoration, but the auction holder emphasizes that much of its value hinges on its sheer authenticity. Ever since leaving its first owner’s garage, this Cobra has never been tuned or otherwise modified from stock. It also comes with a massive heap of documents confirming every instance of maintenance and ownership change. Even Horn’s written communication with Shelby, his spare part checks and traffic tickets are preserved. The seller says the folder is over 50 mm (2 inches) thick.