Andrew’s 1965 AC Cobra: marque of respect for Shelby’s most venomous snake

Shannons Club member Andrew Micos has long been infatuated with Carroll Shelby’s AC Cobras, particularly the ‘Cobra to end all Cobras’ – the 427 Super Snake. However, given that the sole-surviving example of only two built by Mr Shelby in the mid-1960s last changed hands for $USD5.5 million, Andrew’s only realistic option was to pay tribute with a replica of his own.

Not that Andrew’s stunning roadster created by Backdraft Racing was intended to be a mirror image of a street-legal Super Snake. Those monsters were powered by the implausible combination of cast-iron 427cid (7.0-litre) big block V8s equipped with not one but two Paxton centrifugal superchargers producing 800bhp (597kW)!

They were originally 1965 427 Cobras designed for competition use. In 1966 they were converted to Super Snakes and reclassified by Shelby American as semi-competition roadsters, given they were equipped with windshields, mufflers, bumpers etc to make them street-legal. They were brutal and unforgiving, with one being destroyed in an infamous crash.

18-inch wheels and tyres blend seamlessly with retro knock-off hubs and ‘60s body curves.
Image: Andrew Micos

In 2006, Shelby said of the surviving example: “When I built this dual supercharged 427 Cobra in 1966, I wanted it to be the fastest, meanest car on the road. Forty years later it will still kick the tail of just about anything in the world. It’s the fastest street-legal Cobra I’ve ever owned.”

Andrew’s Cobra certainly pays homage to the Super Snake’s ludicrous power output, as he showed us a rolling-road dyno sheet to prove that his car’s much lighter all-aluminium supercharged 5.0-litre (302cid) Ford Coyote V8 unleashes 560kW (750bhp) - at the rear wheels!

Andrew was born in 1965 which ties in well with his unique rego plates that pay homage to the Super Snake that inspired his car’s creation.
Image: Andrew Micos

So, allowing for drivetrain losses, it’s safe to say that this force-fed Coyote could more than match the Super Snake at the flywheel, which was one of his primary goals when building this car. And given that the Coyote also has a staggering 1100Nm (811 ft/lbs) of torque to shift less than 1100kg of kerb weight, this serpent can strike with ferocious force.

There are numerous manufacturers of Shelby Cobra tributes, from do-it-yourself kits to complete ‘turn key’ cars like Andrew’s. He chose Backdraft as he was impressed with not only the quality of its products but also the company’s enthusiasm for turning customer dreams into reality.

Backdraft Racing originated in Durban, South Africa but decades ago expanded to the US east coast state of Florida. Although most customer demand comes from North America, its cars are sold in other parts of the world including Australia, which has its own Queensland-based distribution hub under Chad Oldfield who greatly assisted Andrew in getting his Cobra on the road.

A wide choice of interior themes and materials is a Backdraft hallmark. 
Image: Andrew Micos

The cars are built in two stages. The first occurs in Backdraft’s Durban facility, where each steel-tube space-frame chassis is welded together and powder-coated.

That’s also where the fiberglass body is formed and then finished in the customer’s choice of paint and interior trim, during assembly of a rolling chassis complete with steering, suspension and brakes.

The majority of these vehicles are then shipped to their global destinations, where each customer undertakes the installation of their choice of engine and transmission through various Backdraft authorised dealers, along with final quality checks before delivery.

Andrew’s blending of analogue gauges and carbon-fibre is consistent with his retro-modern theme.
Image: Andrew Micos

According to Backdraft’s model codes, Andrew’s example (inspired by the 1965 Shelby Cobra) is an RT3B with the B standing for Black. So, any parts that usually have a polished metal or chrome finish are painted black, which results in this striking combination of Ford’s Ruby Red with Black Magic detailing including the body stripes.

The plush diamond-stitched black leather interior with hip-hugging bucket seats has also been tailor-made to Andrew’s wishes, along with a carbon-fibre dash, custom SpeedHut analogue gauges and a grippy Sabelt suede-rimmed steering wheel. Backdraft also supplied the driver’s roll-hoop and Andrew keeps himself firmly in place with a Sabelt multi-point harness.

This new-age Cobra offers more sophisticated ride, handling and braking than Shelby’s 1960s offerings. The four-coil suspension is fully adjustable, with Bilstein coil-over struts up front and an independent rear adapted from an E36 BMW M3. There’s also rack and pinion steering and enormous 360mm Wilwood slotted brake rotors and multi-piston calipers at each corner.

Wilwood calipers are six-piston fronts and four-piston rears. Note safety wire on knock-off hub.
Image: Andrew Micos

18-inch alloy wheels pay homage to the iconic Halibrands of the original Cobra era while also providing enough internal clearance for the big brakes. The wheels are mounted on genuine 1960s-style ‘knock-off’ hubs with safety lockwires attached to the wheel spokes - another nice retro touch.

Bulging 245/35R18 front and 335/35R18 rear tyres with white lettering perfectly fill the voluptuous guards and wheel arches.

And, finally, there’s that organ-displacing drivetrain, headlined by the Coyote V8 equipped with an Edelbrock TVS2650 twin-screw supercharger. Although this powerhouse was hand-built in the US, it runs a locally installed Haltech engine management system tuned to perfection by Tyson Munro at Autotech Engineering. There’s also a heavy-duty clutch, tough Tremec TK0600 five-speed gearbox and 3.46:1 BMW LSD.

Supercharged Ford Coyote V8 packs a heavyweight punch with 560kW at the rear wheels.
Image: Andrew Micos

As Andrew’s Cobra is classified as an ICV (Independently Constructed Vehicle) there are certain restrictions imposed by Australian road transport authorities that vary from state to state. And it’s fair to say that today’s owners don’t enjoy the same freedoms as hippie-loving 1960s California.

As a result, those four-into-one extractors which emerge through the front guards and run along each side of the car, just like Shelby’s twin-blown monster, are not permitted to have hot exhaust gases running through them. Instead, there’s a booming 3.0-inch hand-fabricated and ceramic-coated twin system that’s tucked up neatly beneath the car and sounds just as good.

Shelby’s immortal Cobras will continue to inspire power-packed tributes like Andrew’s roadster.
Image: Andrew Micos

Andrew’s Cobra never fails to turn heads when thundering down the road on a sunny day, or competing in club motor sport events, or when displayed at car shows.

And we’re sure that any time he chooses to provoke the venomous snake that lurks within, Mr Shelby would no doubt crack that famous smile from his grandstand seat in muscle car heaven. 

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