by Mike –

I became interested in the AC Cobra Mk IV almost two years ago after a chance encounter with Robert Krantz and his AC Cobra at a Cars & Coffee event. Robert educated me on this unique piece of European style with American muscle history.

By luck I came across a terrific example of the AC Cobra Mk IV for sale in Texas and I bought it. It took four weeks to schedule the pick up because all the car transport trucks in North America have been in Florida for the Amelia Island events.

The drivers who dropped off my AC today came from Florida with Amelia Island cars; they stopped in Houston to pick up the AC Cobra and I was their first stop in California.

AC Cobra Mk IV

My AC Cobra Mk IV was built in December 1987 and came to me with 435 original miles! It has a handmade aluminum body with 14 layers of paint wrapped around a chassis made up of four-inch diameter steel tubes in ladder frame style. It is about 6 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the 1960s Cobras, all for the comfort of the driver and passenger, which I appreciate.

There have been a few more miles added today and there will be more recorded over this weekend. This AC Cobra is going into the shop on Monday for a thorough check up and will have many fluids, filters and rubber components replaced. New tires will be installed later in the week because the Goodyear tires on the AC now are the original. There are not many manufactures making the size tire needed for the rear so the new tires will be BF Goodrich not Goodyear.

Ford fuel injected 302 cid V8

The text below is from an AC Cobra Mk IV brochure written in the 1980s (the car referred to as the “present AC Cobra” is the AC Cobra Mk IV)

AC Cars is Britain’s oldest car manufacturer and has the unique distinction of having been in continuous operation since 1901.

AC Cars manufactured the AC Cobra during the 1960’s, the majority of which were exported to North America. The present AC Cobra is a development of the 1960’s model, having been re-engineered to meet the stringent vehicle legislations of the EEC and North America.

As the original manufacturers, AC Cars use the original tooling in the construction of the present Cobra. Some 2,000 highly skilled man hours are expended in the manufacture of each vehicle, all traditionally hand built by British craftsmen.

1985 The updated 5.0 litre AC Cobra is re-introduced into North America, using the original tooling and meeting 50 State EPA and DOT Federal Regulations.

1986 After some fifty six years of ownership, the Hurlock family sold their controlling interest in AC Cars to the joint ownership of Autokraft Limited and the Ford Motor Company.

1988 AC Cars moved into a new purpose-built factory of some 90,000 square feet sited within the historic Brooklands race track, scene of many achievements by AC Cars during the 1920s.

Garage Mates – British and Italian – Ford and Chevrolet

More photos are in the slide show below

[Show as slideshow]

Fortunately the tire sizes listed below are not correct the actual height ratio is 50 not 60 which is good because I could not find a new 255/60 16 inch tire from any manufacturer.

Summary

Article Name

This AC Cobra Arrived Today

Description

My newly acquired AC Cobra arrived today!

Author

Mike Gulett