Owners: Tim & Linda Nevras Words & Photos: Clive Branson
I doubt stamp collecting will ever replace the excitement this beast can offer. This is a vehicle gods must have designed on a Friday afternoon with the intention of breaking track records on a circuit. As a street car, it’s about as practical as a disposed lighter, but who cares. This is one of those dream machines that strikes you as hard with looks and components as it ever could coming down the highway. This is a top predator on the foodchain, equipped with the power, agility and aesthetics of a greyhound with steel skin. It’s a 1965 Ford Daytona. Only six original coupes were ever made, each fetching over $8 million. This particular model is a replica by the competent and versatile Factory Five. Replica or not, it is worth every accolade.
In 1963, Carroll Shelby’s new Cobra dominated the short road courses of America, but the ultimate goal for Shelby (who was a winning driver at the ’59 Le Mans) and Ford was to give the predominant (and rather condescending) Ferraris a bloody nose on the world stage to win the coveted F.I.A. World Manufacturers Championship for GT cars. The Championship consisted of a series of grueling endurance races (12 to 24 hours) at Le Mans, Daytona, Sebring, Imola, Reims, Spa-Francochamps, Goodwood, Oulton Park, Circuito Piccolo delle Madonie, Enna, Rouen, Monza and the notorious Nurburgring. The Ford Daytona also set records at Bonneville on November 4th of 1965 and established a total of 23 World Stock Car Speed and Endurance Records.
An experimental coupe body, designed by Peter Brock, was built on an existing Cobra chassis, immediately increasing the top speed by 25 mph. Although the new car won the GT class at its first race, the Daytona Continental, Team Shelby missed winning the 1964 Championship by a nose hair. By 1965, they were not to be denied and, on July 4th, 1965, Bob Bondurant drove this Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe across the finish line at the 12 Heures du Reims in France to secure the F.I.A. Championship. Not only did the Daytona victory cause a sensation by becoming the first American team to win the Championship, it proved that America could build fast and reliable cars.
The Factory Five took the race replica concept to an entirely new street level. “The replica I own, housing a Mustang BOSS 363, replacing the original 302, can out-brake a Ford GT and out-handle a 911 Porsche Carrera,” states owner Tim Nevras. “When I sit behind the wheel, turn on the ignition and hear the rumble, the adrenaline races through my veins. I feel one with the car.” Tim was born with a passion for cars and wanted to build an AC Cobra, but when a friend gave Tim and his wife, Linda, a DVD from Factory Five in 2005 showcasing the Daytonas, Tim was instantly converted. “I’ve always admired its racing pedigree and a shape that was designed by the wind. Linda likes the fact that it has a roof, air conditioning, and a heater, enabling us to go to many more car shows despite the weather.
“We ordered the car in September 2005 and by November, we received the call that the kit was ready for pick-up,” recalls Linda. “Tim drove down to Factory Five with the car trailer to pick it up. The car was road-ready by May 2007 and we were happily attending car shows that summer. We don’t break track records in it, and the furthest we’ve driven it is for two hours, but what a ride! Everyone’s heads turn as we pass. The car attracts so much attention that you have to be someone who doesn’t mind living under Klieg lights.”
Development of the Daytona Cobra ceased after the World Championship success as both Ford and Shelby moved onto the GT40 project to meet the new world championship regulations. The Shelby Daytona Cobra Coupe is the 74th-most expensive car sold at auction by original price (US$7,685,000). The top 10 most expensive cars sold at auction are: Ferrari 250 GTO, Ferrari 335S, Mercedes-Benz W196, Ferrari 290 MM, Ferrari 275 GTB/4*S NART Spider, Ferrari 275 GTB/C Speciale, Aston Martin DBR1, Jaguar D-Type, Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Lungo Spider and Ferrari 250 GT SWB California Spider.
