AC Owners Club Forum

AC Owners Club Forum => Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum => Topic started by: nikbj68 on February 07, 2019, 23:51:50

Title: 39PH For Sale
Post by: nikbj68 on February 07, 2019, 23:51:50

Form an orderly queue, please...
39PH. The 1963 Le Mans, Willment, Jack Sears Cobra is currently on display at Retromobile in Paris; purchase details via FISKENS  (https://www.fiskens.com/cars-for-sale/AC-Cobra-289/13644.htm)

Title: Re: 39PH For Sale
Post by: rstainer on February 26, 2019, 14:21:44

Per Fiskens “AC Cars built Cobra chassis number CSX2131 at its Thames Ditton factory...”

Not per AC’s Factory Ledger, AC’s car-numbering conventions, 1963 Le Mans scrutineering or the ACOC. 2131, a RHD car, is CS2131.

‘X’ was only used for LHD cars. Shelby American’s Willment invoice mistakenly lists it as 'CSX' but the CS concept was unknown California.

RS

Title: Re: 39PH For Sale
Post by: aaron on March 16, 2020, 10:49:33

I guess Fiskens advertised the car with a CSX chassis no as the car is now fitted with a CSX chassis tag

Title: Re: 39PH For Sale
Post by: jrlucke on March 17, 2020, 02:48:45

Are there 2 2131 numbered cars? This suggests that Wilment acquired a 2nd bare chassis from AC as a spare for CSX2131 with the intent of numbering is CS2131 and built the Wilment coupe apparently now also numbered CSX2131 around that chassis.

https://shelbyamericancollection.org/cars/1964-willment-daytona-coupe-csx2131/

Title: Re: 39PH For Sale
Post by: rstainer on March 17, 2020, 13:29:53

The ACOC Cobra Register (on the internet) has three:

LEAF SPRING CHASSIS - SHELBY:

The CS2131 roadster, rebuilt with a new AC-provided LHD unnumbered chassis and substructure (converted by Willment to RHD) following its 30th May 1964 Nurburgring accident.

APPENDIX 1 - PERIOD COBRAS MADE BY OTHER CONSTRUCTORS:

Willment constructed a roadster using the chassis discarded during the CS2131 rebuild. The Willment-constructed roadster was originally given the VIN ITC1 (It's The Chassis-1), but many years later was re-VINned CS2131A.

Willment also purchased a bare unnumbered chassis from AC to build a Daytona-like coupe. Per the register "Willment treated the CS 2131 roadster and the coupe as a single vehicle for paperwork and promotion purposes, as illustrated by the use of the same chassis and registration number and later sale advertisements, where the race results of both cars are combined". Willment's "paperwork and promotion purposes" VIN for both roadster and coupe was CSX2131.

Three chassis, three VINs (CS2131, CS2131A and CSX2131) and three cars, one made by AC and two by another constructor. See the Register for further info.

RS