Initially, that first V-8 that Shelby utilized was 221 cu. in. in displacement; while the earliest Cobras were fitted with 260-cu. in. Ford V-8’s, the Cobra finally came into its own its third powerplant; Ford’s 289-cu. in. V-8, which entered production after the first 75 cars were built. With a total output of 306 bhp, Shelby’s 289 Cobra tipped the scales at only 2,000 lbs., a monumental 500-some lbs. lighter than the Corvette, a figure that paid massive…
Initially, that first V-8 that Shelby utilized was 221 cu. in. in displacement; while the earliest Cobras were fitted with 260-cu. in. Ford V-8’s, the Cobra finally came into its own its third powerplant; Ford’s 289-cu. in. V-8, which entered production after the first 75 cars were built. With a total output of 306 bhp, Shelby’s 289 Cobra tipped the scales at only 2,000 lbs., a monumental 500-some lbs. lighter than the Corvette, a figure that paid massive dividends in terms of performance.