In addition to leading one of the world’s biggest automotive empires and being related to the late comedic actor Chris Farley, Jim Farley is also an avid amateur racer. And now is your opportunity to own one of the racecars that once graced his collection.
This 1966 Shelby 427 Cobra bears the chassis number CSX3195 and has had a pretty wild life. One of just 343 examples made with both the 427 cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Ford V8 and coil springs, it was initially built for street use. Later in its life, though, it was converted to semi-competition spec and driven by a number of famous people, including Farley and Carroll Shelby himself.
In addition to being modified for racing, its taillights were also changed from rectangular units to the round elements (that were more consistent with later Cobras) that you see now. It was also involved in an accident early in its life.
Read: Rare Shelby Cobra CSX4000 Series Roadster Is A Shiny Example Of American Muscle
As a result of it, the driver-side door, rocker panel, and quarter panel were damaged. At least one of the main chassis tubes was straightened, while the left door skin, the rear fender, and three wheels were replaced.
By 1985, the car was purchased by Mac Archer, an avid vintage racer, who added the Halibrand wheels, a hood scoop, a racing windshield, side pipes, and a race-tuned 427 engine. Bearing the number 22, it was a frequent winner on America’s racetracks.
In November 2012, it was traded to Jim Farley. Frustratingly, the terms of the trade are not outlined in the listing, but Farley saw fit to strip the body and paint it blue with white stripes. He is reported to have chosen those colors because they matched the ones on the FIA Cobra 289 that he sold to Guns N’ Roses lead singer, Axl Rose.
Farley owned the car until 2015, during which time he raced it and showed it off at a number of events on Ford’s behalf. He then sold it to the current owner, who has listed the car on autohunter.com.
Anything but all original, this Cobra has lived a racer’s life, and it bears some of the scars of that lifestyle. But as a rare example of the breed with significant provenance and rich history, which features the signatures of Jim Farley, Lynn “Mr. Cobra” Park, Aaron Shelby (Carroll’s grandson), and Peter Brock (the designer of the Shelby Daytona Coupe), this Cobra is undeniably a highly desirable one.
