Customer Reviews

Daytona Cobra coupes: Carroll Shelby's 1965 world champions

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If you are a Cobra nut, a '60's sports car nut, or just an automotive history fan, you MUST have this book.

It is written by, and most of the photos in this book were taken by, Pete Brock, the designer and "father" of the Daytona Coupe. If nothing else, the book is fascinating and enthralling, packed with detail and never before released documented facts. You will not be able to put it down. When I first received mine, (it sold for $100.00 a copy when first released), I soon discovered by turning it's pages how cheaply I "stole" this book for. I would have paid five times that to get one, if necessary !!! Years later, I am still enthralled by the detailed and superb written detail and photos in this book.

It comes in hardcover in a large format and has hundreds of never before released historic pictures of the Cobra Daytona Coupe, during it's development and relatively short, but extremely impressive racing career. Many of the photos are color and they were obviously taken with high quality camera gear in almost a photo-journalist manner. It is like LIFE magazine photographers followed this car, intent on documenting it's history and significance, because they had a sixth sense as to the legacy the car would leave behind. How fortunate for us all they did !!!

The book comes with a well deserved thick hard cover sleeve to protect it and this adds to its prestigious look. I carefully slide my copy out often and revisit it's lush contents often. It is like engaging in the most enjoyable activity over and over again and never tiring of doing so.

Fortunately, I purchased this book years ago when it was still available. It soon was sold out and disappeared from the radar screen. Who knows if it will return, (I unselfishly hope it does due to the numbers of people who could purchase this book and forever be thankful they had the opportunity to do so).

The car was a mere flash on the auto racing landscape, but it's development and immediate success on the race track is still almost an unbelieveable fairytale-like story.

Few of these cars were made, and a very few survive today and are worth several millions of dollars - if, that is their owners would even consider selling them !! Carrol Shelby himself gets offers in the stratosphere all the time for the one Daytona Coupe he still possesses.

I could go on and on about this book, but I will conclude with stating that - regardless of price or condition - if you are a Cobra nut or owner, (even of a kit car replica Cobra), you will be forever unfulfilled if you do not procure this book.

It is that good !!! Period !!!

This outstanding and very detailed history provides a deep insight not only into the Cobra Daytona but gives an inside look into endurance racing and Shelby American during this period of time. Mr. Brock, who was a Shelby American employee and confidant to Mr. Shelby, brings together a huge amount of information into a coherent and well-organized volume.

Using an enormous number of sources, the book provides insight into the engineering and design of this very fascinating car. Photographs of all of the Daytona coupes during various stages of their construction and evolution are presented along with technical, historical, and anecdotal information. A race by race history is provided, along with ownership history of each car, and insight into the workings of a professional racing team and their relationship with Ford Motor Company.

This volume is so detailed that the casual reader may be tempted to bypass some portions of the book, however, this will be to his or her loss, as even the reader only peripherally interested in Mr. Shelby and his cars will find the narrative and photos to be seductively fascinating.

I highly recommend this volume to all persons who have a professional or personal interest in auto racing during the 1960's.