A Shelby Cobra Like No Other at Monterey Jet Center

Each summer, Monterey Car Week brings the world's greatest car fanatics onto California's coast. But this year, one vintage roadster will be the star of the Broad Arrow Monterey Jet Center Auction a car so rare and so important to the history of American automobiles that even Carroll Shelby once pulled over to admire it.

The car that started it all

Before it was a household name among racing fans and the myth of car enthusiasts, the Shelby Cobra was a dream fueled by equal measures of engineering brilliance and resolve. The dream was realized in 1962 in the shape of CSX 2003, the fourth and one of the only few original prototype Cobras that exist today.

Now, after 36 years of loving care by a single devoted owner, this icon of American motor car history is available to be transferred to a new caretaker. Broad Arrow Auctions is presenting the chance of a lifetime to purchase CSX 2003 at its Monterey Jet Center Auction on August 13 and 14.

To collectors who appreciate authenticity, this is no run-of-the-mill Cobra. This is the very car that persuaded Ford Motor Company to invest in Shelby's dream. Without it, the history of the Cobra and Shelby American might never have gotten off the ground.

A partnership that spawned a legend

What is so remarkable about CSX 2003 is not just its history but the history behind its origins. When Carroll Shelby originally conceptualized a light roadster powered by a Ford V8, he approached AC Cars in England and American driver Ed Hugus to assist in its development. Shelby had the plan, but Hugus had the garage and the determination.

CSX 2003 was built at Hugus' European Cars dealership in Pittsburgh. It was one of the first Cobras completed, with a 260-cubic-inch Ford V8 and a Borg Warner four-speed transmission. The work on these first Cobras was done by Shelby's initial investors people like Hugus and his skilled team.

Ford engineers and even Henry Ford II himself put CSX 2003 to the test first-hand in Dearborn. Their evaluation helped gain official sanction that would launch Shelby American to global racing glory.

A collector's gem with unrivaled provenance

Cobra's early life is steeped in legend. After it was tested by Ford, CSX 2003 was purchased by George Reed in Illinois, where it competed in the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1963. It changed hands in a series of private ownerships until it was found by its longest and most devoted caretaker, neurosurgeon Richard "Doc" McAdam, in 1989.

McAdam didn't merely purchase the Cobra he lived with it. He took it to the hospital. He left it in the hands of a master mechanic. He even met Carroll Shelby himself, who signed the glove compartment after reviewing the car and being amazed at its originality. The Cobra spent more than three decades with McAdam and his family, tended with respect and exercised from time to time to keep its mechanical heart going.

Now restored to its original Olde English White exterior and red interior with its original factory engine and drivetrain still in place, CSX 2003 is a collector's car more than anything else—it's an auto time capsule. Estimated value of between $1.5 million and $2 million takes not only its rarity but also its invaluable place in automotive history into account.

A new hypercar from America steals the limelight While CSX 2003 is the past, another highlight of the auction is the future that is bold and American 2011 Hennessey Venom GT. This limited-series powerhouse, one of 13 in existence, combines a carbon-fiber British chassis with American brawn through a 6.2-liter supercharged LS9 V8 engine.

With 725 horses, manual transmission, and carbon-ceramic Brembo brakes, the Venom GT was engineered for unapologetic performance and handling. But its sophisticated interior and air conditioning nod to comfort, making it an extremely rare blend of ferocity and functionality. Presented without reserve and in beautiful Venom Red, this low-mileage hypercar invites a new generation of collectors to take the wheel.

Modern-day American symbols from a chosen set

Also available from The American Performance Collection are six unmolested examples of Dodge and Chevrolet's most powerful cars. With over 4,000 horsepower combined, these vehicles are not only engineering masterpieces but future classics that will be treasured.

The collection consists of two 2017 Dodge Vipers Extreme Aero Package, a 2021 Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, a 2023 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, a 2015 Corvette Z06 Convertible, and a 2016 Challenger SRT Hellcat finished in the highly desirable Plum Crazy Pearl paint. All of the cars were bought new by the owner and kept in nearly showroom condition, and this collection is among the most anticipated highlights of the Monterey auction.

Monterey Jet Center offers an unforgettable experience

Broad Arrow's Monterey Jet Center Auction is more than a sale it's an experience that embodies Monterey Car Week. Co-hosted with Motorlux, the auction combines aviation sophistication with automotive superiority. Last year's event topped over $71 million in sales and included some of the most sought-after collector vehicles in the world.

This year's lineup sets the bar high again. Whether you're attracted to Shelby history, the raw power of a contemporary hypercar, or the lean power of American muscle, the Monterey Jet Center Auction provides an elegant experience for the appreciative collector. A snapshot in time for serious collectors CSX 2003 is not just a car. It is an American icon. It is the start of something new and the brilliance of Carroll Shelby. With subsequent Cobras, Shelby would go on to win Le Mans and establish the benchmark for what was possible in a sports car. But it all began with cars like this one constructed in a tiny garage, proven on faith, and driven by passion. For one lucky buyer this summer, CSX 2003 will be more than a buy. It will be the continuation of a tale that made car history.

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