Dubbed "The Cobra to end all Cobras" by Road & Track magazine, the Super Snake was an 800-hp, twin-supercharged RWD sports car built during an era when there was no ABS, ASR, or ESP, and seat belts were still optional.
The Shelby Cobra, unquestionably the most iconic American sports car that didn't don Corvette badges, traces its origins to the 1953 AC Ace, a British, inline-six-powered two-seat roadster.
Nine years later, former Le Mans-winning race driver Carroll Shelby, who was looking to build his own V8-powered lightweight road and track two-seater, approached AC's owner, Charles Hurlock, with an exciting proposition.
Shelby reasoned that modifying the light and affordable Ace chassis was much more advantageous than developing a new one from scratch, so after striking a deal with Hurlock and then Ford for the powertrains, he transformed the Ace into the Cobra.
Produced from 1962 to 1967, the Shelby Cobra (sold in Europe as the AC Shelby Cobra) became an automotive legend on both road and track.
Throughout its lifespan, it received a series of comprehensive upgrades and was available with several Ford engines, with the 427-ci (7.0-liter) big-block V8 being the biggest and most powerful.
As outstanding as the "standard" street and competition 427 Cobras were during those days, the bespoke Super Snake was undoubtedly the most insane Cobra ever built and arguably the most dangerous road-legal sports car of its era.
It started out as a promotional Competition model
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
The first of only two Shelby Cobra 427 Super Snakes ever built, chassis CSX 3015, was constructed in 1965 as a 1966-model-year thoroughbred race car, meaning that it was one of only 26 427-powered Competition roadsters ever developed by Carroll Shelby and his Venice crew.
In September 1965, shortly after it was completed, CSX 3015, alongside another Competition Cobra (CSX 3014) and two race-spec Shelby GT350R Mustangs, were shipped to Ford Advanced Vehicles in England, where they embarked on a European promotional tour.
Based on the latest Mk III Cobra equipped with the race-spec, four-barrel 427 "side oiler," the CSX 3015 Cobra fulfilled its promotional duties and returned to the US about a year later.
By this time, Shelby began converting several unsold Competition roaders into the ultimate street-legal, high-performance-spec Cobra version called S/C (Semi Competition).
Morphing into Carroll Shelby's personal ride
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
Among the converted race cars was chassis CSX 3015, but unlike the other cars, this particular example was developed for Carroll Shelby himself, who wanted a very special street-legal daily driver.
Work on this unique Cobra started in early 1967. Visually, CSX 3015 retained the special Competition body modifications like the beefier hips and larger nose.
However, like all other converted chassis, the car received a series of features that allowed it to be homologated for use on public roads.
Those features included, among others, bumpers, mufflers, and a full-size windscreen taken from the regular, road-going Cobra that replaced the small driver's side version exclusive to the Competition-spec examples.
Unique to the CSX 3015, which became known as the Cobra Super Snake, was a special hood with a humongous scoop that hinted at the outrageous engine setup underneath.
Putting the "super" in Super Snake
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
Finished in Guardsman Blue, the Super Snake was classified as a S/C Cobra to in order to gain road-legal status, but, as the above-mentioned hood hinted, this was by no means an ordinary S/C.
Determined to create "The Cobra to end all Cobras," Shelby added not one but two Paxton superchargers to the race-spec 427.
The insane forced induction system, combined with other engine upgrades, led to no less than 800 horsepower, an output figure that was outrageous , to say the least, especially for a 1960s street-legal sports car.
Insanity on four wheels
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
During the 1960s, when there were no electronic aids and a complete disregard for safety, a road-legal Shelby Cobra, with a lightweight chassis and body combo, packed a venomous bite, regardless of the powertrain it received.
Too much confidence and insufficient skill could prove deadly for those who dared to push the car close to its limits.
With its 800-hp 427, which allegedly enabled it to sprint from 0 to 60 mph (97 kph) in less than four seconds and reach a top speed of 200 mph (322 kph), the Super Snake was far more dangerous than any other road-legal Cobra, and, probably more dangerous than any other road-legal sports car ever built.
Even by today's standards, 800 hp in a sports car that weighs under 2,500 pounds (1,134 kg) is not for everyone, even with advanced electronic aids and safety features.
But for a 1960s sports car, the power-to-weight ratio was unprecedented and almost certainly deadly for someone who lacked Carroll Shleby's race-driving skills.
A particularly deadly Cobra
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
Unfortunately, the Super Snake eventually showed just how deadly it was.
As the story goes, Carroll Shelby didn't want to build another twin-supercharged 427 Cobra, but was convinced by comedian Bill Cosby to change his mind.
Thus, in 1967, another Competiton roadster, chassis CSX 3303, received the insane conversion as Shelby's personal ride.
The famous entertainer quickly realized just how insanely dangerous the Super Snake was, so he sold it to a wealthy enthusiast named Tony Maxey, who failed to tame the beast during a high-speed run on a winding California road and drove it off a cliff into the Pacific Ocean.
Miraculously, Maxey was rescued from the water and taken to the hospital in time. However, his injuries were too serious, and he passed away several days later.
The lone survivor
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
While the second Super Snake was destroyed in the deadly crash, the first example was eventually sold by Shelby and although it switched owners several times, none have dared to push the outrageous car to its limits.
Still around in its original specification, the CSX 3015 fetched over $5.000.000 on three separate occasions, becoming one of the most expensive American sports cars ever sold at a public auction.
The last time it went under the hammer at a Barrett-Jackson, the only surviving Cobra Super Snake sold for a whopping $5,500,000.
From a safety standpoint, an 800-hp Shelby Cobra made no logical sense, but for sports car enthusiasts, it remains one of Carroll Shelby's best decisions and arguably his most impressive road car.
Nearly six decades after its construction, the 427 Cobra Super Snake continues to be one of America's most insane street-legal sports cars and maybe the most insane sports car that can be legally driven on public roads.
For more on this fascinating ride, we recommend watching the YouTube video below by Winston Goodfellow.
Vlad's first car was custom coach built: an exotic he made out of wood, cardboard and a borrowed steering wheel at the age of five. Combining his previous experience in writing and car dealership years, his articles focus in depth on special cars of past and present times. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News