Shelby Cobra 427
Photo: Sicnag, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Vehicles · Vintage American Muscle
Shelby Cobra 427 · 1965–1967
The 427 Cobra is the big-block evolution of the AC/Shelby roadster: a hand-formed aluminum body over a wide, coil-spring MkIII chassis carrying Ford's 7.0-litre FE V8, built to keep the Cobra competitive against the Corvette Sting Ray. Collectors prize genuine CSX3000-series cars for their violent power-to-weight and racing pedigree, with S/C and competition examples the most valuable and 427-badged 428 'cost-cutter' street cars and replicas trading at a steep discount.
The one to have: A documented, matching-numbers original 427 S/C (semi-competition) — one of roughly 29 unsold FIA competition chassis finished for the street with the dual-quad 427 cu in FE V8, oil-cooler nostril, side exhausts and 42-gallon tank, carried by an unbroken SAAC World Registry ownership chain (CSX3xxx).
Specification
Engine
7.0L FE V8
427 cu in (7.0L) Ford FE OHV V8; dual Holley four-barrels on street 427s, single four-barrel on 428 cost-cutter cars
Output
425 bhp
425 bhp (317 kW) at 6,000 rpm; 480 lb-ft (651 Nm) at 3,700 rpm on the dual-quad 427; competition tune ~480+ bhp
0-60 mph
~4.2 s
standing quarter ~12.4 s; top speed roughly 165 mph
Gearbox
4-speed manual
Ford 'Toploader' 4-speed; wide coil-spring MkIII chassis, ~348 big-block CSX3000 cars built
The market
Verified sales on file
4
May 2024 – Jan 2025
Median sale
$2.59M
all tracked results
★ Matching-numbers 427 S/C
$3.03M
median of 1 target-spec sales
Top result
$5.94M
Mecum · Jan 2025
Benchmarks: 428 cost-cutter/driver ~$900k – clean matching-numbers 427 street $1.3M–2.2M – S/C or competition $3M+ · Trend: firming; genuine matching-numbers and S/C cars lead, replicas flat
Know the real one
Every genuine big-block car carries a CSX3xxx chassis number and appears in the SAAC World Registry of Cobras & GT40s. Verify the CSX number and registry entry first: replicas, kit cars, and Shelby's own later CSX4000/CSX6000 continuation cars vastly outnumber the roughly 348 original CSX3000 big-blocks.
Many '427' street cars actually left Shelby American with the cheaper 428 cu in Police Interceptor and a single four-barrel — the 3200-series 'wide-hip' cost-cutter cars. A true dual-quad 427 FE, matching-numbers, is worth far more than a 427-badged 428, so confirm the engine and its numbers, not the fender badge.
The most valuable street-legal originals are the 427 S/C (semi-competition) cars: roughly 29 unsold FIA competition chassis fitted with mufflers and street trim, identifiable by the oil-cooler nose opening, riveted hood scoop, side pipes and 42-gallon tank.
Genuine cars have hand-formed aluminum bodies over the coil-spring MkIII chassis with wide flared arches. A fiberglass body, a VIN/CSX plate that does not match the registry, or a 'CSX' number outside the documented CSX3000 ranges signals a replica or a re-bodied car.
Verified sales · ★ = target spec · foreign results converted to USD as noted
| Date | Venue | Year | Spec | Miles | Price | Loc | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2025 | Mecum | 1965 | CSX3178, dual-quad 427 street, Carroll Shelby's personal car | — | $5,940,000 | FL | Carroll Shelby's own dual-quad 427, Charcoal Gray (one of five so painted), Sunburst knock-offs, Toploader 4-speed; owned by Shelby from new. Provenance premium; Mecum Kissimmee 2025. |
| Aug 2024 | RM Sotheby's | 1966 | CSX3036, 427 S/C semi-competition ★ | — | $3,030,000 | CA | One of roughly 29 S/C cars; oil cooler, riveted hood scoop, flared fenders, side exhausts, 42-gallon tank. SCCA-raced in period, restored by Mike McCluskey. RM Monterey 2024. |
| Aug 2024 | RM Sotheby's | 1966 | CSX3259, single-four-barrel 427 street | — | $995,000 | CA | Street car restored to original red over black Connolly leather, single four-barrel; well-documented chain of ownership, SAAC-registered. Illustrates the street-vs-S/C value gap. RM Monterey 2024. |
| May 2024 | Mecum | 1966 | CSX3200, dual-quad 427 street, matching-numbers | — | $2,145,000 | IN | Last of the initial run of 100 427 street Cobras before the 428 switch, per the World Registry; unmolested original aluminum body, chassis, drivetrain and rear end. Mecum Indianapolis 2024. |
Where to hunt
Bring a Trailer — Shelby Cobra resultsModel auction history and live listings
Classic.com — Shelby Cobra 427 marketAggregated sold prices and trend
Glenmarch — Shelby Cobra 427 resultsGlobal auction result database
Research file — market data verified through July 18, 2026.
Sources: individually observed results via Classic.com feeds, BaT, Cars & Bids, Mecum, RM Sotheby's,
Broad Arrow, Gooding, Collecting Cars, PCARMARKET and venue coverage, plus marque registries and factory press material.