CSX2286 is one of the most important Shelby Daytona Coupes ever made: it is the only Daytona Super Coupe made for LeMans racing, a program that never left the ground. Here’s how the story goes: Shelby builds the Daytona Coupe in an effort to make their racing efforts at LeMans viable. The Daytona Coupe, which debuts for 1963, proves to be 25 MPH faster than the 289 Cobra, and production starts. However, CSX2286 goes one major step beyond the other five Daytonas: it gets a body and frame lengthening to accommodate a Ford big-block (rumored to be an aluminum 390 cubic inch unit) and is prepared to go out and hurt feelings. Unfortunately, CSX2286 never got the chance: on it’s way from Italy to France, the truck that was transporting the big-block coupe was involved in an accident and the Super Coupe was too damaged to appear for the 1964 LeMans race. With Ford’s GT40 program ramping up, Shelby shelved the project and moved on. CSX2286 was converted back into a small-block car, which it remains to this day.
Now Shelby American is going to whip up six copies of the Daytona Super Coupe to, as the company puts out, “finish the “secret weapon” program that Shelby had taken on”. The six examples will be 427 Ford powered, will pack a four-speed, and will probably be as hairy as Bob Bondurant vividly remembered…he was one of the test drivers for the Super Coupe when it was still packing a big block. Shelby will paint the cars in whatever livery you desire. We don’t even want to know the cost involved (and we suspect that they are already spoken for) but for that price, you better get the car the color you want, right?
Note to potential buyers…better store it in a pillow warehouse.
Wonder if Kirkham will be supplying the aluminum bodies…
I’m sure one will show up at B-J.
Come on Powerball!
What a shame the project was canned – but the GT40 was progress and it ultimately led to The Blue Oval’s humiliation of Ferrari. I would expect Superperformance to be gnashing their teeth at this and already planning a big block Daytona of their own which will cost at least a tenth of this factory effort.
One of these with a cammer pure heaven.