AC Cobra Pilgrim Replica 1998

1998 built Pilgrim Cobra Replica with 5.7 L Chevrolet V8 engine, 5 speed manual gearbox.  

16,000 miles warranted. The Cobra has a fully galvanised chassis for improved longevity (no rust worries), very rigid box frame semi-monocoque design with steel bars through the doors. It is trimmed in grey leather, with black piping on the seats, as woodrim steering wheel and aluminium on the handbrake and gear knob. The car had a full check and refresh service/overhaul with Pilgrim Motorsports between June and September 2023 at considerable cost (all receipts available).

Since then, the owner has invested in maintenance/further renewals with Frenchmoor Racing, renowned motorsports engineers. No expense has been spared in keeping the Cobra in top driving and cosmetic condition.

Works in the last year have included:

- New ACC pump

- ⁠New carburettor

- ⁠New throttle cable/clutch cable kits

- ⁠New air filter and housing

- ⁠New horn

- ⁠New rear wheel cylinders and refreshed brakes

- ⁠Replaced exhaust headers

- ⁠Refixing certain body parts/cosmetics

- ⁠Renewing dashboard lights internally — all work

- ⁠2 new tyres (replaced less than 500 miles ago)

- ⁠Full service (twice) including detailed review at the factory by Pilgrim

 
The Cobra is totally reliable and starts/runs well after months without use (if on a trickle charge). The owner describes it as: “Completely bonkers when you put your foot down!"

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 The AC or Shelby Cobra really needs no introduction; the marriage of a British sports car chassis and an American V8 engine resulted in one of the greatest cars of all time.
Like many British manufacturers, AC Cars had been using the Bristol straight-6 engine in its small-volume production, including its AC Ace two-seater roadster. The Ace had a hand-built body with a steel tube frame, and aluminium body panels that were made using English wheeling machines. The engine was a pre-World War II design by BMW which by the 1960s was considered dated. In 1961 Bristol decided to cease production of its engine. In September 1961, Ford provided Shelby with two engines.

AC Ace 3.6
In January 1962 mechanics at AC Cars in Thames Ditton, Surrey designed the "AC Ace 3.6" prototype with chassis number CSX2000.
AC had already made most of the modifications needed for the small-block V8 when they installed the 2.6-litre (159 cu in) inline-6 Ford Zephyr engine, including the extensive rework of the AC Ace's front end bodywork. The only modification of the front end of the first Cobra from that of the "AC Ace 2.6" was the steering box, which had to be moved outward to clear the wider V8 engine.
The most important modification was the fitting of a stronger rear differential to handle the increased engine power. A Salisbury 4HU unit with inboard disc brakes to reduce unsprung weight was chosen instead of the old E.N.V. unit. It was the same unit used on the Jaguar E-Type. After testing and modification, the engine and transmission were removed and the chassis was air-freighted to Shelby in Los Angeles on 2 February 1962,[9] By this time the small-block's displacement was increased to 4.7 L (289 cu in).
Shelby's team paired this engine along with a transmission into CSX2000, in less than eight hours at Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, California, and began road-testing. Cobras went on to dominate sports car racing around the world and to be one of the fastest road cars of the period.

Pilgrim Motorsports (builders of this car):
Pilgrim have been building cars since the sixties. This means we have sixty years of experience delivering excellence to your door. From humble beginnings of single car-builds to a fully-functioning large factory in the mid-eighties, Pilgrim’s huge success was largely down to its recreation of the famous AC Cobra, which was and remains very popular, in both factory-build form or build-your-own. Pilgrim Motorsports have built over 14,000 bespoke cars. With nearly 40 years of car manufacturing expertise, we decided several years ago to open our facilities to the classic car restoration and service business.

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