1963 Shelby Cougar II Coupe Concept

Ford's styling department built two concept cars on Cobra CSX chassis in the mid-1960s.

Both were designed by the head of Ford Styling at that time, Eugene Bordinat.

One was a roadster which came to be called the 'Bordinat Cobra.'

The other one, a coupe, was called the 'Cougar II.'

Despite the nominal publicity, not much was known about either car

beyond the fact that they were concept cars, never intended for actual production.

The cars disappeared for several years. After a number of internet

searches over a period of years, both cars were found in a warehouse in Detroit.

Both cars were basically intact and now belong to the Detroit Historical Society.

The Cougar II (chassis CSX2008) had a fiberglass body, 

a 260 High-Performance engine and a four-speed transmission. 

It was a GT two-passenger sports car that appeared to be 

a suitable contender for the Chevrolet Corvette String Ray. 

The car had a fastback roof, concealed 'pop-up' headlights, and full instrument interior.

Estimated top speed of 170 miles per hour. 

When interior air pressure exceeded 15 pounds per square inch, 

a relief panel across the rear of the passenger compartment would automatically open. 

The purpose of this panel was to relieve the extreme pressure 

that would be caused at high speeds. Another feature to the car was a spring-loaded

window-lift mechanism to the curved side windows.

(conceptcarz.com)

 (Below L) Shelby Cougar II Coupe              (Below R) Shelby Bordinat Cobra Roadster         

  (Below L) Shelby Bordinat Cobra Roadster          (Below R) Shelby Cougar II Coupe 

(Photos from conceptcarz.com, supercars.net & autominded.com)

1963 Shelby Bordinat Cobra Roadster Concept

Ford's styling department built two concept cars on Cobra CSX chassis in the mid-1960s.

Both were designed by the head of Ford Styling at that time, Eugene Bordinat. 

One was a roadster which came to be called the 'Bordinat Cobra.' 

Rumored to be more for Bordinat’s personal transport. 

The other one, a coupe, was called the 'Cougar II.' 

Despite the nominal publicity, not much was known about either car 

beyond the fact that they were concept cars, never intended for actual production.

The cars disappeared for several years. After a number of internet 

searches over a period of years, both cars were found in a warehouse in Detroit. 

Both cars were basically intact and now belong to the Detroit Historical Society.  

The Bordinat Cobra, alternatively called the XP Cobra was the first coil-spring chassis Cobra. 

Power was from a 289 High-Performance engine mated to a C4 automatic transmission. 

The body of the Bordinat Cobra was vacuum-formed out of a 

new plastic material called Royalex, developed by U.S. Royal.
(conceptcarz.com & autominded.com)

(Below L) Shelby Cougar II Coupe         (Below R) Shelby Bordinat Cobra Roadster 

(Below L) Shelby Bordinat Cobra Roadster          (Below R) Shelby Cougar II Coupe

      

(Photos from conceptcarz.com, supercars.net & flickr.com)

 

1965 Mercer-Cobra Roadster

In 1963, when ex-Chrysler design chief Virgil Exner was commissioned by 

Esquire magazine to pen so-called “revival cars,” 

each interpreting vintage brands and their signature cues into a then-modern design.
The Mercer, essentially a heavily re-skinned 289 cu. in. V-8, four-speed manual 
Shelby Cobra 289 built by Turin coachbuilder Sibona-Basano, 
was one of four originally drafted, but the only one selected by the 
American Copper Development Association to serve as a showcase for its wares. 
As a result, it hired Exner and essentially provided that it was chock full of brass and copper. 
While the bodywork isn’t crafted from copper or brass, 
the vast majority of interior and exterior trim certainly is. 
Copper is used from everything from the radiator shell, exhaust guards, wheels, 
inner door panel trim, even the disc brakes were crafted from copper, as the ACDA 
believed the material’s “superior thermal conductivity” helped reduce fading.
The car was sold for $660,000 in a 2011 auction.
(rmauctions.com)

(Photos from rmauctions.com)