AC Cobra 289

The AC Cobra or the Shelby Cobra car series was originated in the 1960s. These were built by the British based car manufacturers, AC Cars. The AC Cobra series were sports cars with sleek bodies. These cars created a hallmark in the arena of speed and performance.  In 1961, the first car of the AC Cobra series was manufactured and over a period of few years, various models of the same series were launched. One of those models is the AC Cobra 289.

This model of the AC Cobra series was made somewhere between 1967 and 1969. The AC Cobra 289 was made with a light aluminium body and it was considered to have the most original cutback door in the entire AC Cobra Series.  The make and specifications of the car has helped achieve numerous first position wins in motor racing events around the world. The design of the car was such that the fenders flared, more at the rear in order to accommodate tyres that were bigger in size.

Measurements

The wheelbase of the Cobra 289 was 2286 mm while the front and rear track were 1308 and 1334mm respectively. The length of the car was 3848mm and the width was 1549mm. AC Cobra 289 had a height of 1245mm with a ground clearance of 114mm. The curb weight of the car was 1050kg. With a fuel capacity of 68.2 litres, this AC Cobra car ruled a lot of race tracks.

Specifications

AC Cobra 289 was a 2 seat capacity, drop head coupe with a V8 engine type and maximum power of 271 BHP. This two door car had a bore stroke ratio of 1.39. The unitary capacity of the car was 590.88cc/cylinder with a total of 8 cylinders and 16 valves, i.e. 2 valves per cylinder. The car has a maximum torque capacity of 423.0nm and a specific torque of 89.49nm/litre.

Performance

The AC Cobra model of cars was made mainly for the race tracks and hence their speed pick up capacities were considerably high. The pick up capacity of the AC cobra 289 from 0 to 50 mph was within 4.40 seconds and from 0 to 100 mph was within 13.70 seconds. The top speed for this car was 138 mph. The standing quarter mile capacity was 14.40 seconds.  Its power to weight ratio was 258.1bhp/ton.

Features and look

The engine of the car was placed longitudinally in the front portion and the car was a rear wheel drive. The steering type of the Cobra 289 was rack and pinion. The front and rear suspension of the car was independent, coil spring and wishbone type. The front and rear wheels were of 6 ½ L * 15 specification with front and rear disc brakes. The gear system of the car was manual with 4 gears. The tyres used for the car were of Dunlop make.

Though the AC Cobra series of cars were extremely popular on the race tracks, they however, did not prove to be financially powerful. The AC cobra series of cars were rarely seen on the roads and were most often used as racing cars. The features and capacity of the AC Cobra series made it a popular choice as a racing car. AC Cobra 289 was the 16th of the AC Cobra series and it accommodated the original 289 competition engine. The car also had four Weber carburettors that generated 400 horsepower energy.

The AC Cobra 289 model can very well be recognized by its flat face and flared arches. It’s simply because of all these features and much more, that made the AC Cobra 289 a favourite among the racing enthusiasts.

Tags: AC Cars, AC Cobra, AC Cobra 289