Shelby Daytona Coupe
Even though the Cobra roadster dominated the international GT racing scene in the early ’60s, Carroll Shelby noticed the roadster body was unsuitable for all tracks and races. Even with the hardtop, the Cobra lacked top speeds due to poor aerodynamics. And on long straights like Le Mans, it was slower than the competition. So his answer was to redesign the car and make a racing missile capable of insane top speeds (via Shelby American).
To do that, Shelby needed to fully modify the Cobra. With the help of his talented team of engineers and hot rodders, he constructed a more extended chassis. Also, he relocated the suspension and design for a longer, sleeker, and more aerodynamically efficient body. They called it the Daytona Coupe. It was a pure racing car barely suitable for street driving with the intent to destroy. They finished the car just in time for the legendary 1965 racing season. They shipped it to Europe, where it continued the dominance of American engineering. The Daytona Coupe won the 1965 GT Championship. That was an extraordinary success for Ford, Shelby, and his team of talented drivers and mechanics.