1965 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe – 6 examples
Although the Cobra roadster dominated the international GT racing scene in the early ’60s, Shelby noticed that the roadster body was not suited for all tracks and races. Even with the hardtop mounted, the Cobra lacked top speed due to poor aerodynamics. On long straights like in Le Mans, it was slower than the competition. The answer was to redesign the car and turn it into a racing missile capable of insane top speeds (via Supercars).
To do that, Shelby needed to modify the Cobra entirely. With the help of his talented team of engineers and hot rodders, he managed to construct a more extended chassis, relocate the suspension, and design a whole new, longer, sleeker, and much more aerodynamic body. The Daytona Coupe was a pure racing car barely suitable for street driving and intended to destroy the competition. The car was ready just in time for the legendary 1965 racing season. It was shipped to Europe, where it continued to dominate American engineering and managed to win the 1965 GT Championship. The car was an extraordinary success for Ford, Shelby, and his talented drivers and mechanics team.