
CSX2208 is a 1964 Shelby 289 Cobra, a late-production Mark II car equipped with rack-and-pinion steering, finished in the rare factory color of Vineyard Green over Saddle leather. The car shipped from AC Cars in late 1963 aboard the SS Loch Loyal and was invoiced from Shelby American on January 8, 1964 to Broad Motors of Philadelphia for a total suggested retail of $5,584.05. After 47 years of continuous ownership by Lee Weinstein of Chatham, New Jersey, and a three-year restoration completed in 2019, CSX2208 sold at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2026 for $1,017,000.
Fast facts
- Late-production 289 Cobra equipped with rack-and-pinion steering, the defining mechanical update of the Mark II
- Original factory color: Vineyard Green over Saddle leather, an uncommon combination in period documentation
- Shipped from AC Cars in England aboard the SS Loch Loyal in late 1963
- Invoiced on January 8, 1964 to Broad Motors of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, total suggested retail of $5,584.05
- “Class A” accessories from new: aluminum Cobra valve covers, chromed 60-spoke wire wheels with whitewall tires, luggage rack
- 47 years of single-owner stewardship by Lee Weinstein of Chatham, New Jersey, from 1968 through his passing in 2013
- Three-year restoration by Classic MotorSports of Northville, Michigan, completed 2019, with bodywork by Colour Restoration of Loveland, Colorado
- Chassis, hood, and trunk latches confirmed numbers-matching during the restoration
- Sold at RM Sotheby’s Arizona 2026, Lot 151, for $1,017,000
History
CSX2208 left AC Cars in England in late 1963 and made the trans-Atlantic crossing to Los Angeles aboard the SS Loch Loyal. On arrival at Shelby American, the car received its 289 cubic inch V8 and the chassis revisions that defined the late-production Mark II Cobras, including the rack-and-pinion steering that distinguishes Mark II cars from the earlier Mark I worm-and-sector setup. It was invoiced on January 8, 1964 to Broad Motors of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, finished in Vineyard Green over Saddle leather and specified with the “Class A” accessory package: aluminum Cobra valve covers, chromed 60-spoke wire wheels with whitewall tires, and a luggage rack. The total suggested retail price came to $5,584.05.
The Shelby Registry records the first owner as a Philadelphia art collector who held the car briefly before selling it to Stanley Spritzler, a local clothier. In July 1968, Spritzler sold CSX2208 to Lee Weinstein of Chatham, New Jersey, who bought the Cobra as a high school graduation gift to himself. Weinstein kept the car for 47 years of continuous ownership, using and enjoying it regularly even as values climbed, until his passing in 2013.
After a change of ownership in 2015, CSX2208 underwent a three-year restoration by Classic MotorSports of Northville, Michigan, completed in 2019. The aluminum bodywork was sent to Colour Restoration in Loveland, Colorado, where the panels were block-sanded over more than 300 hours before being refinished in the car’s original Vineyard Green and paired with new Saddle leather trim. The chassis, hood, and trunk latches were confirmed numbers-matching during the work. In July 2025, the car received an inspection, fluid service, and a new clutch master cylinder from Cobra specialist Tom Yang of Hollowville, New York.
The car came to market at RM Sotheby’s Arizona sale in January 2026, accompanied by Lee Weinstein’s notebook documenting decades of ownership and care, restoration paperwork, receipts, period service invoices, and an original AC Cobra chassis instruction manual. CSX2208 sold as Lot 151 for $1,017,000.
Sale history
- January 8, 1964: New retail sale, Broad Motors of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, $5,584.05 total suggested retail
- 1964 to 1968: Held briefly by a Philadelphia art collector (unnamed in available sources), then by Stanley Spritzler, also of Philadelphia
- July 1968: Sold by Stanley Spritzler to Lee Weinstein, Chatham, New Jersey
- 2013: Lee Weinstein’s passing ended 47 years of single-owner stewardship; the car remained in the estate
- 2015: Change of ownership (specific buyer not documented in available sources)
- January 2026: RM Sotheby’s Arizona, Lot 151, $1,017,000
Authenticity and current configuration
Following the restoration completed in 2019, CSX2208’s chassis, hood, and trunk latches are confirmed numbers-matching. The car retains its original Vineyard Green over Saddle leather factory color combination, refreshed during the restoration. The 289 cubic inch drivetrain, rack-and-pinion steering, and “Class A” accessory specification reflect the late-production Mark II configuration the car was delivered in. Documentation accompanying the 2026 sale included an original AC Cobra chassis instruction manual, Lee Weinstein’s care notebook, restoration paperwork, and period service invoices.
About Shelby American and the Mark II
CSX2208 sits within the original 1962 to 1967 Cobra program produced by Shelby American. The Mark II designation marks the move from worm-and-sector to rack-and-pinion steering, the defining mechanical change within the small-block 289 era and a meaningful improvement in drivability over the earlier Mark I cars. The AC-derived chassis architecture and hand-formed aluminum body remained otherwise consistent with the Mark I, and the 427 big-block CSX3 generation that followed introduced a redesigned chassis. For broader context on the program, see the Cobra encyclopedia and the history of AC Cars and the birth of the Shelby Cobra. For comparative context on Cobra ownership across originals, continuations, and replicas, see the Cobra Authority buyer’s guide.
Images and lot information courtesy of RM Sotheby’s. Provenance per the Shelby Registry and prior-owner documentation.
Last updated: May 20, 2026
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