CSX4065 is one of the earliest CSX4000-series continuation 427 S/C Cobras, with an MSO signed by Carroll Shelby in December 1997. The car is finished in Guardsman Blue with white twin stripes and carries a Shelby aluminum 427 cubic inch side-oiler V8 producing 550 horsepower at the rear wheels, paired with a Tremec 600 five-speed manual. CSX4065 was the cover car of the Winter 2016 issue of Shelby American Magazine and is documented as garage-kept its entire life.
Build summary
- Build number: CSX4065
- Completion date: December 1997, per the MSO signed by Carroll Shelby
- Color: Guardsman Blue with white twin stripes
- Interior: Black leather
- Odometer: legacy source lists “believed to be 9,100 miles” in the fast-facts and “just over 10,500 miles” in the prose; treat as approximate
- Title state: Not documented in source
- Current status: Documented in the legacy listing as garage-kept lifetime. Current dealer or owner not stated in source
- MSO: Issued and signed by Carroll Shelby, December 1997
- Honors: Winter 2016 Shelby American Magazine cover car
Specifications
Engine
- Shelby aluminum 427 cubic inch Ford side-oiler V8
- Aluminum block
- 9.5:1 compression
- Edelbrock Competition heads
- Edelbrock dual-plane intake with roller camshaft
- Holley 3310 carburetor
- Oil cooler
- 550 horsepower at the rear wheels at 6,000 RPM
- 600 lb-ft torque at 4,000 RPM
- Adjustable rev limiter
- Mechanical and electric fuel pumps
Transmission and driveline
- Tremec 600 five-speed manual transmission
- Shelby aluminum differential housing
- Dana 44 with 3.54:1 final drive ratio
Suspension
- Four-wheel independent suspension
- Dual A-arms
- Coilover shocks
Brakes and steering
- Baer brakes
- Rack-and-pinion steering
Wheels and tires
- Trigo six-pin knock-off wheels, 15-inch diameter
- 8-inch wide front, 10.5-inch wide rear
- Halibrand-style knock-off hubs
- Goodyear Eagle Sport Car Special tires
Body and chassis
- High-strength fiberglass composite body
- Aluminum undercarriage
- Original Cobra frame configuration with 4-inch round-tube main rails
- Side pipes, roll hoop, and quick-jack bumpers all chromed
- 23-gallon fuel cell mounted in trunk
- Battery in trunk
Interior
- Black leather seats
- Simpson five-point harness for the driver, lap belt for the passenger
- 15-inch wooden-rimmed steering wheel with Cobra center cap
- Smiths gauges for speedometer, tachometer, water temperature, fuel pressure, oil pressure, and oil temperature
- Lucas amp gauge
- Aftermarket fuel gauge below the dash
- Fire extinguisher and kill switch behind the seats
- Black floor mats
- Optioned without glove box, door pockets, or heater
Options on this build
Powertrain
- Shelby aluminum 427 cubic inch side-oiler V8 with Edelbrock Competition heads and Holley induction
- Tremec 600 five-speed manual
- Mechanical and electric fuel pumps with adjustable rev limiter
Exterior
- Guardsman Blue paint with white twin stripes
- Chromed side pipes
- Chromed roll hoop
- Chromed quick-jack bumpers
- Trigo six-pin knock-off wheels with Halibrand-style hubs
Interior
- Black leather seats with Simpson driver harness
- Wooden-rimmed steering wheel with Cobra center cap
- Smiths instrument cluster
- Fire extinguisher and kill switch behind the seats
- Deleted: glove box, door pockets, heater (factory-option deletions)
About this build
CSX4065 sits at the early end of the CSX4000-series continuation program that Shelby American launched in 1997. The MSO is signed by Carroll Shelby himself and dated December 1997, which puts the car among the program’s first production builds. The combination of the Shelby aluminum 427 side-oiler block, Edelbrock Competition heads, and the Tremec 600 places CSX4065 in the period-correct heavyweight 427 S/C specification that the continuation series targeted, rather than a milder long-distance-cruiser tune. The 2016 Shelby American Magazine cover appearance is the most-cited piece of documentation for the car outside its original delivery paperwork.
The legacy listing presents CSX4065 as a garage-kept low-mileage example with the build paperwork intact. Mileage is the one documented hedge in the source: the fast-facts list says “believed to be 9,100 miles” while the prose later cites the odometer as “just over 10,500 miles”. Both numbers should be treated as approximate until verified against current title or service records.
Manufacturer context
The CSX4000 series is the first generation of the Shelby American continuation program. Shelby American is the only entity legally authorized to use original-format Shelby chassis numbering on new cars, which distinguishes a continuation like CSX4065 from a licensed replica (Superformance) or an unlicensed-but-high-quality replica (Backdraft, Kirkham, ERA). Continuation cars are sold as rolling chassis without engine and transmission, with the dealer installing the drivetrain to the buyer’s specification at point of sale. Compared to an original-era 427 S/C such as CSX3015, CSX4065 is not an original 1967 chassis but a factory-built new car produced under Shelby American’s continuation authority. For the wider taxonomy of originals, continuations, replicas, and kits, see the Cobra Authority buyer’s guide and the Cobra encyclopedia.
All images courtesy of Bring a Trailer.
Last updated: May 16, 2026
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