SEMA 2008: Sean Hyland Motorsport GT500-powered King Cobra

Click above for a high resolution gallery of the King Cobra

Big engine, small car. This simple idea was such a successful formula for Carroll's Cobras in the 1960's that it still lives on today. In addition to numerous kit cars available, Shelby offers his own version that comes with a CSX4000 chassis number. It's up to the owner to decide what engine to put in the car, lending to some pretty wild variations. This example might just be the most extreme, with a supercharged V8 pushing out a cool 1,000 horsepower. Built by Nevada Classics, Inc. and Sean Hyland Motorsport in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada, the King Cobra utilizes the all-aluminum 5.4L V8 from the Ford GT500 fitted with a 2.8L Kenne Bell supercharger and runs on E85 ethanol. Additional upgrades were made to accommodate the engine and the suspension and brakes were beefed up to account for the extra horsepower. A short press release can be found after the jump, and our high-resolution photos of this wicked snake are in the gallery below.

[Source: Nevada Classics, Inc.]

PRESS RELEASE:

Mark Logan, President of Nevada Classics, Inc., a Las Vegas based Shelby Cobra, classic, and performance car dealer, and Sean Hyland, President of Sean Hyland Motorsport in Woodstock, Ontario Canada, will unveil the King Cobra at SEMA in Las Vegas, November 3 -7, 2008.

Sean Hyland, and his team, fitted a Guardsman Blue/Wimbledon White, CSX4000 series Shelby Cobra with an all aluminum, 1,000 horsepower, 5.4 liter modular engine, originally designed for the 2007-2009 Shelby GT500's. It features a Kenne Bell supercharger and burns E85 ethanol.

Manufactured by Sean Hyland Motorsport, the engine is mated with the GT500's six speed manual transmission. Along with a custom interior, brake, wheel, tire and suspension upgrades have been made to handle the extra horsepower, and keep the car on the ground.

"I approached Mark with the idea of building the ultimate Shelby Cobra street car several months ago", said Hyland. "When I told Mark what I wanted to do, he said, '1,000 HP? That's the craziest idea I've ever heard of . . . Let's do it' " While modification of the chassis was required to accommodate the 700 lb. engine, the results speak for themselves.