First used in the 1960s, the Cobra name is synonymous with high performance when it comes to Ford vehicles. Introduced on the Shelby Cobra in 1962, it was then used on the Cobra Jet engine from 1968 to 1970. It also found its way on a series of Mustangs produced in the 1990s and, more recently, on the Mustang-based factory dragster. But Ford also used it on a short-lived muscle car in the golden era.
The Ford Cobra debuted in 1969 when the company expanded the Fairlane/Torino lineup to include two new sportsroof and two-door hardtop body styles. These cars are often listed as Torino Cobras or even Fairlane Cobras, but Ford sold them without “Torino” or “Fairlane.”
The Cobra was more than just a Torino with a sleeker roof. It was a stripped-down model created specifically to go against the Plymouth Road Runner, and it came with the mighty 428-cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Cobra Jet V8 as standard. Rated at 335 horsepower and 440-pound-feet (597 Nm) of torque, it was Ford’s most potent mill at the time.
The Cobra was also available with the then-new Super Cobra Jet V8. Designed for drag racing, it was included with the Drag Pak option, which included cast pistons, special connecting rods, and an oil cooler. Customers could also choose between rear axles with 3.91:1 gears and a Traction-Lok differential or 4.30:1 gears with a Detroit Locker.
While appealing from a performance standpoint, the Cobra was nowhere near as popular as the Road Runner in 1969. As the Mopar reached its highest production numbers, with a total of 84,420 units coming off the assembly line, the Cobra moved only 11,099 cars. And that’s a tiny number compared to the total Fairlane Torino output of 386,368 examples. But that’s precisely what makes it rare today.
How many of them are still around? That’s an impossible guess, but we do know a few facts from the Marti reports that usually come with these cars. For instance, Ford sold 7,454 Cobras equipped with the Ram Air version of the Cobra Jet. We also know that only 3,910 also had the four-speed close-ratio manual gearbox. The Gulfstream Aqua example you see here is one of those cars.
Is that not rare enough for you? Well, then, you should know that only 230 sportsroof cars were ordered in this color. And only 25 also got the black vinyl bucket seats. But wait, it gets even lower. The Super Cobra Jet engine and the 3.91 Traction-Lok rear axle make it one of only seven units, while the AM Radio option narrows it down to four cars. Finally, this Cobra is the only one that also got rear-seat speakers. Yup, this muscle car is as unique as they get.
On top of that, the Super Cobra Jet V8 is numbers matching, the Ram Air setup and the carburetor are all-original, while the odometer shows only 51,000 miles (82,077 km). It just doesn’t get any better than this when it comes to late-1960s muscle cars. What an amazing gem!