Reg Hoole of Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, is the proud owner of this '66 427 Cobra SC replica. After he drove a big-block Cobra owned and built by his brother, he knew he had to have one of the powerful cars. He also knew that finding one near his home on Vancouver Island might be a long shot.
After a far-reaching search, he found this great-looking '88 Contemporary Classic Cobra. The car had less than 4,000 miles on the odometer and looked virtually new. Reg was destined to become the second owner of the nearly-flawless Indigo Blue roadster. The first owner only sold the car because of eyesight problems. It was a sad day for him but a happy occasion for Reg.
The only stumbling block to Reg's ownership was the fact that this car was located on the shores of the St. Lawrence Seaway in Eastern Canada. However, Reg wasn't about to let this stop him. After all, what was 3,000 miles at 20 degrees below zero when the car had a genuine 427 side oiler? No problem, right? That's what Reg said when he plunked down his money for the car.
When the time came to move the big-block Cobra, there was 4 feet of snow at the edge of the driveway. With the ambient temperature at 22 degrees below zero, the car was fired up and taken to the railroad station. Once secured inside a railcar, the Cobra was shipped out to the West coast of the continent. The journey ended with a ferryboat ride to Vancouver Island.
Reg was so excited about acquiring the car that when he finally got it home, he decided to form a new club for Shelby Cobra enthusiasts. There's a lot more interest in the Shelby Cobra in British Colombia and on Vancouver Island than you might think, and the club has over 25 active members. It's still growing, and Reg says the excitement level is high at meetings and events, with many Cobra projects underway. As for the name of the club, we certainly couldn't do any better than their choice of VICE Squad, which stands for Vancouver Island Cobra Enthusiasts. It's a cool name for a cool club located in a cool place with a cool climate. We don't know how else to say it.
Since the car's journey west, about eight years have gone by, and Reg hasn't had the car off the island except to attend the annual Mustang Roundup held at Seattle International Raceway. According to him, during open track the car was surefooted in the corners while the straightaways were eaten alive. As far as straight-line performance is concerned, word is the snake does the quarter-mile in the mid 12-second range on street tires.
Reg says his car does everything well, and if given a pair of slicks, his Cobra would be deep into the 11s-and we agree with him.
The Details
1966 427 SC Cobra, Contemporary Classics replicaOwner: Reg Hoole, British Columbia, Canada
Engine
1966 Ford FE 427 side oiler
Bore diameter 4.25-inches
Forged-steel crankshaft, 3.76-inch stroke
Ford Le Mans connecting rods
Forged-aluminum pistons, 10.5:1 compression ratio
Ford mechanical 427/4V Special camshaft, .500 lift at both valves, 306-degree duration, 78-degree overlap
Ford medium-riser cylinder heads
Cast-aluminum 427 Cobra rocker covers
Edelbrock aluminum intake manifold
Holley 850-cfm double-pumper carburetor
Transmission
Center Force ceramic clutch
Aluminum flywheel
Four-speed close-ratio Top Loader transmission
Rearend
9-inch
Traction-Lok differential
3.23 gears
Wheels
Front: Cragar, 15X8s
Rear: Cragar, 15x10s
Tires
Front: Pirelli, P245/50R15
Rear: Pirelli, P295/50R15
Interior
LeCarra steering wheel
Smiths gauges
Simpson three-point harnesses
Black Connelly leather upholstery
Exterior
House of Colors Pearlescent Indigo Blue