2005 Pilgrim Cobra 5.9

Our Pilgrim Sumo is a hardtop Le Mans Recreation which, with its age-related 1966 registration plate and superb detailing, brilliantly evokes the original Cobra’s glory days on the world’s toughest endurance racetracks. 

Various magazines have featured the car, using straplines like ‘no limits build’ and ‘mega mods’. It’s been in the pampered ownership of classic car collector George Strang for the last two-and a-bit years, having been previously owned by Peter, a friend of the man who built George’s house, and before that by the original builder of the car.

Sadly, Peter died. Unwilling to go through the pain of selling something so closely attached to her husband, Peter’s widow kept the Cobra for a couple of years until George’s house builder convinced her that it needed to be used and enjoyed. He suggested that George appreciated good cars and might be a sympathetic buyer.  

That’s exactly how it turned out. Current owner George fits the ‘rescuer’ profile that we all seek in sellers of cars we might be interested in buying. Although the Sumo’s registration papers date it as a 2005 car, it has been recognised as a 1960s item (hence the ‘66 plate) and is V5 registered correctly. The paperwork indicates that the build wasn’t completed until 2007. In the 12 years since then it has done less than 9000 miles.

Many Cobra replica owners dread the ‘what’s under the bonnet’ question as it might mean owning up to a 3.5-litre Rover V8 or even a four-cylinder Ford Pinto lump, but that’s not the case here. Besides the 5.9-litre 360 Chrysler V8, all the big names in the V8 performance and drag racing world are on display, including Milodon sump, MSD ignition and distributor, Moroso air filter, Holley carb, and Flowtech headers. 

The transmission is pukka too, a Hurst Competition Plus shifter operating the legendarily beefy 4-speed Ford Toploader gearbox, so named in reference to the design which gave easy access to the internals under the transmission case’s top cover. Connecting the power to the road is the Jaguar independent rear end that’s known for its durability and that’s an essential element in any good Cobra rep. 

Side-exit exhausts are another Cobra must-have, and that’s what we have here, complete with heat shields. Not noise shields, though. If you’re after the full Cobra experience, and that surely has to include the unique rumble and roar of a mighty V8, you’ll definitely get it in this car. It’s a beast. The volume and the acceleration can of course be controlled by how hard you press your right foot into the carpet, but those of a faint heart or a sensitive disposition might wish to look elsewhere for their next car! We can confirm it ticks all sensory-overload boxes you would expect of a proper Cobra rep. See the video for your taster, and come and see the car for the full 3-course meal. (note that as always, our camera is far better at picking up the high sounds, and less good at providing you with the full bass...)

We talked earlier about the small number of genuinely reputable names in Cobra replica manufacture, and we included Pilgrim in that select coterie. We’d also add Hawk Cars to the list. Hawk supplied the Le Mans hardtop for this car. It’s a lovely piece of kit in both its construction and its evocative shape. 

There is no obvious crazing or starring on the fibreglass body, and the odd stone chip on the leading edge of the bonnet seems to add rather than detract from the car’s appeal. Although the vendor tells us that he has managed to shoe-horn himself into the Cobra with the hardtop in place, he says that he has never driven the car with the soft top up, so that item is in excellent condition. Given AC’s original and very rudimentary ‘sticks and flapping canvas’ design that was prone to flying off at speeds far below the Cobra’s maximum, it’s unlikely to get many outings during the car’s lifetime. 

The alloy wheels have three-spoke knock-on ‘spinners’, but the actual fixings are taken care of by a more modern (and safer) 5-stud setup.

Patina is an overused word in the classic car business, but this Cobra has it by the bucketload. Despite the low mileage, the cabin has a wonderfully lived-in feel, from the softly creased seats and no-nonsense gearshifter to the nicely worn and absolutely correct original AC-style woodrim steering wheel. 

Four-point racing harnesses and roll hoop give the driver the confidence to press on when the moment and the conditions are right. Period-style mirrors (including a third one used centrally) provide a handy early warning as to when they might not be right.

A good chassis is everything on replica Cobras, and this one is apparently strong and sound. George tells us that the late previous owner Peter used to run it in the odd hillclimb and sprint event, not something you would want to do in a car of this power if there were any shortcomings in the running gear.  

There appears to be minimal surface corrosion to the steel framework in a few typical areas. The new owner could quite easily do a quick cosmetic rubdown and rattlecan refresh if they wanted to bring the car up to showroom standard, but of course there is always a danger of going to such a high level that you wouldn’t want to take the car out onto the open road – and that would be a terrible waste.

The history book for this car is quite something. The plot line isn’t great, and for a change the butler didn't do it, but if you enjoy reading evidence of a lot of money having been spent by somebody else, then this tome will really brighten up your day. 

Parts have been sourced from the US as well as the UK, and goes down to incredible levels of detail, with items like a Shelby American VIN plate and vintage decal set. 

There is literally too much to go through here. We advise you to swipe through the pics. Suffice to say that the history is comprehensive, includes magazine articles, and goes right back to the build in the early 2000s.

If you like your convertibles loud and proud, this Cobra deserves a very hard look. Real ‘CSX’ Cobras fetch huge prices. Last year, Carroll Shelby’s personal car sold for $17.7 million. Prices for a new Pilgrim Sumo Cobra are a little more accessible, running from £27,000 to £29,000 including VAT – but that’s just for the kit. You’ve then got to get your spanners out and put it all together. You can get round that by buying a fully built up Pilgrim Cobra 5.7 direct from the factory but prices for one of those start at £55,000 on the road. 

Against all that, our beautifully patinated sub-9000 mile Pilgrim Cobra 5.9 has a fabulous classic period racer look and an appealingly low estimate of £19,000-£24,000. Remember too that the estimate on The Market is always higher than the reserve price. Once that reserve is reached, the car will sell. 

Since it received its construction signoff papers, it’s covered just 8720 miles. That might make you think that Cobras are very much wind in the hair, high days and holidays type vehicles, but thanks to the presence of the (almost unused) standard soft top plus the excellent Hawk hard top, this car has a much broader scope for everyday use than many other Cobra reps. The car’s massive paperwork package includes clear instructions not just for fitting the soft top but also for day to day running and maintenance. 

Special cars often deteriorate through lack of use, but this one has been regularly enjoyed – actually less so by the owner than by the owner’s son, who whooped with joy when he accompanied his father to view the Cobra prior to purchase, instantly proclaiming it to be ‘his favourite car’. George’s son is now an officer in the armed forces, as a result of which the car is no longer getting the use it deserves. That plus the limitations of garage space and time are the reasons for this sale, reflecting a small rationalisation of George’s very enviable collection of mainly British thoroughbreds. He does what he feels he needs to do to enhance any cars he owns, but is also acutely aware of the negative effect of storing cars without using them.

As ever, The Market openly invites prospective bidders to view any of its auction vehicles. This Cobra is held in secure storage at our Oxfordshire site. The ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing is there to help you set up a viewing appointment. 

General queries will often be answered in our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ section. Failing that, we’ll always respond to more specific questions in the Comments section below the images.

We regularly work with, and can heartily recommend, the following companies: Classic & Sportscar Finance for advice and help on car purchase-financing; AnyVan for vehicle transportation; Footman James for classic car insurance; and Thames Valley Car Storage for vehicle storage.