In 1664 Shelby American orginally produced a total of five 289 FIA Cobras. This fact makes them very rare and desirable cobras to own. The main distinguishing features that set them apart from the 427 and 289 cobras are the following:

1. The side pipes do not come through the bottom of the quarter panel.
2. The doors were "cut back " to conform to the rear flared wheelarches.
3. There were no brake cooler openings under the headlights.
4. A forward facing rollbar support.
5. The fuel filler cap is behind the passinger on the deck and not the fender.
6. Bigger flared wheelarches than the 427.
7. The color stripe runs the width of the car over the nose and front wheelarches. There were four different color stripes: white, red, yellow and maroon. ( A fifth car was built after one was destroyed at the 1964 12 hours of Sebring). The different colors were so that the pit crews knew which car was theirs.
8. All of the 1964 289 FIA's were painted viking blue along with the Daytona Coupes.
9. A unique feature which appeared only on the FIA cars were small dimples on the trunk lid. These were hammered out from the inside to allow sufficient room to accomodate the regulation FIA suitcase which must fit into the trunk with the lid closed. Because of the squared-edge suitcase the curved sloping lid would not quite close over it without the panel-beating dimples.

Today, if an owner would part with an original FIA Cobra the price would be well over a million dollars.

My 289 Cobra FIA was cloned after Dan Gurney and Bob Johnsons' number 11 car that was destroyed at Sebring in 1964.

The data for my 289FIA is as follows:

1. Transmission- 1964 ford top loader close ratio four speed.
2. Engine- 1980 302 ci ford bored and stroked to 347 ci, 333 hp to the rear wheels (Dyno Shop print out), 650 holley double pumper-mechanical secondaries, Harlin Sharp roller rockers, Mallory Unilite distributor- MSD 6-AL ignition, dyno matched Edelbrock performer RPM manifold, cam and aluminum heads, 10.1 to 1 compression-runs on pump gas.
3. Brakes and Suspension- Four wheel independent and four wheel disc brakes. 10 1/2 " discs inboard at rear and 11" discs at front, duel coil over adjustable carreras on rear and coil and shock with modified MGB front suspension.

This FIA Cobra is great to run on a tight or what I call a "finesse" road course. It's also great to drive to a car show or to breakfast with the wife on Sunday morning.

tomdebbrooks@earthlink.net