1965 Shelby

Built by David Brookes, this is an exceptionally detailed recreation of the original Daytona Coupe, completed to the 1965 specification with one clear goal: to get as close to the real thing without it being touched by the hands of Carroll Shelby and Peter Brock.

The real deal is limited to just six examples, but don’t mistake our example for “settling for second-best.” It’s no modern interpretation with a bit of period make-believe, nor is it a shed-built kit car. This is a road-registered historic competition car, supplied with an FIA Historic Technical Passport and built with proper motorsport grit imbued in every nut and bolt.

And, rather splendidly, it comes in Ferrari Rosso Nearco. Because a certain 1966 rivalry wasn’t quite enough; your Shelby might as well look extra good while picking a fight with the Italians.

As the saying goes, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

The original Shelby Daytona Coupe was born to solve a major aerodynamic (and, quite likely, a heated rivalry) problem: the open-top AC Cobra roadster topped out at 165 mph and could not keep up with Ferrari on long high-speed straights, à la Le Mans, or the UK’s then recent addition of unrestricted motorways.

The result was a car designed to be long, low and aerodynamically purposeful; it married American V8 muscle with the kind of engineering that made it the underdog on the international racing stage, giving the thoroughbreds more than a run for their money.

Our example is a faithful ode to the iconic original, and still puts the fear into any European supercar of the period. The body is hand-formed from lightweight aluminium, shaped to the correct period dimensions, while beneath it sits a tubular steel chassis following the original blueprint layout, with the correct suspension pick up points, period-style running gear and an internal roll cage arranged in the style of the original competition cars.

Such details are what sets this iteration apart from your mate’s garage build. A Knight Racing-built 289 cubic inch V8, based around a genuine period-correct 1965 engine block, sits at the heart of the operation. Four Weber carburettors feed the beast, with a dynamometer test recording 437 bhp.

Power passes through a heavy-duty Borg Warner T10 four-speed manual gearbox, with the differential assembly built by RW Racing Services. The suspension retains the original transverse leaf spring arrangement, paired with competition Koni dampers.

The wheels are period specification aluminium peg drive items, wearing Dunlop Racing historic tyres. Exactly the sort of hardware you'd hope to find underneath a car built to this brief.

It's an unapologetically mechanical monster. No electronic safety net is going to save you here; it’s just a big American V8, three pedals, and the sort of engineering that rewards a driver who knows what they're doing. Hold on.

Creature comforts? Forget it.

This isn't a private members' club with a steering wheel. We’ve got Bentley for that.

The cabin and dashboard have been recreated in the style of the original competition cars, including NOS switches matching those fitted to the period machines.

Modern safety tools have been integrated without spoiling the carefully judged interior. There's a plumbed-in fire suppression system, an electrical cut-off operable both internally and externally, and an internal headset system for communication between driver and co-driver; all of which is purposeful, considered and very much in keeping with the car's intentions.

As such, it is road registered and accompanied by an FIA Historic Technical Passport, providing a basis for entry into eligible pre-1966 historic events, subject to the individual organiser's regulations and acceptance. The important distinction here is that this car has been built with track experiences in mind.

David Brookes' approach has been to recreate the original rather than reinvent it. The hand-formed aluminium bodywork, tubular steel chassis, genuine period-correct engine block, transverse leaf spring suspension, peg drive wheels and original-style dashboard details all follow that philosophy. The result is a remarkably uncanny historic competition car producing 437 bhp, with all unnecessary weight stripped out, and a shape that needs absolutely no introduction to anyone who subscribes to the petrolhead family.

The Nitty Gritty

Builder: David BrookesModel: Shelby Daytona Coupe recreationSpecification: 1965Bodywork: Hand-formed lightweight aluminiumExterior colour: Ferrari Rosso NearcoChassis: Tubular steel, following the original blueprint layoutEngine: Knight Racing-built 289 cubic inch V8Engine block: Genuine period-correct 1965 unitInduction: Four Weber carburettorsPower: 437 bhp, dynamometer testedGearbox: Heavy-duty Borg Warner T10 four-speed manualDifferential: Historic assembly built by RW Racing ServicesSuspension: Original style transverse leaf springs with competition Koni dampersWheels: Period specification aluminium peg driveTyres: Dunlop Racing historicSafety equipment: Plumbed-in fire suppression system, internal and external electrical cut off, driver and co-driver headset systemRegistration: Road registeredDocumentation: FIA Historic Technical Passport

Come on, have a look, won’t you?

The car is available to view by appointment at Duke of London's West London showroom.

We also have a digital folder available on request, containing additional photographs, walkaround videos and further details, so you can get properly acquainted before making the trip.

Get in touch below. We'll take it from there.