(CNN)If this car could talk, it would describe a road to fame with all the twists and turns of a Hollywood plot.
The original of only six models ever built, it was the first American car to beat Ferrari on its own turf, was once engulfed by flames in Daytona, was driven around Los Angeles by a music celebrity, and then sat for 30 years in a storage unit -- leading many to believe it had been lost.
The extraordinary vehicle was the brainchild of an American car legend, who used it to win championships and shatter speed records. Once retrieved from its dusty alcove, the car sparked a multi-million dollar legal battle for its ownership.
Today, 50 years after it was built, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe prototype finally sits in its rightful place -- a museum founded by its current owner.
A car with a mission
As the name suggests, the car was created by American automotive entrepreneur, Carroll Shelby, who wanted to beat Italian designer Enzo Ferrari.
He had already done so as a driver with Aston Martin, wining the prestigious FIA World Sportscar Championship in 1959, a series that the "prancing horse" was otherwise dominating.
But in 1963, years after Shelby had hung up his racing gloves, he wanted to win as a constructor -- with an American car, at that.
Shelby modeled his dream machine on the basis of a previous racer he had developed, the AC Cobra Roadster.
He hired designer Pete Brock to shape the car for maximum speed -- something it would need on the legendary 3-mile Mulsanne straight at Le Mans, the most important race in the championship.
Thus was born the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe prototype, made with modest means compared to today's standards, in a shop in Venice, California.
At the time, American cars weren't very competitive, says Fred Simeone, the current owner of the car and founder of the Simeone Museum, where it's currently displayed.
"If you look at the history of sports car racing, America had contributed very little by then compared to England, Italy, Germany and even France," he said.
The Daytonas were about to change that. They fared well during their maiden year, 1964, with a standout win in their class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans -- "The Superbowl of racing," Simeone calls it. But although they outclassed Corvettes, Lolas, Porsches, and Alfas, the Daytonas still finished the championship behind the mighty Ferrari GTOs.
In 1965, Shelby finally took first place -- the first ever American racing team to do so -- taking 9 of 12 events in their class, with crucial wins in yet more legendary races, such as the 24 Hours of Daytona itself, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and the grueling 1,000 km race at the Nurburgring Nordshcleife, a 14-mile forest road track that legend driver Jackie Stewart would later nickname "The Green Hell."
Shelby had beaten Ferrari. The legend of the Cobra Daytona Coupe was born.
Enter the "CSX2287"
The car that Shelby had built in Venice remained the only one made in America. Five more were sent as frames to Modena, Italy -- right under Ferrari's nose -- where the bodywork was completed expertly and quickly.
That prototype car, chassis number CSX2287, was therefore already special.
It was also lucky, surviving a fire while refueling in Daytona in 1964 -- an incident which cost the race, but not the car.
And to many, it was beautiful -- complete with Le Mans stripes, two white bands that ran the length of the car over the Viking blue paint, a pattern that has since become iconic and is strongly associated with the Cobras designed by Shelby as production cars for Ford.
Its style had substance to match. After winning the 1965 championship, the car, somewhat retired from racing, had still a lot of speed left in it, and got a chance to prove it.
Read more: Why was a legendary American car hidden away for 30 years?
The original of only six models ever built, it was the first American car to beat Ferrari on its own turf, was once engulfed by flames in Daytona, was driven around Los Angeles by a music celebrity, and then sat for 30 years in a storage unit -- leading many to believe it had been lost.
The extraordinary vehicle was the brainchild of an American car legend, who used it to win championships and shatter speed records. Once retrieved from its dusty alcove, the car sparked a multi-million dollar legal battle for its ownership.
Today, 50 years after it was built, the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe prototype finally sits in its rightful place -- a museum founded by its current owner.
A car with a mission
As the name suggests, the car was created by American automotive entrepreneur, Carroll Shelby, who wanted to beat Italian designer Enzo Ferrari.
He had already done so as a driver with Aston Martin, wining the prestigious FIA World Sportscar Championship in 1959, a series that the "prancing horse" was otherwise dominating.
But in 1963, years after Shelby had hung up his racing gloves, he wanted to win as a constructor -- with an American car, at that.
Shelby modeled his dream machine on the basis of a previous racer he had developed, the AC Cobra Roadster.
He hired designer Pete Brock to shape the car for maximum speed -- something it would need on the legendary 3-mile Mulsanne straight at Le Mans, the most important race in the championship.
Thus was born the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe prototype, made with modest means compared to today's standards, in a shop in Venice, California.
At the time, American cars weren't very competitive, says Fred Simeone, the current owner of the car and founder of the Simeone Museum, where it's currently displayed.
"If you look at the history of sports car racing, America had contributed very little by then compared to England, Italy, Germany and even France," he said.
The Daytonas were about to change that. They fared well during their maiden year, 1964, with a standout win in their class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans -- "The Superbowl of racing," Simeone calls it. But although they outclassed Corvettes, Lolas, Porsches, and Alfas, the Daytonas still finished the championship behind the mighty Ferrari GTOs.
In 1965, Shelby finally took first place -- the first ever American racing team to do so -- taking 9 of 12 events in their class, with crucial wins in yet more legendary races, such as the 24 Hours of Daytona itself, the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, and the grueling 1,000 km race at the Nurburgring Nordshcleife, a 14-mile forest road track that legend driver Jackie Stewart would later nickname "The Green Hell."
Shelby had beaten Ferrari. The legend of the Cobra Daytona Coupe was born.
Enter the "CSX2287"
The car that Shelby had built in Venice remained the only one made in America. Five more were sent as frames to Modena, Italy -- right under Ferrari's nose -- where the bodywork was completed expertly and quickly.
That prototype car, chassis number CSX2287, was therefore already special.
It was also lucky, surviving a fire while refueling in Daytona in 1964 -- an incident which cost the race, but not the car.
And to many, it was beautiful -- complete with Le Mans stripes, two white bands that ran the length of the car over the Viking blue paint, a pattern that has since become iconic and is strongly associated with the Cobras designed by Shelby as production cars for Ford.
Its style had substance to match. After winning the 1965 championship, the car, somewhat retired from racing, had still a lot of speed left in it, and got a chance to prove it.
Read more: Why was a legendary American car hidden away for 30 years?