Lot 385: 1971 Dax ‘AC Cobra 427’ Replica
Coachwork by D J Sportscars

Rightly regarded as one of the all-time great classic sports cars, the muscular, fire-breathing Cobra succeeded in capturing the hearts of enthusiasts like few of its contemporaries, the car’s enduring popularity resulting in its revival in 1980 after twelve years out of production. In parallel with Autokraft’s ‘official’ MkIV version, a worldwide cottage industry of replica-builders emerged to satisfy continuing demand for the legendary Cobra, making it arguably the most popular ‘kit car’ of all time. Among the foremost practitioners is D J Sportscars, of Harlow, Essex, whose Dax products are recognised by Cobra enthusiasts as among the most accurate and best engineered available. Known as the ‘Tojeiro’, Dax’s version represents the Cobra in its ultimate, wide-bodied, ‘427’ specification, and was first introduced in 1983. Robustly constructed around a high-strength, low-weight chassis, the Dax was - and still is - available to suit a wide range of engines, including Jaguar six-cylinder and V12, as well as a choice of American V8s.
This Dax Cobra 427 replica has inherited registration and chassis numbers from the Jaguar XJ6 donor car used in its construction, and is powered by the latter’s 4.2-litre six-cylinder XK engine, the latter breathing through triple Weber 45DCOE carburettors and coupled to a manual gearbox. Other noteworthy features include a chromed roll hoop and split-rim knock-on alloy wheels in the style of the Halibrand originals. The vehicle comes with a quantity of expired MoT certificates dating back to September 1996 at 1,795 miles, suggesting a construction date in the mid-1990s. The current MoT records the mileage at time of issue (January 2005) as 12,130. Finished in blue with cream interior, the vehicle comes complete with full weather equipment, MoT to January 2006, current (tax exempt) road fund licence and Swansea V5.