Registration: RIG 7971
Chassis: SAB8872
Odometer: 6,000
Transmission: Manual
MOT: July 2027

• 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8 with manual transmission
• Striking metallic black with twin white competition stripes and 16-inch Halibrand-style wheels
• Huge build-history folder

The Cobra shape needs little introduction, but the quality of the recreation makes an enormous difference, and AK Sportscars has been producing its interpretation of the legendary 427 for decades. The company began after Ken Freeman and Alan Frew developed their own Cobra-style body and chassis in the 1980s, and the AK 427 has since become one of the established names in the British Cobra replica world. AK’s original specification was specifically designed around Jaguar XJ6/XJS running gear, combining a purpose-built ladder-type chassis with proven Jaguar suspension and braking components.

This particular example has considerably more provenance than many recreations of its type. The substantial history file traces the project back to before construction began, including an order dated 26 January 2002 for an AK 427 Cobra body and chassis package designed to accept Jaguar components, invoiced at £2,970. The accompanying documentation shows that Jaguar XJS chassis/running-gear and braking components formed part of the build, entirely in keeping with AK's period specification.

At its heart sits the combination most people want to find beneath a Cobra bonnet: a 5.7-litre Chevrolet V8, equipped with Edelbrock rocker covers, a Holley 600cfm carburettor and Offenhauser performance inlet manifold. Drive is sent to the rear wheels through a manual gearbox, while the wonderfully unsubtle side-exit exhaust system gives the car exactly the visual drama expected of a 427-style roadster.

Finished in deep metallic black with contrasting twin white competition stripes, the car has enormous presence. The photographs show the paint presenting very well overall, although close inspection does reveal some light scratches and age-related imperfections. Its purposeful specification includes 16-inch Halibrand-style alloy wheels, quick-release-style body hardware, wind wings, sun visors and a single polished roll hoop, while the polished side pipes and broad rear tyres complete the period competition-inspired appearance.

The cockpit follows the same theme. Cream upholstery with contrasting dark piping works particularly well against the black bodywork, accompanied by a wood-rimmed Cobra steering wheel, Smiths-style instrumentation and Willans safety harnesses. It is a simple, driver-focused environment, and the photographs show it presenting particularly smartly.

The odometer currently displays just 7,015 miles. The V5C records five former keepers, with the present keeper having acquired the car on 3 March 2021. It also benefits from an MOT through to July 2027.

Maintenance has continued during the present ownership. Work carried out in 2023 included adjustment of the rear wheel bearings, resetting and adjustment of the handbrake and tracing and repairing a poor connection to the nearside front repeater. More recently, in May 2026, the car received an engine oil and filter change together with replacement of the sump, sump gasket and temperature sensor, plus replacement of a control sensor.

Perhaps one of the strongest aspects of this particular AK is its documentation. Rather than simply having paperwork from after completion, the large history folder contains invoices for components purchased before and throughout the build, stretching back to 2002. Also present is the AK Sports Cars build manual, MOT certificates and extensive parts invoices. Particularly interesting is documentation relating to the Chevrolet engine block, including an age document from Real Steel concerning casting number 3970010 and its application to 1969–80 model-year engines.

AK continues to use Jaguar running gear within its 427 programme today and offers cars in anything from body-and-chassis form through to complete factory builds, which illustrates how developed the basic platform has become over the years. This earlier XJS-based example captures the traditional formula particularly well: American small-block V8 power, manual transmission, Jaguar underpinnings and one of the most recognisable shapes ever committed to four wheels.