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Over the years, we’ve released sets based on some of the most famous classic sports cars.
Now, we welcome the LEGO® Icons Shelby Cobra 427 S/C into the line-up, a true speedster from the swinging 60s that matches style with on-track championship performance.
To learn more about this iconic car and how the set was created, we spoke to LEGO designer Léon Pijnenburg.
“I am definitely a motorhead and love classic American cars,” says Léon.
“The sweet spot for me is early 1950s to early 1970s, when muscle cars roamed the streets.”
This passion made Léon the perfect designer to work on this new set and it also gave him the chance to learn more about the car.
“I already knew about the Shelby Cobra, as it is an icon, but after deep diving into the car and its history, I’ve really grown to appreciate it even more.”
We asked him what the deep dive was like and how he researched the design.
“I went to see a couple of Shelby Cobras in real life to get a good feel for the car, and we got reference material from our partners over at Shelby American.”
After researching, Léon started on the design.
“I focused on getting a sturdy frame with working steering first,” says Léon. “That determined how much room there was for the bodywork, engine detail and interior. Then, I looked at the main iconic elements of the real car’s design: the gaping ‘mouth’ of the car, the side exhausts, and the roll bar, especially.”
The history of automotive engineering is all about finding elegant solutions to problems, and designing a LEGO set isn’t much different.
So, what were some of the challenges Léon faced during his design?
“The rounded body shape of the car was challenging,” says Léon. “And the car is also fairly small, so finding room to connect parts was tricky.”
While most of these challenges could be solved with existing elements, Léon wasn’t afraid to break new ground.
“We introduced some new elements for the LEGO Icons Shelby Cobra 427 S/C,” he says. “The left and right 1x4 double-curved bow were essential in capturing the rounded body. Angling the sides, nose, hood and rear quarter panels also helped giving it a more rounded appearance.”
Throughout the process, Léon worked closely with the real company to honor the design.
“We had check-ins with the team at Shelby American, who told us anecdotes about the company, the car and its history,” says Léon.
“We asked them what they thought were the most important aspects to get right. They pointed out the iconic blue livery with white racing stripes, the front of the car, the side exhausts and the roll bar. Getting the livery right was easy, but the rest took a bit more time. The side exhausts are attached in a special way because they’re mounted angling down, whereas the exhaust pipes themselves are angled up. We also felt that we needed to get the rims right, and since they could not be made with existing elements, we created a new element that included the tri-wing spinners.”
The original creator of this car, Carroll Shelby, was an enigmatic figure and there is one piece that is dedicated to him.
“Rumor has it that Shelby would tape a $100 bill to the dashboard and invite his passengers to try and grab it before the car hit 60mph (100km/h),” says Léon. “They could keep it if they got it, but because of the power and acceleration of the car, people would be thrown back in their seats. Allegedly, Shelby never lost.”
There’s a one-hundred-dollar brick to commemorate this challenge.
“We have also included a trophy to signify the many race victories this car had and you’ll find Shelby’s signature on the dashboard, as he famously signed many of his cars.”
The LEGO Icons Shelby Cobra 427 S/C set captures the style of this iconic 1960s sports car. It’s a sleek and speedy set that will look superb on your shelf or desk.
So, if you’re looking to round out your own collection of classic car sets or are looking for a gift for a car-lover, the LEGO Icons Shelby Cobra 427 S/C is ready to speed into your life.
Shelby® and the outward appearance of the 1960s Shelby Cobra vehicles® are registered trademarks of Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc. and are used under license.
