Python Automobile

The "Python" is a relatively unknown car. It originally started in the mid 60's when Ford's Vice President of Design, Eugene Bordinat, was designing a new body for Carroll Shelby to use as a replacement for the AC Cobra. With the help of McKinley Thompson, they designed 2 successors. The prototype, now called the Bordinat Cobra, was designed using a new plastic called Royalex, produced by United States Rubber Company. Unfortunately, when Shelby and Ford parted ways the project was scraped along with the use of the new plastic. Later in 1981, Alvin Kelly, who felt the need for a "pure, open air sports car", found one of the original Royalex Bordinat Cobra bodies and with the approval of Gene Bordinat and help of McKinley Thompson built 4 prototypes for this Python design. Alvin Kelly took the mold to Southern California, where the 4th prototype was perfected and put into production. The Python was built using a reinforced Mustang frame that has a shortened wheel base in order to achieve 55:45 front:rear weight ratio.