From Racer to Daily Driver: The Enduring Legacy of a 1964 Shelby Cobra

By S.J. Bryan - August 19, 2019

Hot Rod followed one man’s passion for his rare Cobra that he’s has kept on the road for decades. No garage treatment for this snake.

Bill Gise might be one of the coolest drivers on the road. Sure, it is partly because if you see him, he will be behind the wheel of an absolutely beautiful 1964 Shelby Cobra. But that sweet Shelby roadster is only one part of his story. His rare Cobra bears the distinction of being only 1 of 998 ever produced. And Gise has been driving his Shelby Cobra for almost 50 years.

Gise has been an avid auto enthusiast as long as he can remember. “My passion for cars was well established before I turned 16 and could drive,” he tells Hot Rod. “My first build was a 1930 Model A pickup. By the early ‘60s I’d turned to drag racing and was campaigning a 1961 Valiant with a Super Stock 426 Max Wedge engine.”

Gise was game to try anything and everything that involved cars, speed, and thrills. He was into it all: racing, rallying, off-roading. Some would say he was born with gasoline running through his veins.

“I got very active with sports car racing in the San Diego area and served as the Chief Technical Inspector for the San Diego Region of the SCCA [Sports Car Club of America].” he recalls. “I also competed in off-road racing for more than a decade, including the second Baja 1000 and the very first Baja 500.”

At the same time, Carroll Shelby was working with automaker AC Cars to create an American sports car to challenge European sovereignty on the racing circuit. He wanted his roadster powered by an American V8. With Ford’s help, Shelby used a small block V8, and the Shelby Cobra was born.

By 1967, Gise had his own shop in Chula Vista, California. A client who owned a Shelby Cobra asked Gise if was interested in buying the ride. The seasoned racer and enthusiast knew this was an offer he could never resist.

“Even then, I knew it was the opportunity of a lifetime,” says Gise. “So I didn’t hesitate to buy it.” Gise had already extensive experience with the car.

“I got to know quite a lot about Cobras prior to that when a friend bought one and began competing with it. I helped him with the car and quickly realized just how special they are,” he says. “The power-to-weight ratio made it a pretty wild little machine. When my customers mentioned they were going to sell their car, which I knew quite well because I had been servicing it, I went to their house quick like a bunny rabbit and wrote them a check!”

Naturally, Gise had to race the Cobra. But eventually, he used it as a daily driver. It went through some changes over the years. He painted it blue, then later red when he considered selling it.

“This was in 1979…I painted it ‘resale red’ thinking I’d probably get more for the car as a result,” he remembers. “In fact, it looked so good with new paint, and I really did love the car, that when it was finished, I changed my mind and kept it!”

Over the years, he had restoration work done by Cobra expert Drew Serb. The Cobra still runs on the original 289 ci V8 engine, and it looks perfect.

Today, the car looks pristine, from the interior that bears a dash plaque honoring the car’s first owner, noted illustrator George Bartell. As does the exterior with the original Ford badging.

When Gise isn’t working on his 1966 Shelby GT350, or building an Offy-powered 1927 T; he can be found driving around in this rare piece of automotive history. Like his beloved car, this driver has a fascinating story, and plans to keep heading down the road for years to come.

Photos: Hot Rod