DAY JOB

GAVIN IRVINE BUILT HIS DAYTONA COBRA REPLICA WITH HIS OWN TWO HANDS. THE RESULT IS A BEAUTIFUL TRIBUTE TO AN AUTOMOTIVE LEGEND

- KIAN HEAGNEY

AS YOU probably know, they only built six original Shelby Cobra Daytonas. Even if you do find one for sale, it’ll cost enough to cause a heart attack, so if you want one of your own, your only option is to go down the replica path like Gavin Irvine did with his stunning, LS-powered Factory Five Shelby Daytona.

This isn’t Gavin’s first time with a Shelby kit car, having already built an LS1-powered Shelby Cobra for himself. Unfortunately, that car met a nasty end on track, which prompted Gavin to build the Daytona you see here. “I always liked Daytonas when I still had the Cobra, and when I had to say goodbye to that car, I decided to build one,” he says.

This particular car is a 1965-spec Factory Five Racing replica that Gavin sourced from the US. “I built the Cobra myself and really enjoyed it, so I wanted to do that again with the Daytona,” he says. “I have a decently equipped workshop from my work as a gas and electric fitter, and I find building these cars after hours a relaxing thing to do.”

Gavin’s Daytona landed in pieces from the US in late 2016, and from there he began building his dream machine. “The kit comes with everything but the engine, gearbox, steering rack and tyres, but I’d already planned some changes anyway, so that didn’t faze me,” he explains.

One of those big changes was the engine, as Gavin had no intentions of using a Windsor V8, which the Cobras were originally designed for. “It would’ve been a lot simpler if I did, but I already had the LS there, and I kind of like annoying Ford guys as well,” he laughs.