Description
Owing to its astounding competition history and unique chassis designation, ‘HEM-6’ is undoubtably one of the world’s most recognisable AC Cobras extant. Campaigned in period by a succession of accomplished and notable sports-car drivers, it remains highly eligible and competitive to this day. Partaking in the RAC Tourist Trophy in 1964 with Salvadori behind the wheel, the first TT Celebration some 34 years later at the inaugural Goodwood Revival in 1998, and most recently in 2025, ‘HEM-6’ has achieved four podium finishes in the last six years alone, including victory in 2021. Built by AC Cars to competition specification with cut-back doors and FIA-compliant flared wheel arches, this RHD 289 Cobra was to be supplied, minus an engine and transmission, to British privateer, C. T. “Tommy” Atkins, of High Efficiency Motors. It is understood it was designated ‘HEM-6’ as the sixth car prepared by H. E. M; '6' was entered by Atkins into the 1964 season. A Brooklands regular before the Second World War, and competitor on both two wheels and four, C. T. “Tommy” Atkins sought to continue his motor racing endeavours post-war with the foundation of High Efficiency Motors. Under Atkins’ stewardship, High Efficiency Motors entered a Cooper-Climax T43 into the Formula Two category at select rounds of the Formula One World Championship in 1958. Following the team’s progression into Formula One in 1959, Atkins enlisted Roy Salvadori, already a proven talent who would go on to win Le Mans outright for Aston Martin that same year. After withdrawing from formula-spec racing at the end of 1960, Atkins redirected his team’s attention to sports cars, marrying a Maserati powertrain to a Cooper-Monaco chassis for Salvadori to drive in domestic events. Following delivery of his factory-built Jaguar E-type Lightweight in 1963, Atkins once again called upon Salvadori, who drove the car to 3rd in the Goodwood Tourist Trophy, finishing behind Graham Hill and Mike Parkes respectively. Together with Salvadori, Atkins entered his newly acquired AC Cobra (HEM-6) into competition for the following 1964 season, debuting the car in the British Grand Prix support race at Brands Hatch that July. The Cobra arrived at Brands Hatch in bare aluminium, wearing the number 31 on its unpainted bodywork. Salvadori finished third having started from pole position, marking the beginning of ‘HEM-6’s’ illustrious competition career. The first weekend of August 1964 saw Brands Hatch host the Guards International Trophy, open to both prototype and grand touring sports cars. Still in possession of his Maserati-powered Cooper-Monaco, Atkins entered both classes, assigning Roy Salvadori to the prototype entry and handing Cobra duties to the young Chris Amon. One of the most accomplished drivers of the era, Chris Amon would not only maintain a seat in Formula One between 1963-1977 but achieve major endurance racing success in the process. In 1966, under the banner of Shelby American and Ford, he claimed overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in the #2 GT40, arguably history’s most celebrated Le Mans victory. The following year, as a works Ferrari driver, he and Lorenzo Bandini led a dominant 1–2–3 finish at the Daytona 24 Hours. Goodwood’s Tourist Trophy took place at the end of August 1964. Open only to GT cars, Roy Salvadori would drive for Atkins once again, with the car now repainted in a medium green with a bright red nose band. Sadly, and unbeknownst to the pair at the time, a clutch issue on lap 80 would not only mean retirement from the race but bookend a multi-year professional partnership between Atkins and Salvadori. C. T. “Tommy” Atkins tragically passed away in 1965, at which point ‘HEM-6’ was acquired by Graham Warner’s Chequered Flag Ltd of Chiswick, London and road registered for the first time as GPG 4C. The car was repainted in white with a black stripe and nose to match the team’s colours and fitted with a Holman-Moody engine. In the capable hands of Roy Pike, Roger Mac and Bob Bondurant, ‘HEM-6’ won the Sussex Trophy and achieved first in class in the Whitsun Trophy at Goodwood. The Cobra also competed in the Tourist Trophy at Oulton Park and the Redex Trophy at Brands Hatch, where Bondurant finished third in class. Throughout the 1965 season, ‘HEM-6’ recorded four major victories or class wins, along with numerous podiums and club-level successes. When Chequered Flag offered the Cobra for sale, it was listed at £3, 650 and described as “acknowledged to be the fastest and best Cobra in the country.” The car was purchased by Keith and Wendy Hamblin, who campaigned it at club level throughout the latter part of the decade. In 1970, ‘HEM-6’ passed to Shaun Jackson, who repainted it red with a distinctive gold stripe extending over the nose, evoking the likes of Alan Mann's racecars. After two competitive seasons, Jackson sold the car to Mick Hill, who went on to record numerous club victories during the following year. Alistair Walker purchased...
