Hungry Bear Destroys Shelby-signed Cobra to Get Cookies

The pain of seeing a classic car ruined, especially a Shelby Cobra, can be tough to take.

When the car in question was actually signed by Carroll Shelby, the pain can be downright unbearable … especially when the damage was caused by an actual grizzly bear.

Tom Cotter of Hagerty’s Barn Find Hunter video series knows this pain all too well as he just had the top of his Cobra torn through like a bag of chips during a multi-day journey across Alaska.

While staying the night in the town of Girdwood, Cotter accidentally left a pack of Fig Newtons behind the seat of his car. The next morning, Cotter awoke to a phone call informing him the car’s convertible top had been shredded and there was a set of pawprints identifying the perp.

“The car’s top had survived 53 years unscathed, but couldn’t make it 11 days in Alaska,” Cotter said. “I’ve got bigger problems, anyway. My clutch hydraulics went out, so I’ve convinced a guy to let me borrow his airplane hangar for a bit to fix things. I’ve got work to do.”

Leave the Newtons at home while you do.

Meet your guide

Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”