[What'saCobra?]

i'd be proud to adopt TL on any side of the pond, sonny.

Knew the skinny about AC v Shel' in the earliest sixties, before Brian A. learned how to solder Screen Frames. i watched SCCA production races won by ACES and Bristol powered AC's before Shelby stopped racing. Knew why Shel' used the AC Cobra moniker on the 260/289's long before "meeting" TL on the web. Still think Rudd and AC were given the once-over by CS quite unfairly. Still think he should've been stung for shipping 428's in "427 Cobras" and lots later falsely creating an unreal line of new "old" chassis with old numbers, never entered (until actually made by Angliss in the early 90's) in the AC Register at Thames Ditton.

Yep, our AC-sourced CSX 3058 IS one of the very few of those chassis duplicated within the McCluskey/Shelby cabal. i am sure you know there was real reason for Angliss to sue CS/SA et al over those lies. But, as said, part of the fun of the AC/Shelby story is the amazing amount of stuff that has and IS happening with that car history. (Just keeping track of the revisionist histories is pretty facinatin'.) Truly makes all the Ferrari shenanigans look small potatoes in comparison. YOU try explaining to someone why his 3058 isn't THIS 3058 some time!

But, i'm not complainin'. Heck, my "real" one cost far far less than those fakes. You must admit the car has stimulated lots of angst, love, hate, avarice, cons, profits and other afflictions during its nearly 50 year history. About like the Duzies, wouldn't you say?

Every time i meet someone with a glass kit or other, i studiously avoid discussing real/continuation/fake issues and ownership, but drill him about driving the car and its handling. Learned a lot about what motivates the purchase of one. A hint: i don't go to shows more than once every few years and only when i am pretty sure i will be the only one in residence.

You are not likely to find me driving in a line of Cobs through the hills and dales. Seems too pat, formulaic and somehow rubs against the iconoclastic image i have of myself and the car. The only line-ups you will find with me in one are either on the starting grid or the police station. This old bird doesn't flock together; just seems unnatural. Sort of going to dinner with my ex-wives. i don't hate 'em, but why bother?

To me, the Cobra remains the most exciting car i've ever driven from the first drive. Driven many faster, louder, worse handling, better handling, far more expensive, far cheaper and it still raises my heart rate. Perhaps it is the 49 years in the seats, or the FORD engines, or the craftsmanship or the time warp or something i cannot quite reach.

Either way, to me they are all great, big and small, famous and common. i hope i can keep this one quite a few more years. Like an old lost love, i am lonely without one.

Having said all that, i aspire to a Kirkham with an aly 482 someday. You can keep the originals. Give me an all ingot modern suspension any day. If i don't have to use EAR plugs, it isn't set-up right.

[With that, he stepped-off the soap-box, reached down and wrapped his good arm around it and waltzed off into the traffic.]