Thank you, Wayne, for providing the other side of the story, and for correcting where I may have gone astray in my history lessons. After reading your posts, I also back tracked with the Shelby Buyers Guide, and the AC History book...indeed, you are correct, sir, AC did make their 427 bodies based on Shel's design and at his request.
So, where do we stand? It sounds as if indeed all replica/kit/turn-key/pallet manufacturers are in violation of the law by calling their products 'Cobra', is that the short version here? So, what do we do now...? I mean, besides wait for the courts to rule on this mess and the endless appeals, no matter who receives a favorable ruling.
If 'trade dress' is the only questionable issue, then from my viewpoint, anyone can produce a car that resembles a 'Cobra-like' shape, and as long as they don't put on a badge that has the 'Cobra' registered logo on it, nor call it a 'Cobra', nor mention the word 'Cobra' in their advertising and sales literature, they're legal from the standpoint of the law. Okay, what if the purchaser then puts a 'Cobra' logo on it...who's in violation of the law....the manufacturer, or the owner of the pseudo-Cobra?
I need to know, becuase the only logo on my car is a 'Cobra' steering wheel center button, and on the valve covers and aircleaner top. I need to remove them and make other plans.
Maybe I could go into business making 'Cobra-like' logo items. Maybe we could call our cars, 'Cobra-esque', or 'Resembling a Vehicle Known as a Cobra', or 'NOT Cobra'.... Oh, well, perhaps we've gone to far here, huh?
Anyway, Thanks Wayne! I, too, appreciate the forum to exhange our viewpoints without the juvenile name calling and (middle) finger-pointing on some other threads. We have differing opinions of what's right and wrong on this issue, and I'm not thinking we're going to ever resolve them to everyone's satisfaction. I do still respect what Ol' Shel' did, and now I better understand SAI's position on these issues.
...and I now have my history more correct!
Oh, and just because we have differing opinions on this issue, doesn't mean I won't buy you a beer should we ever meet! We disagree, that's all...I'm sure we can find something we
can agree on, right?
