Dick & jo's most excellent cobra adventure - Page 2

CobraDan · #1 (**permalink**) 10-22-2010, 07:37 AM

We have just ended our summer with 90-70 degree temperatures and rain, now it is 80-70. We did have one of our coldest winters last year in the 15 years I have lived in Florida and living south of Tampa it is usually 10-15 degrees warmer than north of Tampa. All of the snowbirds seem to bring a car with them and many a time it is something different than last years ride.

lamaluv · #2 (**permalink**) 10-23-2010, 09:03 PM

Well we have finally got to what this trip was all about. We pulled into Altoona, IA at 2:30 pm Friday. It was forcast to rain on Saturday so I called Gail Rhoten and asked if we could come by Friday.

We pulled into Gail's farm and met in his shop to look over the hundreds of pictures he had of the Cobra and swap stories about the car. He also had some pretty nice Ford muscle cars.

This is a picture of the car just after Gail bought it from David Page in 1991 before the meatballs and race stripe.

This is a younger Gail and Carrol Shelby at a SAAC convention and Carrol signed the air cleaner on ERA EXP002. Gail tells me that Carrol had not started charging for his signature at that time. We also met a friend of Gail's, Doug Dire who is building a Shelby 4000 series car that he is just about finished with. He said that seeing my car made him want to get his car finished right now. It was really great meeting Gail and talking about the car. Gail doesn't have any children and he considers his cars to be "his kids". He told me it was great to have one of his kids come home for a visit.

d_ford · #3 (**permalink**) 10-25-2010, 09:24 PM

Wow! I am so excited at the prospect of seeing my old car again. Dick and his wife are supposed to be here wed. I hope the weather holds out so I can get a ride in ol' number 002 again. Dick, if you're reading this, I have something to show you when you get here that I think you'll find very interesting.

DougD · #4 (**permalink**) 10-26-2010, 07:10 AM

It was great meeting you and Jo, Dick. The car's a time capsule. I can't believe it hasn't been repainted in all these years. It still looks great!

I hope the rest of your pilgrimage goes well. You have some new friends in central Iowa. Don't be afraid to call if you're through this part of the country again.

Did you try the Porterhouse at the Big Steer?

DougD

lamaluv · #5 (**permalink**) 10-26-2010, 03:50 PM

Doug it was great meeting you and maybe the next time we are though your area we take a run with your Cobra and ours to the Big Steer. The Porterhouse was too big so I settled for the Top Serloin.

Dick

lamaluv · #6 (**permalink**) 10-27-2010, 05:07 PM

We spent a beautiful day with Doug Ford (owner number 5) and his wife talking about ERA EXP002 and going for a ride. The surprise he talked about was seeing the Dove aluminum block 427 engine that Gail had put in the car. It was in a stunning 68 Mustang that Doug owns. Pictures and more info to follow tomorrow when we get settled in PA.

Dick

lamaluv · #7 (**permalink**) 10-29-2010, 08:29 PM

We unloaded the car from our "home" in Buck Eye Lake and headed for Doug Ford's house. Doug had lots of pictures as well as stories about the car. He blew up the Dove 427 at the drag strip and replaced it with the 67 428 Police Intercepter engine that is still in the car today. He kept and rebuilt the Dove block and it now resides in his fabulous 68 Mustang he spent 6 years building.

He went for a ride with me and told me that he is still in love with 002 and would sure like to have her back. He understands why my wife refers to the car as my "red headed mistress".

We are now in East Lyme, CT and will visit Bruce Bissonnette owner # 1 of ERA EXP 002 on Saturday and will visit Justin O' Rourke and David Page Numbers 2 & 3 on Sunday. On Monday it's off to New Britain to see the gang at ERA.

Justin O'Rourke · #8 (**permalink**) 11-01-2010, 07:04 PM

What a great couple. Living the dream!!

d_ford · #9 (**permalink**) 11-01-2010, 09:20 PM

Aren't they though? This was great.

lamaluv · #10 (**permalink**) 11-02-2010, 02:56 PM

We just pulled into the parking lot of the Mohegan Sun Casino at Pocono Downs in Wilkes Barre, PA for the night. The wife can get her slot machine fix and I can visit the buffet. In the morning we will head to Freeland, MD and stay there untill Friday the 5th.

The long range weather is looking better. By the time we get to Emporia,VA maybe, and Selma, NC for sure, we'll have some Cobra cruising weather.

Some quick factoids about ERA EXP 002 that I have gathered on this trip:

She was the first Cobra owned by all seven owners
The only Cobra owned by four
Two have owned a second Cobra
One has owned over twenty
Thirty years on the road and 33,000 + miles
Shortest period owned was one year
Longest period six years ( three owners)
Average age of first six owners at time of purchase was 38 years
First owner is now 70 and present owner is 64
Car has always had an FE engine
Started with a 428, 427 center oiler, 427 side oiler, 427 Dove tunnel port & back to 428
Has had dual fours, single four and now fuel injection

lamaluv · #11 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 07:02 AM

Arrived in Freeland, MD last night and it has been raining ever since. Looks like the Cobra will stay in the trailer while we are here. Hopefully she can come out and play this weekend in Emporia, VA.

Someone who has been following this thread closely asked what ever happened to owner number six, Paul Solomon. Well Paul and his wife were spending the week on vacation in Mexico while we were in Ohio. Sorry that we didn't get to visit them. I bought the car from Paul and we had already met and I had been to their home when I came out to see the car in 2004. I didn't want to miss seeing anyone, but if it was going to happen, I'm glad it was someone that I already had met.

d_ford · #12 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamaluv

Car has always had an FE engine
Started with a 428, 427 center oiler, 427 side oiler, 427 Dove tunnel port & back to 428
Has had dual fours, single four and now fuel injection

Dick, during the time I owned #002 I had 3 different FE's in it. The 427 TP that I bought it with and that I still have, a 428 CJ, and finally the 428 PI out of my 67 GT500 that's in her now. Just wanting to help clarify.

lamaluv · #13 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 09:07 AM

Doug the referance was just to the types of FE engines the old girl has had. Bruce had three differant engines as did you. Gail had at least two as did Justin. David, Paul and I are the only ones that kept the same engine we bought her with.

d_ford · #14 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamaluv

Doug the referance was just to the types of FE engines the old girl has had. Bruce had three differant engines as did you. Gail had at least two as did Justin. David, Paul and I are the only ones that kept the same engine we bought her with.

Wow, that's a lot of heart transplants!
It's a testament to ERA quality when the car has outlived several powerplants.

Don · #15 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 11:43 AM

Dick......when leaving CT, what route did you select to get to VA, and then to FL ?

Trueoo7 · #16 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 07:18 PM

Curious if you happened to notice how the selling price held up through the years. Did price go up or down or hold its own?

lamaluv · #17 (**permalink**) 11-04-2010, 10:01 PM

Trueoo7 there were several variables such as the car being wrecked and one owner selling the car with a Dove aluminum tunnel port engine and another trading for the car. Then you have the value of $ over a 30 year period. How many Cobra replicas were available in 1980 or 1990 vs today. The car sold for over $30,000 in the 1980's and has sold for more than that each time she was sold. Whether the price went up, down or held it's own is pretty subjective. That is not my primary consideration as I consider the car to be a significant piece of ERA history.

d_ford · #18 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 04:45 PM

Dick, do you know if Gail is a member here and following this thread? I'd like to be able to keep in touch with him if I can.

lamaluv · #19 (**permalink**) 11-06-2010, 07:11 PM

As far as I know Gail is not a member but I will send you his information.

Dick

lamaluv · #20 (**permalink**) 11-09-2010, 06:01 AM

We will be leaving Selma NC and arriving in Savannah GA tomorrow the 10th of November. The weather forcast is calling for sunshine and temps in the 70's. Sounds like the Cobra needs to come out of the trailer.

Do any of you have suggestions for a fun ride in the Savannah area? Are there any fellow Cobra owners in the area that would like to meet up?

Dick