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Candlestick Park, Phil Hill in 427 Cobra
foudnd a picture on the net of a 427 Cobra, probably dark blue
with white stripes, Phil Hill at the wheel, at a race in Candlestick park which is as I recall a city park in SF. The story said that there was two fatal accidents in the race which ended racing there, and that the Cobra DNF'd but I was wondering, up 'til now I assumed there was little factory support for Cobra 427 roadsters in the '65 season, other than the time Miles took a 427 roadster to Australia (where it DNF'd). Maybe this is not a factory car though it has the livery of the factory '65 race cars. The picture has a name painted on the right rear something MOTORS but it's so fuzzy in thepicture I can't read it. Maybe Shelby's own dealership (Hi-Performance Motors) but that would be too long a namefor what's on the car. Anybody remember that race more than 4 decades ago? DonW032WesterPhilHillCndlstck65 |
the car in the photo looks like CSX3002
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Candlestick park is where the 49er's play and where the Giants used to play. The race was probably in the large parking lot.
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Uh, "S&C Motors" the San Fran Ford dealer that was the Shelby franchise. You know, the ones that sold the last avaivlable 427 Cobra in 1969? Oh, wait, that info is in the registry and you don't have one!
"Cisco, what is this registry you speak so often of?" |
Candlestick Park
I attended that race,Phil was getting beat by a 904 Porsche when he sheared a rear half shaft and had to drop out. They (who ever prepped the car) substituted some tubular half shafts in place of the stock solid ones. I was told that the shaft sheared along the weld line, the same people thought that the tubular shafts would take some shock loads out of the drive line.
Candlestick park was a baseball stadium and they were racing in the parking lot. I only remember one death it was a guy in a Genie CANAM car and I think he clipped a phone pole and the car burst into flames. Sketchy memory but I think his name was Bart Martin |
I was there just to see the debut of the 427, which didn't last long. S&C really promoted the race. It was a nasty beast while it ran. Handling was awful, but man the brute power was awesome. I didnt see the death on Saturday, but I saw a Lotus 7 clip a hay bale with it's right front at speed. That was bad enough.
The Bart Martin crash in the afternoon was really really bad. I recall the car ending up off track in a bunch of concrete pilings and a horrific fire. He never had a chance. Took quite a while to get it out. That ended the day and everybody went home sick. |
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What was the CSX of the only 427 built with a 289 nose and forward braced roll bar? What was the CSX of the car Miles drove in Australia? Hint: It's the same car. Second hint: The answer is in the Registry. |
I didn't realize Shelby was involved in S & C Motors, this is the first time I have heard of it. I do remember in the 70's he definately had a Ford Dealership at Lake Tahoe, Shelby Ford.
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S&C was a Shelby dealer. I do not know if he himself was involved. A dealer like Hayward Ford and others who sponsored cars. When I needed a "hubcap" for my 65 GT-350 S&C had the last known OEM piece. Parts guy said it was so old and dusty it wasn't on the inventory or price sheets (1970). Bought it for $3.
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I misunderstood you, I should have read your post closer. I've been in the Auto sales business my entire life, over half with Ford and was ready to challenge what was read....my error. S & C was were the last remaining unsold 427 was purchased, it had been in inventory for over a year. If my memory serves me right it was also where one of the two twin supercharged 427's that that were built was sold and quickly wrecked. It was then returned to S & C and stored under a tarp in damaged condition for quite sometime.
Re Candlestick: Some of the local Sports Car Clubs still hold Auto X's there. JustRacing Photo Gallery - 2008/05/04 SCCA at Candlestick/2008 SFR Round 7 - run 3: 55.339 (TTOD) |
CSX3002 is mentioned in the 8th photo
" Phil Remington made the 427 Cobra fender buck by widening each of the four FIA fender bucks about 1 1/2". Geoff Howard figured this out when he stripped CSX3002 during restoration. If you have ever seen 3002 close up, you know how original Geoff kept the restoration. Most racing Cobras are needlessly overrestored. " Cobra Ferrari Wars- FIA Roadster |
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Yes, CS was the franchise holder for "Shelby Ford" in Tahoe in later years, it went along with his "Sky Terrace Motel" property there. I would imagine the Ford franchise was an extra reward for his Ford connections. He was only the owner and didn't participate in the management from what I have been told by old FoMoCo dealer relations people. |
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I saw this at another board. The Porsche P/904 Carrera remade from a Boxter. In your photo is Don Wester in the original 904. I think the remake is pretty hot looking.
http://www.topgear.com/uk/assets/cms...p=120309_04:45 You want: Porsche P/904 Carrera - BBC Top Gear Don Wester in the 904. DonW024Porsche9041964 Ralphy |
Wow! I want!
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The first time I saw a GTO in the flesh was at that Candlestick event. It was a "street" car that was driven to the event, but not raced. It was common to see 904's at races, but seeing one driving around Monterry on the street really was something special. My first ride in a GT-350 was in an R model that was receiving a ticket from a highway patrolman in Brisbane. I HAD to pull over. We actually zipped around Candlestick for a while. Thought I was going to pee myself!
Those where the days when production sports cars and "race" cars where more than just cousins. |
Certainly CSX3002, you can see the dry sump cap in the passenger side front fender. The fuel filler cap is on the rear fender and the pipes come out the side and collect outside the car. It also has the 289 front end.
This car was on the October cover or Car and Driver with number 7, it was later #98. |
I have fond memories of that 1965 race, seeing Phil Hill in that loud and powerful Cobra blasting down the straight, and not so fond seeing the 904 pass him in the corners. ha.
I will always remember the GT350 and XKE racing down the back straight at a scary high speed, the GT leading, of course. I will never forget that in the fall of 1967, SC Motors had what they said was the last 427 made, a beautiful red, and I jumped for it that Saturday, down payment and signature. The plan was to pick it up the next Saturday, but lo and behold it had been sold for cash the Wednesday between to a guy for cash from around the Clearlake area. That car , I believe, had a repaint the next summer. SC gave me my deposit back and referred me to Hayward Motors who had a nice blue one, but my heart was broken after losing that hot red 427 so I declined. I needed a house more than a Cobra actually, ha Man of few words Maurice |
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