Mystery AC Cobra from 1966

[Nedsel]

In the 12/27/66 issue of the now-defunct LOOK magazine was an interesting, 2-page color spread headlined "To a group of young London painters, Art is a '60 Buick...and a Ford Cobra." It described how three recent graduates of the Bradford College of Art had gotten together to color second-hand furniture for their studio and, once that became profitable, turned their attention to walls, pianos, and finally cars. Their first subject, the 1960 Buick convertible, was unable to fit inside the Robert Fraser gallery, which is when they acquired a 1966 AC 289 and applied their "Kandy Kolored Tangerine-flake" paintwork to it. Hiding behind the Buick in one photo, the AC 289 Sports is clearly a right-hand-drive example with what appears to be black upholstery. A second shot shows the number plate GYK768C, painted wire wheels, and small, rectangular tail lamps that were thought only to have been used on COB 6106 and 6107. But neither of them were registered with the indicated plate. A caption next to the Cobra picture noted, "David Vaughn drives a Cobra down Regent Street a few days before shipping it to New York for a tour to California." Did this tour ever take place? If so, it had to have occurred over the summer of '66, as they likely would not have waited for fall or winter. Which brings up the question, when were the photos taken? Again, judging from the clothes - and short sleeves - it had to have been the summer or early fall of '66. And it bears noting the photos in the magazine were shot by Lord Snowdon. Does anyone recall anything about this art project or the AC?

[Ozgur_Tan]

Hi
According to below link
Dudley Edwards painted AC Cobra for Tara Browne.

Dudley Edwards Page

[LMH]

Scary!
Larry

[saturnkk]

Seizure inducing.

[Mark IV]

I had that issue! It was also in another magazine of the era as I recall.

[Nedsel]

Good stuff! The LOOK magazine article does mention Dudley Edwards as one of the gang, and it also shows a partially-finished design on Edward's desk that "is for Beatle Paul McCartney's piano." And since Dud was kind enough to mention that he painted the AC for Tara Browne, we now know for certain that it was COB 6107. This car may have been familiar to some of the old northern CA gang when it was later owned by John Tupasi of San Francisco, painted in a light purple metalflake.

[rodneym]

Hmmm...

The Dutch art collective known as The Fool did similar work at that time. You may recall those phsycodelic paint jobs on the instruments of Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce, George Harrison, Rolls Royce owned by a Beatle, etc.

These cars even preceded most of those works. Seems like there was a lot of that stuff at the time. You guys must have been having fun back in those days.

[Ozgur_Tan]

cob6107 @ classic lemans 2012

http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/forum/...72&whichpage=2

[Nedsel]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Hmmm...

You guys must have been having fun back in those days.

You can bet on it.

[SunDude]

Found on the web...

Tara Browne and his psychedelic-painted AC Cobra exiting window of Robert Fraser Gallery in 1966. Published in Jon Naar's "Getting the Picture", 2005. Copyright Jon Naar, Alex Naar 1973, 2012

[Rick Parker]

It looks like it belonged on Laugh-In. Damn that's ugly.

[lovehamr]

Same thing I was thinking Rick.

[Rick Parker]

There wasn't enough "contraband" available in that era to convince me it was attractive.

[Trevor Legate]

The Hon Tara Browne (heir to a brewing fortune) brought the car through Len Street Engineering, a sports car and Lotus dealer who employed him as a some-time salesman. He also owned and drove around London in a Lotus Elan and six weeks after the gallery photos were taken, he died in the Lotus when it slammed into a truck (at an alleged 100mph). He was on his way to inspect a wall mural the same guys were painting on the side of a fashion store he co-owned. He was 21.
There is footage of the 289 being driven around London with that GYK number plate on the front of the car, which looks rather home made, but no plate on the rear! Maybe designed to 'confuse' the local constabulary? Who knows?

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Trevor Legate

The Hon Tara Browne (heir to a brewing fortune) brought the car through Len Street Engineering, a sports car and Lotus dealer who employed him as a some-time salesman. He also owned and drove around London in a Lotus Elan and six weeks after the gallery photos were taken, he died in the Lotus when it slammed into a truck (at an alleged 100mph). He was on his way to inspect a wall mural the same guys were painting on the side of a fashion store he co-owned. He was 21.
There is footage of the 289 being driven around London with that GYK number plate on the front of the car, which looks rather home made, but no plate on the rear! Maybe designed to 'confuse' the local constabulary? Who knows?

"He blew his mind out in a car, he hadn't noticed that the lights had changed.." is thought to be Sir Paul's reference to his then friend Tara

[saturnkk]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

"He blew his mind out in a car, he hadn't noticed that the lights had changed.." is thought to be Sir Paul's reference to his then friend Tara

No no no. Paul is dead. Self-reference...

[mickmate]

That's some interesting video footage of them humping the back end up bumping rockers over the loading dock and man handling it down the scaffolding planks laid over planks. They really treated their art work with the care and respect it deserved I guess.

[Nedsel]

I note that the colors appear much brighter right after the car was painted than when Tara Browne is driving it out of the art gallery. Which makes me wonder, which shades do I choose when I repaint my AC 289, just 4 chassis numbers removed, in a tribute to this time and all the peace and love we all shared?

[Trevor Legate]

You go for it Ned, you know you want to. I can see the old kaftan and the cheesecloth, happy daze!! Makes a lot of sense. What color is your car? Green? I mean - come on, time to turn on and drop out!

Peace and love....(and ban the bomb of course)

[Steve Cassani]

I would not feel so all alone,
Everybody let's get stoned!