Mystery solved. Shelby Trust to sell Real Cobras

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

By signing them in advance? This was likely planned well in advance.

Story time

My guess is they were signed by Carroll many, many years ago. This project first started in the late 80's/early 90's with Mike McCluskey. Mike told me Carroll was asking some $250,000 for them in the beginning. Quickly, the project got massive publicity (maybe too much publicity from CARB's point of view).

At the same time, Cobra prices skyrocketed. So, Carroll raised the price (and maybe some of the "story" too) to some $500,000--which was around the price of an S/C at the time. However, at such a high price, Carroll only sold a few and Mike ended up with a ton of parts and a few chassis.

Mike did a fabulous job of reverse engineering most of the parts at that time for the project. I remember walking through row after row after row of parts he made and stored above his paint booth in Torrance. I was gathering up parts to restore original Cobras to pay my way through college.

Side note:
DenBeste now owns most of what's left of those McCluskey parts. Carroll also bought a TON of original Lucas/Girling parts for the project. Shelby ended up with them and Shelby has now transferred what is left to DenBeste. DenBeste and Conway are working together on the project. They are a great team.

Back to the story...20 some years ago...

I was on my way to medical school when I heard about a MiG factory in Poland. As you see, I already knew Mike from original restorations I had done. So, I asked Mike to loan me one of those chassis to reverse engineer so I could make an entire car...Mike didn't know I had already started in Poland at the time. We kept that secret for a long time.

Mike said sure and so I asked him to send the chassis up to us in Utah. He said he didn't want to sent the chassis commercial freight because the chassis is/was extremely fragile (true enough). If you bend one of the body tubes it is a major pain to get everything straight again. He said shipping commercially was too risky.

So, right then and there, I jumped in my truck and drove down to LA. I picked up the chassis and drove it back to Utah. Upon arrival I put it on a truck and air freighted it to Poland to reverse engineer. It was an enormous risk, but I wasn't going to be deterred

Here is a picture of that chassis in Poland. The engineer in the photo has sadly passed away. Staszek taught me an incredible amount about engineering, metallurgy, and manufacturing.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Story time

My guess is they were signed by Carroll many, many years ago. This project first started in the late 80's/early 90's with Mike McCluskey. Mike told me Carroll was asking some $250,000 for them in the beginning. Quickly, the project got massive publicity (maybe too much publicity from CARB's point of view).

At the same time, Cobra prices skyrocketed. So, Carroll raised the price (and maybe some of the "story" too) to some $500,000--which was around the price of an S/C at the time. However, at such a high price, Carroll only sold a few and Mike ended up with a ton of parts and a few chassis.

Mike did a fabulous job of reverse engineering most of the parts at that time for the project. I remember walking through row after row after row of parts he made and stored above his paint booth in Torrance. I was gathering up parts to restore original Cobras to pay my way through college.

Side note:
DenBeste now owns most of what's left of those McCluskey parts. Carroll also bought a TON of original Lucas/Girling parts for the project. Shelby ended up with them and Shelby has now transferred what is left to DenBeste. DenBeste and Conway are working together on the project. They are a great team.

Back to the story...20 some years ago...

I was on my way to medical school when I heard about a MiG factory in Poland. As you see, I already knew Mike from original restorations I had done. So, I asked Mike to loan me one of those chassis to reverse engineer so I could make an entire car...Mike didn't know I had already started in Poland at the time. We kept that secret for a long time.

Mike said sure and so I asked him to send the chassis up to us in Utah. He said he didn't want to sent the chassis commercial freight because the chassis is/was extremely fragile (true enough). If you bend one of the body tubes it is a major pain to get everything straight again. He said shipping commercially was too risky.

So, right then and there, I jumped in my truck and drove down to LA. I picked up the chassis and drove it back to Utah. Upon arrival I put it on a truck and air freighted it to Poland to reverse engineer. It was an enormous risk, but I wasn't going to be deterred

Here is a picture of that chassis in Poland. The engineer in the photo has sadly passed away. Staszek taught me an incredible amount about engineering, metallurgy, and manufacturing.

So these are really Continuation Completion cars!
Larry

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by LMH

So these are really Continuation Completion cars!
Larry

LiKE I said, "Resumption Cobras" might be the best description.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Story time

Mike did a fabulous job of reverse engineering most of the parts at that time for the project. I remember walking through row after row after row of parts he made and stored above his paint booth in Torrance. I was gathering up parts to restore original Cobras to pay my way through college.

As you see, I already knew Mike from original restorations I had done. So, I asked Mike to loan me one of those chassis to reverse engineer so I could make an entire car...Mike didn't know I had already started in Poland at the time. We kept that secret for a long time.

Mike said sure and so I asked him to send the chassis up to us in Utah. He said he didn't want to sent the chassis commercial freight because the chassis is/was extremely fragile (true enough).

So, right then and there, I jumped in my truck and drove down to LA. I picked up the chassis and drove it back to Utah. Upon arrival I put it on a truck and air freighted it to Poland to reverse engineer. It was an enormous risk, but I wasn't going to be deterred

I think I remember reading an article 15 years ago or so, that stated that you copied the frame of your street car, csx3106 or something like that. So it was really McClusky's frame. You sly dog you. Are you and McClusky still friends?

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

I really don't think these MSO's from Shelby were "auto-penned" after Carroll died. Mike (and Bill) told me these were signed by Carroll a long, long time ago.

David

Yeah, I would have thought he would have done(signed) all the MSO's when these cars were originally announced 20 years ago.

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I think I remember reading an article 15 years ago or so, that stated that you copied the frame of your street car, csx3106 or something like that. So it was really McClusky's frame. You sly dog you.

I had measurements from a few cars. Mostly, CSX3104, CSX3107, CSX2281 and CSX2434 (and others). I used Mike's chassis to confirm the measurements. Many of the measurements had quite a bit of variation in them. Also, Mike's chassis was a copy of an S/C and I didn't have those subtle variations so I needed that chassis as well.

Are you and McClusky still friends?

Oh yes. I talk to him all the time.

Yeah, I would have thought he would have done(signed) all the MSO's when these cars were originally announced 20 years ago.

It's not hard to sign MSO's. I do think they were actually signed by Carroll. I just don't think Joe would use an autopen. It isn't his style.

David

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by Anthony

I think I remember reading an article 15 years ago or so, that stated that you copied the frame of your street car, csx3106 or something like that. So it was really McClusky's frame. You sly dog you. Are you and McClusky still friends?

Of course, more recently McClusky lent David a Daytona Coupe frame and body so that the Kirkhams could start building coupes too.

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

Of course, more recently McCluskey lent David a Daytona Coupe frame and body so that the Kirkhams could start building coupes too.

Mike has been a true friend for a long, long time

David

[Phill Pollard]

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

Of course, more recently McClusky lent David a Daytona Coupe frame and body so that the Kirkhams could start building coupes too.

Is this the same Mike McClusky we used to race Quarter Midgets with, out of Baylands in San Jose CA?

I lost touch with him a few years ago after dropping off of the QMA.com web forums. Does anyone know how I can contact him (if it is indeed, him)?


TIA,
Phill

[David Kirkham]

Originally Posted by Phill Pollard

Is this the same Mike McClusky we used to race Quarter Midgets with, out of Baylands in San Jose CA?

I lost touch with him a few years ago after dropping off of the QMA.com web forums. Does anyone know how I can contact him (if it is indeed, him)?

TIA,
Phill

I doubt it. Mike has been in Torrance, Ca. since the 60's.

David

[Phill Pollard]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

I doubt it. Mike has been in Torrance, Ca. since the 60's.

David

Does he have ties to USAC?

The Mike I know was instrumental in getting USAC to take over the Quarter Midgets from Quarter Midgets of America (QMA).

VERY knowledgeable guy.



Phill