Mystery solved. Shelby Trust to sell Real Cobras

[patty442]

Hello. I had originally attempted to post several discussions on topics that I have lectured on to groups at various past local Cobra Clubs. It was always enjoyable to see grown men taking notes. Guys would come up after and say, I haven't taken notes during a class since high school or college. I have several lectures some short, some longer. Many are very pertinent to this current completion Cobra thread. One on "Evolution and manufacturing, materials and labeling, part numbers, style and finishings from dead nuts original AC factory line installed to current day LUCAS ELECTRICALS. Another comment by the guys at the end of that talk was 'Where were you when I was laying out my dash and firewall." I am a 427 guy only. The only reason that I know anything 289 is that the same part was a crossover to a 427. From what little I have read here on these forums, it seems that Dan Case is the go to guy for that 289 information. I have another talk on Smiths Gauges "How to tell if they are real and original 60's issues". I think your name is Evan, I have a discussion of "Original Hardware" = How to tell the men from the boys". When I am hired to inspect 60's 3000 cars for prospective buyers, checking for replacement chasses and or bodies besides weld styles, and "Upgrades" the bolts and nuts give a real clue to the history of the great cars. No one makes original bolts. Before I restep into the fire, I would like an approval from Ron B. I don't remember but I think Ron said he was from Fresno, I don't know how to save this post to check. I bought my car in Fresno and it was delivered by S&G Motors in San Francisco. I have a beat up photo of my car in their showroom, with one of the owners handing the keys to the original owner. BOB

[fordracing65]

Good info, I wish I could sit down with you and talk Cobras forever...

[NewYorkGuy]

Originally Posted by patty442

Hello. I had originally attempted to post several discussions on topics that I have lectured on to groups at various past local Cobra Clubs. It was always enjoyable to see grown men taking notes. Guys would come up after and say, I haven't taken notes during a class since high school or college. I have several lectures some short, some longer. Many are very pertinent to this current completion Cobra thread...

Hello, Bob
Where do you stand on these new competition cars ? Thumbs up or down?

nyg

[patty442]

HI. I am glad that someone remembers me. Maybe its because I talk to them for 3 hours straight. I want to say that I have known David, Tom and Steve for only about four years. I had discussed having him make a dead nuts copy of an original rollbar. He said he wasn't sure to copy "Some rollbar" . I said I have one with the original shipping box Shelby American, still in the box with a SA tag on the bar, wrapped in 1966 LA Times newspaper. I think Tom was involved with that one. Steve helped me enormously with some issues that I had with a Kirkham that I bought. Yes I have a very early Kirkham. Imagine that. After putting back together my original car, which was stored in zip lock bags for 40 years, I guess it became art. The judges at the Meadowbrook/ St Johns Concours in Detroit thought so , and was awarded their Golden Judges award for the most desireable car in the show, that they wanted to drive home. You can google it. Even though I am quite the old timer, most of you probably weren't alive when I drove my first 289 Cobra, or 427 Cobra when they were available in 64 and 66 at Gotham Ford in NY, I have a 14 year old son. He was getting distant about the race car Cobra because he knew as a little boy that it was a very special car to Poppa, not to come near it. To remedy that I said if I can find the absolute perfect Kirkham for us, that is the right color, the right painter , the right assembler, done and finished, I would go for it. After working on my car off and on for 40 years, I thought I was Cobra tired. For a year he kept asking me call some more people, get a car we can drive. I was talking to Nick about loaning him some more original original parts to reproduce and asked if he knew of any great cars available, must be any shade of dark dark blue. He gave me a lead and said the car was incredible. No offense to David but I wanted a car that felt like my car, not a C6 Corvette with a Cobra body. I contacted the owner and we spoke for probably ten hours straight. He would say original suspension, original girling brakes. He went outside to his garage and starting sending photos. I kept saying original Style suspension, original style calipers. he finally got it. Anyway it had a big KC motor, over 600 and a toploader. So far so good. Now here is the killer information. I bet someone way upstairs had answered my little boys prayers. continued

[patty442]

continued. too long so I have to retype it. I am glad by case is delayed in the Operating Room so I can continue. I said what exact color, he said nightwatch blue non metallic. Wow same color. Give me the assembler's number. As I wrote them down I said I think I remember that number. Who? He said Billy. I said I worked at his shop for 1 week every 2 months for four years with him assembling a car. I didn't want to let the cat out of the bag as yet. Who painted it. He said Mike D. YES . I said I wanted a history file, service records options, upgrades, changes parts sources engine build sheets etc. I said I need two weeks for research and would come back with an offer. Why so long he said. It would be silly to offer before evaluating the credentials and of course I would come to see the car and drive it. The current owner was 6 four just like me and Billy had made some subtle wonderful changes to make the car as comfortable as my 60's car. I said send me another 200 or 300 pictures of everything down to the greatest detail. Most important to the sale was how it drove I said. He asked how do I know how and original car feels and drives. Rather than sayng I have judged , seen in person, driven or evaluated for purchase more than 100 of the original cars from the 60's , I said "A few". , as the price was somewhat just floating in the air unknown to me or him as yet. And yes it is an incredible car and thank you David and your staff of designers and engineers. continued

[patty442]

Even my orgnal car engne builder liked it. He said this pulls very strong. He knows strong very very well. He has all four NHRA AA/GT class records, both ends, stick and automatic with his and a customer's ca. A legal Cleveland and a legal 428 CobraJet torn down multiple times as he keeps lowering his records at National Meets. Great friend of over 40 years. Puts up with me which is a big deal. I handcuff him with original parts on the outside of our motors but skies the limit on internals. We took and original Cobra dry sump tank, yes an original, and sent it to the premier Dry Sump guy in the U. S. , he had about 25 tanks on the starting line of the Daytona 500, and had him convert the insides of the tank to his best road race specifications. You can imagine the favor he did for us. I also have a dry sump post for everyone. I sort of smile a little when that topic comes up, and everyone thinks they know exactly how it was. Not sure how many but I think three untouched left. Anyone have a picture of a Cobra not a modified GT40 II dry sump pan, first design. You all know there were three 427 pans. Off the subject, sorry. Many great dyno stories. Big, big , big FE motors. 14 to 1 motors, 48mm to 58 mm back to back quick change runs. continued

[patty442]

I would have loved to have Barry and Jay in the room to watch the crazy numbers , but I didn't know them then. Inglese and two other Weber guys all had a chance at a 482 mule with Webers at one session on the dyno. Fred Lorenson's HM guy was there also. at one other time with think about a 438 inch stock stroke 427 HR motor to be fair.. He said that's more power than Lorenson, sp? or Andretti ever had. I have a great story about the first four tunnel ports heads ever made that he told me in Charlotte. A great story when we were on the dyno all day, all afternoon, and into the night non stop run after run. At three a.m. two police come to arrest us all for disturbing the peace. They stay, both of them order pizza and just go crazy watching me, my guy and two other lunatics make cam timimg changes, valve lashing loop after loop, ignition timing up and down, and even distributor changes with different curves when we were working on low and mid range for best average power long before the engine masters had that idea, looking for the best combination to make 5 or 10 more usable horsepower. We had top end numbers that were stupid already. I had to fly back to Florida the next day so we had to finish and none of us slept. Expensive day. The cops left when they had shift change. After watching all night, one said as he left, we came here to arrest you for disturbing the peace and take you to jail but after watching the craziness in the dyno cell the cop said I think we should call the crew in the white coats and take you to loony bin at the hospital. You guys are all totally nuts with this motor. I said yes we are and thanks for stopping by.One of our guys identifed me to the cops as a real trauma surgeon, suggesting there was some normalcy of thought and reason. As they left I heard him wisper. "That tall one that they say is a doctor --- he should know better, he's just as nuts as the others except he's wearing long sleeves, protective safety goggles and surgical gloves. That night was close to a divorce for three of the lunatics. Like I said Patty is very understanding. She also responds very well to bribes. Tomorrow a discussion close to the hearts of all Cobra guys "Quick jacks how they were before they even went on the plane or boat from AC to Shelby American. Another, I think funny, funny story with the GT350 H 4 speed car that my Dad rented for me in the summer of 66. They're calling me to start working. By Bob

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by patty442

..."Quick jacks how they were before they even went on the plane or boat from AC to Shelby American...

I'm very curious about that before.
Thanks