ford cobra with ccx-number

[Bernica]

I would call Kirkham directly. They are good folks.

[lovehamr]

Just looked at the ad and wow! I can honestly say that I've never seen such a nice car with such a stupidly faked VIN. Certain little things do stand out which speak to the stupidity of the end builder; like the new style Ford racing VCs, the poor spark plug wire job and of course the silly VIN plate. But it's also a leaf spring car! And it looks like everything done by the roller manufacturer is very well done. I say it's a very nice Kirkham finished by a Delta Alpha.

Needless to say perhaps but $250k? BaaaaaaaaaaaaHaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

They should just give the car to me so that I can do a better job on her!

[peterpjb]

yesterday i had a closer look at that car, i am no cobra expert but i am an classic car enthusiast for over 30 years, and i am working with craftsmanship all day long, so i have a look for the details

that car is really astonishing, a really perfect and impressing alubody on a true authentic look in everthing,
ist not a perfect new car like a superformance, shelby or kirkham, but a new build of a new/old part-collection with some well crafted details like the stainless steel fan-type exhaust pipe

the owner narrated me the following story:

he collected parts for that car over 15 years,
he imported the chassis with formerly coil springs 10 years ago from the us titled as a "ford" cobra 1968 with ccx55363 vin, then converted it to leaf springs for this car
the body is not a kirkham but built by an old coachbuilder from the uk who is dead meanwhile...
the leaf springs are reproductions used also in the original cars as a spare part,
girling brake system is original also the knock on wheel nuts and some other parts of the suspension...

dont know what truth and what poetry,
a real patchwork out of parts and history...

but the dilemma is:... i would like to have this car....

(for sure not with that price )

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by peterpjb

yesterday i had a closer look at that car, i am no cobra expert but i am an classic car enthusiast for over 30 years, and i am working with craftsmanship all day long, so i have a look for the details

that car is really astonishing, a really perfect and impressing alubody on a true authentic look in everthing,
ist not a perfect new car like a superformance, shelby or kirkham, but a new build of a new/old part-collection with some well crafted details like the stainless steel fan-type exhaust pipe

the owner narrated me the following story:

he collected parts for that car over 15 years,
he imported the chassis with formerly coil springs 10 years ago from the us titled as a "ford" cobra 1968 with ccx55363 vin, then converted it to leaf springs for this car
the body is not a kirkham but built by an old coachbuilder from the uk who is dead meanwhile...
the leaf springs are reproductions used also in the original cars as a spare part,
girling brake system is original also the knock on wheel nuts and some other parts of the suspension...

dont know what truth and what poetry,
a real patchwork out of parts and history...

but the dilemma is:... i would like to have this car....

(for sure not with that price )

Considering the made up story you presented from the "seller", I would not trust the story you just got from the "owner" either.

I would think that converting the car from coil spring to leaf spring would not be trivial and rather costly. That sounds unlikely to do.

And let's just imagine for a moment that the latest story you heard is actually true. The car is a mixture of parts of some unverifiable origin (like some unnamed dead coach builder). What would you pay for it then? I would suggest paying less than what you could get a similarly optioned Kirkham for. With a Kirkham you know you have a quality car that is put together properly.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by peterpjb

yesterday i had a closer look at that car, i am no cobra expert but i am an classic car enthusiast for over 30 years, and i am working with craftsmanship all day long, so i have a look for the details

that car is really astonishing, a really perfect and impressing alubody on a true authentic look in everthing,
ist not a perfect new car like a superformance, shelby or kirkham, but a new build of a new/old part-collection with some well crafted details like the stainless steel fan-type exhaust pipe

the owner narrated me the following story:

he collected parts for that car over 15 years,
he imported the chassis with formerly coil springs 10 years ago from the us titled as a "ford" cobra 1968 with ccx55363 vin, then converted it to leaf springs for this car
the body is not a kirkham but built by an old coachbuilder from the uk who is dead meanwhile...
the leaf springs are reproductions used also in the original cars as a spare part,
girling brake system is original also the knock on wheel nuts and some other parts of the suspension...

dont know what truth and what poetry,
a real patchwork out of parts and history...

but the dilemma is:... i would like to have this car....

(for sure not with that price )

Tell us, are there any numbers stamped into the door hinges (anywhere on the door hinges)?

[peterpjb]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Tell us, are there any numbers stamped into the door hinges (anywhere on the door hinges)?

yes , there are numbers found on the hinges and on the door frames on both sides: 653

[Buzz]

That bodywork looks a lot like a 289 Kirkham that was built and documented on this site by one of Kirkham's employees. I don't think it was Sandwich but I do remember the car and its polished bodywork with those awesome flares...

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by Buzz

That bodywork looks a lot like a 289 Kirkham that was built and documented on this site by one of Kirkham's employees. I don't think it was Sandwich but I do remember the car and its polished bodywork with those awesome flares...

Buzz,

You are thinking of one of the Kirkham brother's cars. I think it was either Steven or Thomas. At the 2011 open house one of them had a 289 style car and the other one did not have a car. The brother who did not have a car had reserved serial number 666 for when he would eventually get around to building one.





The rollbar on the above car does not match the car that is the subject of this thread.

Oh and David Kirkham's car is the prototype billet chassis car, the one on the lift above the 289 style car (in the picture below).

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by peterpjb

yes , there are numbers found on the hinges and on the door frames on both sides: 653

653 is certainly in the range of Kirkham serial numbers.

The SAAC 2008 registry only goes up to KMP555, so the registry will not tell us if 653 is a 289 style car with a leaf spring chassis.

[ChiChris]

Buying it is up to you.

Just know it isn't an original or a continuation Shelby Cobra.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by ChiChris

Buying it is up to you.

Just know it isn't an original or a continuation Shelby Cobra.

Or Kirkham or anything else for that matter. You could do MUCH better for the same price.

[Nedsel]

I would question the sanity of anyone who claims to have taken a coil-spring Cobra chassis and converted it to leaf springs. Not just for having attempted to do it, but for admitting it.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by Nedsel

I would question the sanity of anyone who claims to have taken a coil-spring Cobra chassis and converted it to leaf springs. Not just for having attempted to do it, but for admitting it.

Yep That one is mind baffling to me too. Sounds like quite the Frankenstein creation!

[peterpjb]

unfortunately i didnt check this, i will try to find out

[peterpjb]

meanwhile i found that (nearly 2 years ago):

http://youtu.be/1beR9aJPLNE

[1ntCobra]

Here is anoter 289 style car at the 2011 Kirkham Open House, showing that the Kirkhams will seem to do any combination of fender flare style you like.

[1ntCobra]

I posted a link to this thread on David Kirkham's facebook page. If he has time maybe he can respond to let us know if KMP653 is a 289 style Kirham with a leaf spring chassis and big side vents.

[David Kirkham]

Gents,

Thanks for the alert. First off, Ned is right. Converting a coil-sprung chassis to a leaf spring...ugh...no. Madness. BS. Can't be done. I wouldn't even try it and I have all the tooling.

653 was sold to Gerry Hawkridge in England as a 289 Sebring car. There are many subtle clues in those photos that say...Made in Poland.

This is NOT to say in any way that Gerry is involved in this. I simply don't know and won't speculate.

David

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by David Kirkham

Gents,

Thanks for the alert. First off, Ned is right. Converting a coil-sprung chassis to a leaf spring...ugh...no. Madness. BS. Can't be done. I wouldn't even try it and I have all the tooling.

653 was sold to Gerry Hawkridge in England as a 289 Sebring car. There are many subtle clues in those photos that say...Made in Poland.

This is NOT to say in any way that Gerry is involved in this. I simply don't know and won't speculate.

David

David,

Thanks for replying.

I would suspect that whoever originally bought the car from Gerry was the one who found an "interesting" way of registering the car to make it appear that it was a much older car probably so that it would be easier to register in Europe. That person may or may not be the current owner, but the current owner and seller want to continue to represent the car as something that it is not.

Thanks,
Ken

[peterpjb]

thanks everyone for the informations so far...

so it will be interesting what vin-number is finally on the chassis