Why the spewing of all the venom?

[427SSSS]

First off, I want to thank all that posted positive responses!

Next, I'm going to borrow snakeeyes soap box, one because I think this is an important subject, and second, I think I have more to add, and also a couple of cool stories.

snakeeyes
did you happen to make the Bob Evans dinner at knotts, may have been 15+ years ago?
Bob Evans, did an awesome job, I think it was Calamity Janes or similar place, he rented room, had Phil Rementon talk (I did not remember who it was), and Bob, being Bob set it up so he interviewed Phill like on a Jay leno show, and then we could ask questions, awesome, He also had 6" metal Cobras at each table, that he raffled off. and his wife found chocolates, Not cobras, but a handful at each table. The food was very good. Bob did this all on his own, no help that I know of.

Bob was one of the tallest guys in the club and I am one of the shortest guys in the club, we had a lot of fun with that..Before he started the dinner, he said, wait a minute I have somethin special for a friend, he pulled a high chair out of closet with a five point harness attached, came to my table, removed my chair and put this high chair in its place, we hooked up the harness, and that's how I ate my dinner, fun, cool., crazy guy, I loved/ love him to this day. So sorry has gone. He was 289 guy, I was/am 427 guy.

Now Tim Figuar, he had a dune buggy business for 40+ years. I heard from Paul Bennett that Tim had Cobra body mold for sale, I went up, put deposit, asked that he make me a body, as I was looking at negative, not sure what I was buying, told tim, we were using My mold, so should be cheaper. Two weeks later he called me and said body ready. I went up, and as we are loading body onto trailer, Tim stops, I look at him, still remember that impish grin he had on. and I said NO, the cobra community will kill us, we'll have to wear bags over our head, Tim, being Tim, who could have passed a look alike contest for Richard Petty, said: crew Em"
So we placed the Cobra body onto an empty VW chassis, the rest is history.
I did get an email from one the 5 or 10 first Cobra mfg., that said he did the same thing, put cobra on VW chassis, I won't say who, because the trolls will give him flack. All kit cars, lamborginies, ferries were on VW chassis in the late 60s, early 70s, so why not a Cobra?

Well, we went to Kontts show, maybe 15 years ago, and he entered the VW chassis into the under 10,000 class and took 2nd place, I enter my car, which only need paint, she was street ready, in the under construction category and took first place, I had placed one of Tims bodies onto a FF5 chassis. 666 racing circle on her.

We had a blast, I took my brother with me, Tim's daughter met us there.

Oh, Tim, when we decided to do VW Cobra, I took up, windshield, gass cap, lights, everyting except the body, and when I went to see Time, he would put me to work. One time, when I went up, he had windshield placed vertically, like a dune buggy, after all, that's what he built for 40 years, Next time I went up I took him a book showing what cobras are "suppose" to look like and that I thought we should paint car blue with white stripes so it would look like reg cobra. Next time I went up, Tim had painted car with dune buggy silver metal flake. Tim was Tim. At kontts show she was deemed the fishing lure. Pissed Tim off, so he said, I have Porsche engine at my shop, we are going to install that and kick ass on 427 cobras. No weight. Two weeks later Tim passed in his sleep. His son called me and said isn't this your mold? Yup, I went to pick up and asked about VW cobra which was sorta 1/2 mine, he said he had sold it.

Thanks for the use of the soap box.

[snakeeyes]

Hahaha, use that soap box any time you like! It’s not mine—I’m pretty sure it belongs to my wife.

Big Bob is one of a kind. 7’2” tall and living proof that anyone can fit into a Cobra if they play with the seat and footboxes enough. He is a great guy who I’ve unfortunately lost touch with over the last decade. You’re right—he is as generous as they come. He bought an ‘02 Z06 ‘Vette and starting tracking it; when he heard I’d never been on track he invited me to fly to Utah and share his car for a two-day event at Spring Mountain. He paid for everything and would accept no compensation; all I had to do was fly out there. He’s a talented driver and a natural instructor who didn’t just turn me loose; we spent most of the first day with him riding shotgun and giving me instructions. By the last session of the weekend I had been moved from Novice to Intermediate and turned a few laps that were competitive with some of the Advanced drivers. More importantly he had not only taught me how to drive reasonably quickly but in a very safe manner. I had an absolute blast and have been doing track days ever since.

Only problem was that he’s so tall that he removed the driver’s seat and literally drove sitting on the floor of the car! He brought some foam pads thinking we could fashion a “seat” for my 6’ tall frame but they didn’t really work and I ended up driving from the floor, too. It worked but I spent the weekend peering over the top of the steering wheel. I bought some pics taken at the event from a professional photographer and in them I look like a little kid driving daddy’s car, LOL.

I didn’t make the Knott’s thing but I remember when he did that. Around that same time he arranged for me, Cal Metal, and Jeff Karnitz to fly out to his place in San Diego for a BBQ and meeting with Rem. It was my first time meeting him and I was gobsmacked. But he was such a nice guy and seemed so amused that anyone thought he was someone special. So humble. His wartime service in a B-24 Liberator would have been enough for him to reach idol status in my eyes, but that was literally the tip of the iceberg with Phil. A couple of years later thanks to him and Bob Evans, I found myself standing outside the Ford tent at Monterey. Just a little chat circle comprised of Dan and Evi Gurney, Sir John Whitmore, Bob Bondurant, Rem—and me. I’m a nobody and I swear it was the most surreal thing I’d ever experienced.

Some good people are into Cobras.