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?