John: Well let me just say that its not that I really support him or think he was right in all regards. I don't. I didn't like the litigation and felt it was ill advised and its goal was wrong and an attempt to close the barn door after the horse was long gone as to trade dress/body shape and the right to replicate the shape.
I do believe that he believes what he says and can somewhat understand how he feels about others copying the car he put on the map and that was his "baby". His bitterness while factually justified by virtue of the fact that others clearly did copy his creation and profited from it ,however, it is at the same time unfair and somewhat misplaced by virtue of the fact that if he wanted to protect the shape/trade dress he should have moved sooner and aggressively. He didn't. He should have just competed in the market place and distinguished himself and SAI as the only company manufacturing REAL Cobras. Its sad he took the wrong road at the outset. A public relations debacle.
There was apparently alot of hard feelings between him and various manufacturers. Some say it has to do with the claim that they (replica companys) were originally asked to contribute to his heart fund in exchange for his licensing or "blessing" and he was told to @!#$ off. There are two sides to every storey.
He obviously still believes what he believes. Can't change that. It would be great to have him embrace the replica community and industry. I think it would go a long way to keeping the enthuiasm for the car going strong and bringing in more enthusiasts.
I don't support everything he has said or done. I do try to be fair.
There has been so much bad said (some libelous in my opinion) about him by the replica community and so many have said that even if he changed his postion they would still not like him I wonder if he sees the door closed as far as mending the fence or whether based on what has been said if he even would want too.
Its just ironic how a club and group of individuals so enthusiastic about a car and its history can be so insulting towards the man that made it all possible.
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