SAAC-28 Highlights

computerworks · #1 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 09:27 AM

Just some thoughts and images from this weekend in Nashville..

Saturday was a great sunny day, Sunday was a bitter washout.
Nashville Superspeedway was a really nice venue, although it was ~40 miles from the hotel.

Very good turnout of GT-350's and 500's...so-so turnout of Cobras... maybe a dozen 289s. I think only 2 427's in attendance (Jim Maxwell's CSX3288 and CSX3049, an original S/C). ..and, the surprise of the weekend was CSX3002, the first 427 Comp car, being there on display Saturday. It currently resides in a museum in Ohio.

CSX3002 was in fantastic shape and was a real treat to pour over and see the way they built this car, the only 427 Cobra to be raced as a works car.

The rest, and there were many, were replicas and CSX4000's. SAAC must realize that the Cobra replicas play an important "eye-candy" aspect to these events.

The Concours show only had 2 Cobras, both 289s.

CSX2367, above, was a car shown by the original owner (!)...purchased by him in July 1964. The car has been restored ( an understatement) to a condition that was better than showroom.

CSX2587, above, was the other Concours entry...also a stunning job, highly detailed.

Here is CSX2396, in the tech area of the garages. Over to the rear-left is Jim Maxwell's area, with CSX2149 (white 289), Jim's current work-in-progress. Also there (the red car) is the 289 that made the cross-country trip, written up in R&T.

I believe this SAAC will have more TV coverage than any other. Above, Dennis Gage from My Classic Car talks with the museum curator. They had a full crew there all day Saturday; a future show will be dedicated to the event. There were two other crews there as well; I believe one was from Hot Rod TV.

It was good that Carroll Shelby was there on Saturday; he missed last year's event due to health reasons. Here he is signing the dash of a new CSX being delivered at the event; the new owner watches.

Not being one to miss a photo opportunity, I had the chance to get this picture, below. Carrol Shelby and I, sitting in CSX3002.
(taken just as the museum guy yelled, "Hey...get out of that car!")

All in all, a good trip.
As discussed earlier, the one thing that SAAC should do is to designate a public area at both the track and the hotel, that would allow attendees to meet and find other people at the event; I'm sure I missed seeing some other CC members.)
...kept switching, on and off, my ClubCobra hat and my Gashole hat... that did the trick to some degree, but would be nice to know who else was there.

DAVID GAGNARD · #2 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 11:02 AM

Ron;

Now at least I can put a face with your name..... As you stated the Cobra turn out was so-so,being my first SAAC event,I kinda expected more originals to be there... Talked with Hank Williams (?), the guy with the light blue 289,he had all kind of stories to tell about his car thru the years.

The line was pretty long for the autographs,but did get to see Carrol Shelby after the session when he was posing for photos and also got to meet and talk to Dennis Gage of My Classic Car.

Talked to some of the guys that work at SAI and looked over the "polished" car,real nice,but must be a job to keep it looking like that!!!!!!

Here is a shot of me posing with the famous Essex Wire GT-350....

David

DAVID GAGNARD · #3 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 12:33 PM

Forgot to tell ya,I don't think I'll be going to anymore SAAC or other similar events for a while. While I was gone,the little wife went out and bought my 17 year old daughter a new car,Rav-4 Toyota..... We had discussed getting her a newer car when she graduates from high school next year,thought this was a little early for a graduation present...

So my weekend trip turned out to be a lot more expensive than I had ever dreamed it would be. Now I'm afraid to leave home for more than a few hours....But on the bright side,I do not think she'll say too much next time a UPS truck comes with some Mustang parts........

David

Jamo · #4 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 12:34 PM

Good stuff Gramps...real good. Love the 427 Comp car!

PDHse · #5 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 02:29 PM

Great pictures guys, i love the slabsides.

CSX 4039 · #6 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 02:48 PM

So, Ron, does CS know who you are? I mean more than just a "there's that guy" sort of way. Since I guess he doesn't do the intenet, does he know you are moderator of CC and all, and know a lot about Cobra's? Sorry if this is a dumb question.
And, thanks for the pics. Any chance you can put them in the gallery in higher resolution than they are now?

computerworks · #7 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brett J. Bolte

So, Ron, does CS know who you are?

yeah.... I signed his hat.

Excaliber · #8 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 03:25 PM

Now thats a hoot! You signed HIS hat???

Ernie

CSX 4039 · #9 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 03:28 PM

I did some image mods on your shots, lots ofback light with the sun, so I worked on them a little......

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...=15281&thumb=1

Can see them a bit better now, I think

So if I get a hat just like his, and you sign it for me, would it be REAL?

computerworks · #10 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 03:39 PM

...just kidding about the hat.

Brett ... a lot of the pics are like 2200x1600 in hi-res...too big for the gallery.
I would be glad to send you any of the origs in hi-res...just send me an e-mail and I'll reply with attachments.

With respect to CS and knowledge of the forum, etc...
..bad new for the forum-centric guys:

This internet stuff is a mere molecule in the Cobra/Shelby universe.. we make up but a small percentage of the overall.

I'm sure he (and others) know the forums exist... but in the greater scheme of things....

DAVID GAGNARD · #11 (**permalink**) 05-26-2003, 04:37 PM

Like the crack about signing CS's cap,in fact when the autograph session got under way,someone came in the garage area to let everyone know it was going on. My buddy asked me if I had brought my glovebox lid from my Mustang for CS to sign,told I had not and never thought of it frankly.... Then after seeing how long and wide the line was and how much the sun was beating down on those people waiting in line, I jokingly said that if I had to wait that long,CS was also going to get MY autograph,with that about ten pair of eyes were now staring at me,so I had to tell them I was only joking just to save my hide....

But the line was long and the session did go on for some time and afterwards he came out the trailer and posed for a time with anybody that wanted to have a picture with him,very gracouis I thought....

David