I have to tell you. I was very sad to hear that Shell Valley was closing their doors. I spoke with them on Monday and it is very traumatic for them all. I can not say enough good things about every person there that I have ever dealt with. Rich, Dana, the office staff have all been wonderful. I have formed a very good friendship with Dana and everyone else there as well. I want them to know they all will be missed and I wish them the very best.

Byron Wrinkle,
Mid America Cobra Club

I had a sad conversation with a couple of folks from Shell Valley today, I talked with Jason and Ann, they confirmed they are working on ending the buisness. They are not taking new orders. If you have a project going with Shell Valley, call Ann or Jason and try to resolve it. If you have purchased a Shell Valley or Midstates car, I will do all I can to help you with questions or directions in completing your build. There are many folks here that can help you too.

My email is 427cobra@bigvalley.net, this is a sad day . . .

Chris

I am going to post something that many of you already know but here goes.

Rich has a family member with some very serious and untreatable illness that has consumed him and taken virtually hundreds of thousands of dollars (if not millions) for their treatment. Rich's passion for his family has taken a toll on his business and personal life and my guess is that he wouldn't have it any other way. Unlike many of those in this business Rich has truely caring nature for his customers and clients. Rich will be hard to replace because he is absolutely one of the nice guys in this business and personally will miss him and all the help he has given this industry. Most of you have some of his parts on your car and you probably don't even know it.

Some prices will inevetiably become higher on many of the components that Rich's other business provided for several of the Kit Car companies thru one of his other ventures. This is a sad day for us all.

Cliff Speck if you read this please give me a call or PM.

Clois

Very sad news indeed.The kit car community is a big family and Big Rich is a great guy.
Let's just pray for rich's immediate family problem get's better.
I just wish i was in a position to help him.

AHA saddened
 

The loss of Shell Valley is major loss for the replica industry. Rich is a ture friend and ambassador for the replica car industry. The clossing of Shell Valley's doors is a sad day for all who love cobras and all other replicas. Rich was a great supporter over the years for our "Fun Under the Sun" show at Knott's , we will miss him and his company.
Good luck to all at Shell Valley.

Dean Hornbacher, President
Association of Handcrafted Automobiles

Cobra Kit Car Businesess (Kit Car)
 

I posted it titled: "Cobra Kit Car Business" because it is called Club Cobra Forum.This is basically referring to any type of business and operating on
credit.Usually operating on credit doesn't get you anywhere.As far as anyone buying a business name which has no credit any longer is not usually
helpful.Other businesses don't usually deal with a name which has negative
credit history or collection activity no matter how long the name has been around.A person or individual is usually liable for the credit on things in a business even if it has a credit history.It usually damages the persons own personal credit.Unless the person has enough money to operate without credit
then the name isn't any good unless it helps out because it is known in a certain business.I don't like banks and creditors.I feel that you don't own anything when you owe banks etc.They can decide anytime to come and get it because it isn't yours.

Like we did for Keith (KCR), is there anything similar we as the "Cobra family" could do for Rich? I know the circumstances are completely different and not personally knowing Rich I don't know how it would be received? ...just a thought.

Dave

I to can help with information and part location for Shell Valley/Midstates cars as I have a Midstates car and am friends with Bob Kallio former owner of Midstates and nobody knows these cars better than him.Rich's daughter Darcy has been sick for several years and doing something now wont make a difference at this point in time.As far as loosing Shell Valley from the industry this will leave a huge hole that will probably not ever be filled ...................slithering i sent you a pm.

Chatted with Jason yesterday and today in detail. Some points mentioned previously by others, this is how it stands.

1- A selected few are still working to simply ship out last remaining orders on the shelf and nothing else is being entered

2- Rich tried to get help from his bank and other banks but they refused (all banks want nothing to do presently with auto related industry )

3- He wrote and left numerous messages with his Senator asking for a piece of this so called "bail out" since he was lumped into the auto high risk category from the banks. THE SENATOR DIDN"T RESPOND

4- Rich was nice enough to his employees that he provided them notice of the obvious writing on the wall, and to start looking for employment fast, and to also remove any personal car parts that they had lying around.

5- There is a rumour that a few people have displayed interest in the company as a purchase (maybe for .10 on the dollar) instead of parting all out to auction. Right now that's a rumour in the office. Even if so, most of the staff have lunged for life rafts.The bank and auction are badging it FOR SALE first before auction.

I do hope that someone buys the firm and keeps it alive. SV produced a great body and it's parts catalogue was superior.

For Rich, we hope all the best for the issues he deals with at home.

Shell Valley Update
 

Shell Valley Companies, Inc is currently open on a limited basis in an attempt to satisfy placed orders, allow time for customers/vendors to remove their goods and to allow time to market a viable business, which would be a great opportunity for a kit car enthusiast. For the current status of Shell Valley Companies, Inc please visit:

http://www.smcauctions.net/

What is the Buy it Now price?

Is this true??