Butler Registry...It's time!

[SoTxButler]

I think it's time to have a Butler Registry. I would like to know where the Butler cars are, who owns them, contact information, etc.

I will create a spreadsheet (Excel 2007) with this information and make it available to all Butler owners or anyone else that would like one. We can start with this information and then as we build the spreadsheet, we can add more info in the future. If you have a suggestion as to what else you would like to know, we can add those questions as well. Lets find all 104 Butlers. As Jason has posted previously, all the Butler cars had the number stamped into the front of the frame on the drivers' side just behind the bumper mount. The format is BRImmyyzzz (BRI for Butler Racing, Inc., mmyy for the month and year the frame was fabricated and zzz for the sequential chassis number). You may not have that many total characters if you car was numbered under 100 or was built in the month 1-9.


So, lets start by everyone sending me a PM or an email to www.sotxbutler@yahoo.com with the following information.


Butler serial number
Club Cobra Handle
Owner name
Owner City and State
Owner phone number
Email address
What year acquired
Mileage
Color
Stripes (if yes, what color)Engine description (size, induction, and any special comments)
Transmission
Rear end (solid or IRS & gear ratio)
Wheels (brand and sizes)
Tires (brand and sizes)

I hope to hear from everyone with a Butler. If you know someone who does not frequent this forum, please try to get the word to them.

Thanks for your help.

[lal Naja]

Hi Russ, here is my Cobra registry submission. (Was not able to send this to www.sotxbutler.com so here it is posted for all.)

How many have submitted?

Butler serial number: BRI 786042
Club Cobra Handle: Lal Naja (Cobra Forum?)
Owner name: Arthur Mitchell
Owner City and State: Chicago, Illinois
Owner phone number: 773-263-3496
Email address: mitchy.usa@att.net
What year acquired: 1987
Mileage: 0
Color: Grey gelcoat (Will be BRG. British Racing Green.)
Stripes: Yes when it gets painted. (Beige to match the interior color)
Engine description: 350 Small Block Chevy. 10.25:1 compression. 1.6" 2.02 Valves. Ported, polished, CC'd. 1.6 roller rockers. Manifold ports matched. Crane cam #967610 with Hydraulic lifters. MSD Crank trigger ignition. Commander 950 TBI.
Transmission: 4 speed Super T-10 today. Next week 5 speed Trimec TKO-600.
Rear end: Jaguar IRS 3.31
Front end: IFS by Fast Cars, in Michigan.
Wheels: Centerline Drag as specified by Butler Racing. 15" x 10" front. !5"x 12" rear.
Tires: BFG-TA. 275/50/15 front. 295/50/R15 rear.
Hard Top, Dual control heaters & defrosters.

After taking ownership of the Butler basic kit. All other work (100%) except engine balancing, has been a single handed project from conception to date by this owner. Including Engine blue printing and assembly, Rebuilding Jaguar IRS. etc, etc. Progress has been slow due to Business commitments, traveling the world and just having fun. And of-course some serious life threatening health issues. But I love the car and am trying hard to debut it this year after I also do all the body work & painting. No wonder its taking so long!!

Russ I love your car too, A great piece of engineering & art. Just beautiful!

Regards,

Arthur Mitchell

[SoTxButler]

Arthur,

Thanks for submitting the info. You are the second, so that makes three of us so far. Was hoping for more by now.

I am sorry I had the wrong the email....it should be www.sotxbutler@yahoo.com.

Thanks for the kind words about the car.

[lal Naja]

Wow! No Butler activity here.

Russ, have you had any more submissions?

Arthur

[SoTxButler]

Arthur,

I have had only 4 to date. I really thought anyone with a Butler would have responded, but it hasn't happened.

Oh well, lets give some more time.

Russ

[lal Naja]

We should try to keep this thread alive and active by posting on it as frequently as possible. It will increase the chances of the Butler guys finding it. It sure would be good to have an active group sharing ideas. Good luck with the project.

Arthur

[Badvnm]

Hi Russ, Well I thought I had a Butler till I read your post. I am the second owner as far as I know. I bought mine in 2005 with minimal paperwork and Body components, ALL inner fiberglass pieces were cut-out and thrown away. I bought it as a completed rolling chassis and shell for a body, no Eng or trans. just a few mechanical parts ( steering shaft, radiator,rollbar brake and clutch
assembly and housing). I bought the Cobra in 2005, started in 2006 and Completed my build in 2008. What a challenge that was, what few parts came with I used and everything else I had to Fabricate. I had some posting here in Club Cobra, but cant find them anymore. I did post a large artical and about 20 photos of the build in ( KITCARMAG.com) under (BADVNM). Now on the Chassis like you said. I only show numbers ( 22088044 ) nothing else.. So what do I have a Bulter or Arntz??
Great Idea for the registry, hope I can add a name in your data base.
Thanks,
David

[lal Naja]

David, Post some photos when you get a chance.

Arthur

[SoTxButler]

David,

I will get with Ron tomorrow and find out what those numbers mean and will post tomorrow. Hopefully, it is a Butler.

Thanks for writing.

[Badvnm]

The wife is dragging me to a retirement party for one of her
friends so when I get back I will post photos. Thanks for the
help. And hope you like my work..
David

[Badvnm]

Hi Arthur, I posted 2 albums of my Cobra and some in my personal folder. let me know what you think.
David

[n6opv]

Don't worry David, you do have a Butler. It's just a little different than everyone else's since you had a few pieces missing! Looks like someone was going to do all aluminum inner panels and got sidetracked after the trunk. Could you check your numbers stamped in the front frame again? It really should be something like BRI288044 instead of the 22088044 you stated earlier. Those numbers almost make sense. Good job on the build; it's nice to have another one together and on the road.

Jason

[SoTxButler]

David,

Congratulations, based on Jason's post (he knows his stuff), looks like you have Butler #44.

[lal Naja]

Butler with interesting modifications. I have #42 and is stamped BRI 786042 (My frame made in July 1986) It's interesting to see, if I've correctly interpreted your frame number as Feb 88, eighteen months later your frame was made. Was Butler almost dormant during that period only making one car between mine any yours?

BTW, Mine did not come with the long legged accessory package. A wife's nightmare no doubt!

Arthur

[n6opv]

Well, I'm not saying for sure it's #44 but it seems to point in that direction. Someone could have changed the numbers or stamped new ones that just happened to be really close. Hopefully we'll find out more info soon.

Arthur, I have the same reservation as you about the time gap but I have a possible explanation. Most of the large material pieces for the frames were ordered pre-cut from the tubing supply company. This simplified the frame building process to the point where a batch of frames (maybe 10) was built in a relatively small time frame (nice pun, huh?) The frames were stamped with the number when the pieces were loaded in the jig for welding. This would mean quite a few numbers would have similar dates. After a body was fitted, the pair would sit on a rack waiting for a customer or their turn in line to be built. A frame could conceivably have been in the shop for a year or more depending on the sales volume and the time to complete the kit or turnkey. When the supply was low, another batch of frame material was ordered and the process would start again with a new group of dates and numbers.

The point of all this rambling is that if David's car is #44 from 1988, it could have been one of the first cars of the next batch; where Arthur's car #42 may have been one of the last from the previous batch.

Jason

[lal Naja]

I took delivery of mine on the 5th. day of Feb. 1987. so it would make things more clear to know what date #43 has. Hopefully other owners will register and that will answer more questions.

But the date seems to show a time lag and mine could only be the last or second last of a batch. A nice mini-mystery.

So Jason, how is it that you know such details about Ron's batch batch manufacturing of frames? I would have thought he was setup to cut his own steel tubing.

Arthur

[SoTxButler]

Makes sense to me.

[Badvnm]

Ok guys, Im not feeling well today, looks like a cold is a coming.
But when I get a chance I will take another look at the frame and post the pics..

[JGODDARD]

Russ:

Enjoyed reading your request for information on Butler Cobras. 10 years ago I purchased a fully completed car (GR172 - stamp on mid-frame cross member - a 70s car). The original owner builder - Fred Marsico of King City, CA - was a master mechanic. Fred worked for Shelby in the 1960s, was the 1965 trophy winner at the Oakland Roadster Show, knew Ron butler, and owned a successful speed parts/machine shop in Salinas, CA. After purchasing the car I visited Ron Butler at his Ojai, CA home and shop. Ron was very friendly, gave me the full tour, remembered the car, and told some great stories about early building experiences. I was even able to get a picture with Ron standing next to his Master Mechanics Trophy from 1965.

I have since replaced or rebuilt about 40% of the car to my fit both my size and style. I particularly fell in love with this car because it doesn't have a roll bar, and looks like the true California sports car from my youth.

The car currently runs a Cleveland Stroker motor (393ci), about 485 hp, 465 torq (from Shaver Racing, Torr CA) 2V ported heads, big valves, Hyd roller, Demon 750 carb, fully balanced. Center Force cluch package, T-10 5sp, JAG IRS (3.54), MGB front suspension. Torq-Thrust spoke mags (8x15 front - 10x16 rears) with very big tires all around. I don't know how to to attach photos - this is my first contribution to Club Cobra. Send me an email and I will provide a couple of pictures. Thanks. jerry.goddard@redondo.org

[Badvnm]

Hi Jerry, how cool is that, meeting Ron Butler, himself. I'm
curious, where exactly did you see your numbers on
your frame. I'm on a mission to find the Cobra's
manufacturer Artnz or Butler.
Thanks David