Robnell History

ptrefry · #1 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 03:17 PM

Does anyone know the history of the Robnell cobras ?
Thanks

Merv and Sharon · #2 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 03:24 PM

Russ Barwick here would know it all. Not sure if he is a CCCA member however. Will post him the thread.

Buzz · #3 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 03:27 PM

I'd love to hear more about the Robnell Cobras as well.

byroncobra · #4 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 10:58 PM

Interestingly, just opened this months Uniquecars mag, ad reads thus:

Robnell 302SC Series1, #1, 1985, handmade by Carrol Shelby, owned by Rene Rivkin, Amoco featured, etc etc. $350 000.00

Aussie Mike · #5 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byroncobra

Interestingly, just opened this months Uniquecars mag, ad reads thus:

Robnell 302SC Series1, #1, 1985, handmade by Carrol Shelby, owned by Rene Rivkin, Amoco featured, etc etc. $350 000.00

"handmade by Carrol Shelby" WTF is this bloke on about

Ol' Carrol popped down to Australia on holiday back in the 80's and twirled the spanners on this thing? To quote the castle "Tell him he's dreaming".

STEPHEN BROHOLM · #6 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byroncobra

Interestingly, just opened this months Uniquecars mag, ad reads thus:

Robnell 302SC Series1, #1, 1985, handmade by Carrol Shelby, owned by Rene Rivkin, Amoco featured, etc etc. $350 000.00

I still remember when this very car was for sale something like 9-10 years ago within Unique cars for around $45,000 or so.

Talk about trying to talk it up to turn a ridiculous profit.

I think Stef has met the owner of Robnell No.1 and can shed a bit more light.

byroncobra · #7 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 01:28 AM

Yeah Mike, I had a chuckle at the Shelby ref as well. I did paraphrase a little, Robert Darnell was mentioned as the co-builder, and 'offered for the first time in 15 years'.
I guess you can't blame the guy for trying........

ptrefry · #8 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byroncobra

Interestingly, just opened this months Uniquecars mag, ad reads thus:

Robnell 302SC Series1, #1, 1985, handmade by Carrol Shelby, owned by Rene Rivkin, Amoco featured, etc etc. $350 000.00

Hence my question,has Carrol Shelby ever been involved in Robnell ????

Wazza · #9 (**permalink**) 02-17-2011, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by byroncobra

Interestingly, just opened this months Uniquecars mag, ad reads thus:

Robnell 302SC Series1, #1, 1985, handmade by Carrol Shelby, owned by Rene Rivkin, Amoco featured, etc etc. $350 000.00

This is in the same Dreamland as the GT40 "Kit" in the same mag that sells for $89,750.....

But

"Completed it is worth between $400 to $500K "

I think he could get a job "Shipping Bulls".....then he could be a professional BULLSHIPPER !!

I recon both these guys "have their hand firmly ON it "

Cheers,
Warren.

Merv and Sharon · #10 (**permalink**) 02-14-2011, 11:17 PM

Interesting provenance that car! Russ Barwick up here has a nice big-block (8.5L) Robnell. It is number 46 of 70 made (the car is not painted - that is the gel coat!). He is making enquiries re the history but suggests if someone really wants to know the full story to contact Rob Darnell.

Merv and Sharon · #11 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 02:30 AM

And in 2008 http://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/...582PFNMUE96383

Aussie Mike · #12 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 03:05 AM

I think I saw Robnell #1 for sale a few years back at The Classic Throttle Shop in North Sydney (Under the end of the Harbor bridge). I haven't seen the Unique cars add but the car at the shop was red.

Cheers

Dimis · #13 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

And in 2008 http://www.shannons.com.au/auctions/...582PFNMUE96383

007 above.. I believe sold to a bloke in NSW in 2008.
...and If i recall (cos I was looking) he is trying to move it on again, and had it back at shannons auction house Sydney, mid last year, where it got passed in... and now is listed on another site for private sale.

001 was also for sale, and as Mike said, at CTS in Sydney, with white wall tyres of all things, about a couple years back, if I recall (again, cos I was looking).

I believe the "Robnell" name is owned by the motec mob... but that I don't know for sure.
Just rumour mill stuff. Can some else can verify!

I new the business was for sale back in the day (very late 90s), B/c I considered buying it... problem was - I was still at uni, and when dad gave a look over the numbers, his wise business sense told me what I already new...
That I was thinking with my heart & not with my head. He told me to look for a more "profitable business" to waste my money on.
True story!

At the time It was up for sale for about 120K, and that included a fully registered Ford 4.6lt demo car, 2 cars part way through thier build and 2 - 4.6lt ford motors.
Plus jigs, equiptment & name. Looking back it was a bargin, but while I was still at uni there was no way I could scratch that money together.

The business managed to survive a couple more years after moving from Bayswater? (some to verify) to Essendon airport before finally being sold on in the early 2000s.

The info I have is a bit scketchy... and I do have conflicting stories... but this is about as well as I can piece it together, from my experiences.

I hope that helps in some capacity.

Best wishes to all...

ICETOO · #14 (**permalink**) 12-27-2011, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimis

007 above.. I believe sold to a bloke in NSW in 2008.
...and If i recall (cos I was looking) he is trying to move it on again, and had it back at shannons auction house Sydney, mid last year, where it got passed in... and now is listed on another site for private sale.

yep...spot on, I ran accross this on my hunt and though that old number 007 was a little over the market for its condition.....at askng 82K with 29K OTC.

Ac cobra - Trovit Cars

Beejay · #15 (**permalink**) 12-27-2011, 11:36 PM

Looks cheap to me!

Robnells with NSW rego are pretty rare.

Ben

ptrefry · #16 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 04:13 PM

Thanks guys for $350k i would rather a Kirkham and go on a long holiday with the change!!!

byroncobra · #17 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 05:16 PM

The one in the advert is red, no whitewalls though

Merv and Sharon · #18 (**permalink**) 02-15-2011, 06:36 PM

I had an email from Rob Darnell, via Russ, and Rob is laughing about the advert above. He was surprised that Shelby had a hand in making his Robnell ... He is back in the car business again, reportedly in Mustang restoration.

He is happy to be emailed by anyone seeking the Robnell history. I have the address if anyone would like to.

ptrefry · #19 (**permalink**) 02-17-2011, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merv and Sharon

I had an email from Rob Darnell, via Russ, and Rob is laughing about the advert above. He was surprised that Shelby had a hand in making his Robnell ... He is back in the car business again, reportedly in Mustang restoration.

He is happy to be emailed by anyone seeking the Robnell history. I have the address if anyone would like to.

I would love Robs email address
Thanks Paul

David Hodgson · #20 (**permalink**) 07-28-2011, 05:26 PM

I can't fill you in on the 'history' of Robnell, but can provide a little insight from a prospective customer. Back in '89 I made several enquiries and went to Melbourne to visit the factory. Rob was much the entrepenurial guy, going 20 to the dozen, pitching the sale and very passionate about his venture, all this without any arrogance.

He showed me around the workshop explaining the process and different options. He was just introducing the billet arms for the Jag rear and had a car in production with these fitted. He left me to wander around at my own pace and I marveled at all that was around me, Cobra heaven.
Then came the icing on the cake; a blast in the 429. Now mind you this was my first ride in a Cobra, in fact only the second ever I had even seen. The first being the RMC factory pace car at Wannaroo Raceway (Barbagello).
The Factory was at Bayswater North in an industrial/comercial estate. We wound our way out of there on to the main duel carrigeway to a set of traffic lights. The lights went green and my grin just widened exponentially. The roar of the side pipes and the accelleration just phenomenal.

Rob explained he was in the process of achieving low volume compliance on the two models and as such discouraged anyone purchasing kits varying from his specification, so there would not be any second rate Robnell's out there draging the name down. As part of this strategy, the sale of kits was to be ceased as they were primarily a means of financing the compliance process. As we all know the costly battle with constant changes in ADR's may have been one of the factors that that saw their demise. He had such a vision about the direction of of his company, that my visit was actually an interview in determining if I could build the car to his standard. At the time the future wife was hounding me about buying a house, and I figured it would be a too long build time for me to finance what I calculated at the time, to be a build cost in the region of $50k. A lot of money in '89 when our first house was just $110k. Still kicking myself for not getting at least the starter kit, as when I bought my G-Force I still didn't get a start on it for over 4 years.

Below is the glossy brochure and if it will fit, the price list from '89.