Researching any info re: Paul Cunningham, Competition Cobra privateer

[Nedsel]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

Not a fishing expedition. Since the prime purpose of SAAC is to protecting the integrity of the history and ownership of classic cobras, it seems to me that the information known to be fact by SAAC mgmt should be made available to all with an interest in the truth.

N'est pas?

Has the Cowboy ever heard of the SAAC Cobra Registry? We have been publishing it since 1976.

[USC_COWBOY]

Originally Posted by Nedsel

Has the Cowboy ever heard of the SAAC Cobra Registry? We have been publishing it since 1976.

Yes! I have a substantial Cobra library and definitely the SAAC Registry, as well as the leaf spring Early Cobras, Mark I and II.

I am not an idiot.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

Yes! I have a substantial Cobra library and definitely the SAAC Registry, as well as the leaf spring Early Cobras, Mark I and II.

I am not an idiot.

I have to ask once again, why are you trying to pass off a junk "AC Ace" chassis as CSX2049 if not for the potential financial gain it may be to you, your family, or someone you may be associated with in this thread?

There are subtle differences, and the SAAC Registrar has already confirmed that the picture you posted, which is supposed to be a scavengerized CSX2049, is not what it appears to be?

Again, I have no financial gain or loss here, just asking questions as a neutral, 3rd party observer.

Regardless, as always, here is wishing you well.

Bill S.

[USC_COWBOY]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

I have to ask once again, why are you trying to pass off a junk "AC Ace" chassis as CSX2049 if not for the potential financial gain it may be to you, your family, or someone you may be associated with in this thread?

There are subtle differences, and the SAAC Registrar has already confirmed that the picture you posted, which is supposed to be a scavengerized CSX2049, is not what it appears to be?

Again, I have no financial gain or loss here, just asking questions as a neutral, 3rd party observer.

Regardless, as always, here is wishing you well.

Bill S.

Thank you for your observations, I am also confused, having and being involved with physical pieces, and only my direct memories as I was involved with the Cobra. The car as I was exposed to it was not streetable, no registration, no license, no knowledge of a person named Ann Abiden or her son, I've never met them at any race tech inspections, races, after race activities. Isn't it strange that someone who bought a state of the art race car and hired a driver (Paul Cunningham) to race that car and who was never recognized in the race programs as owner or sponsor.

As I said before, the Cobra may have been one of the early 260ci Mark I's which was used as a publicity car and then later competition prepared by SAI and fitted with a 289ci engine when Shelby needed to have more privately campaigned cars so he could obtain factory status. I have pictures of an early car used for publicity and has all the unique characteristics of our Cobra, slabside, red, black and silver competition stripe. I've looked at tens of thousands of Cobra photos and have never seen on with five rows of louvres at the rear of the hood and no intake scoop.

My goal is to make sure the records are correct and that no one usurps Paul's race history and ownership.

As for the so-called paper trail with Ann Abidin, many years ago I had a Cobra expert that investigated it and concluded that the paperwork was created to bolster a bogus cobra.

This whole CSX2049 Cobra history is so twisted, people with information and pictures are few and far between and many are very tight lipped in talking about it. Something is wrong and I hope to unravel the history before I too am dead.

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

Thank you for your observations, I am also confused, having and being involved with physical pieces, and only my direct memories as I was involved with the Cobra. The car as I was exposed to it was not streetable, no registration, no license, no knowledge of a person named Ann Abiden or her son, I've never met them at any race tech inspections, races, after race activities. Isn't it strange that someone who bought a state of the art race car and hired a driver (Paul Cunningham) to race that car and who was never recognized in the race programs as owner or sponsor.

As I said before, the Cobra may have been one of the early 260ci Mark I's which was used as a publicity car and then later competition prepared by SAI and fitted with a 289ci engine when Shelby needed to have more privately campaigned cars so he could obtain factory status. I have pictures of an early car used for publicity and has all the unique characteristics of our Cobra, slabside, red, black and silver competition stripe. I've looked at tens of thousands of Cobra photos and have never seen on with five rows of louvres at the rear of the hood and no intake scoop.

My goal is to make sure the records are correct and that no one usurps Paul's race history and ownership.

As for the so-called paper trail with Ann Abidin, many years ago I had a Cobra expert that investigated it and concluded that the paperwork was created to bolster a bogus cobra.

This whole CSX2049 Cobra history is so twisted, people with information and pictures are few and far between and many are very tight lipped in talking about it. Something is wrong and I hope to unravel the history before I too am dead.

What about the pictures from post #38? Link to Post 38

Is that your father's crashed car? The hood in the passenger compartment appears to have louvres and the colors seem to match. The prints are dated March 67, but I suppose the prints could have been made in 67 from negatives taken earlier, perhaps as early as just after the crash.

Also consider the pictures from post #5 Link to Post 5

The section below the door opening has remnants of red paint with the bottom of white (or silver) number circles. It seems like that could match with the crashed Cobra pictures. Do we know the approximate date for those pictures of the partial frame of CSX 2049?

[Nedsel]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

I have pictures of an early car used for publicity and has all the unique characteristics of our Cobra, slabside, red, black and silver competition stripe. I've looked at tens of thousands of Cobra photos and have never seen on with five rows of louvres at the rear of the hood and no intake scoop.

My goal is to make sure the records are correct and that no one usurps Paul's race history and ownership.

As for the so-called paper trail with Ann Abidin, many years ago I had a Cobra expert that investigated it and concluded that the paperwork was created to bolster a bogus cobra.

As for the early car used in publicity photos, I wonder if it might have been CSX 2067, which was given to Carol Conners? Like 2049, it was red/black, was sold to Downtown Ford in Los Angeles, and shows on its invoice "louvered hood."


As for the so-called "expert" who suggests the CA DMV registration paperwork for CSX 2049 is fictitious, I again request for something - anything - to demonstrate an alternate history. In the absence of anything beyond wild claims without any substantiation whatsoever, the argument is a non-starter.

[USC_COWBOY]

Originally Posted by Nedsel

As for the early car used in publicity photos, I wonder if it might have been CSX 2067, which was given to Carol Conners? Like 2049, it was red/black, was sold to Downtown Ford in Los Angeles, and shows on its invoice "louvered hood."


As for the so-called "expert" who suggests the CA DMV registration paperwork for CSX 2049 is fictitious, I again request for something - anything - to demonstrate an alternate history. In the absence of anything beyond wild claims without any substantiation whatsoever, the argument is a non-starter.

I have this photo also, it is the only photo that I have been able to examine that has the louvred hood, no scoop, special stripe, etc. I have literally examined 10,000 plus photos and this is the only example of our Cobra.

I don't know who labeled CSX2049 as the Cunningham Cobra and a different chassis may be the answer to all this twisted puzzle.

This very well could be the Cunningham Cobra before it would have been prepared by the factory for competition.

I ask a simple question...in the earliest Cobras, Mark I's could the chassis be more like the ACE and have some of the more beefy Shelby modifications as he discovered weaknesses. A hybrid chassis if you will.

[Nedsel]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

I

I ask a simple question...in the earliest Cobras, Mark I's could the chassis be more like the ACE and have some of the more beefy Shelby modifications as he discovered weaknesses. A hybrid chassis if you will.

Simply put: NO. The Shelby organization worked closely with the AC Cars factory to make modifications they both felt might be beneficial to the chassis, steering, suspension, etc. before the Cobra went into production. Even the earliest examples, after Shelby's prototype CSX 2000, demonstrated these modifications that distinguish them from an early Ace chassis. Were further modifications made as production continued? Absolutely. But ask any expert to examine the photos you have provided of the chassis you believe was the Cunningham Cobra and I believe you will receive the same response: not a Cobra chassis.

[Nedsel]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

I have this photo also, it is the only photo that I have been able to examine that has the louvred hood, no scoop, special stripe, etc. I have literally examined 10,000 plus photos and this is the only example of our Cobra.

I don't know who labeled CSX2049 as the Cunningham Cobra and a different chassis may be the answer to all this twisted puzzle.

This very well could be the Cunningham Cobra before it would have been prepared by the factory for competition.

I suspect that, absent a knowledge of the files we maintain on each chassis number, it might be difficult to understand how much data we actually have and how it all relates to the entire production history. If you look again at the Carol Connors Cobra in post #141, you'll note the CA license plate GBF358 on the front. This plate is referenced twice in the Shelby American factory documents: it was somehow supposed to be attached to CSX 2024, but was mistakenly placed on CSX 2067 instead when it was gifted to Connors. It took a while for the paperwork error to be worked out. The GBF358 plate was eventually transferred to CSX 2024: I know this because I examined the car in San Diego 5 years ago when it came up for sale, at which time it still used the same license plate. But the car in the publicity photo can only be CSX 2067, as (a) it was the car given to Connors; (b) it was originally given the GBF358 plate; and (C) just like one can see in the photo, it has the exact equipment - including the louvered hood - listed on the sales invoice. Connors enjoyed the car until a serious wreck by the Laurel Canyon put her through the windshield. It took two years for her wounds to heal. And 2067 was scrapped and later destroyed. It was definitely not the Cunningham Cobra prior to being prepared for competition.