Researching any info re: Paul Cunningham, Competition Cobra privateer

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

If this is the standard operating procedure of SAI regarding wrecked Cobras, such as ours

This statement needs further clarification as to what I highlighted in red. As far as I can tell at this time, you have a cut up AC Ace chassis, and not that of a Cobra, real, replica, or continuation series.

Bill S.

[USC_COWBOY]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

This statement needs further clarification as to what I highlighted in red. As far as I can tell at this time, you have a cut up AC Ace chassis, and not that of a Cobra, real, replica, or continuation series.

Bill S.

such as ours refers to CSX2049

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by USC_COWBOY

such as ours refers to CSX2049

Call me a cynic (I am, admit it 100%) if you like, but extraordinary claims require extraordinary, iron clad proof in my eyes, especially when speaking about original cobras. I have yet to see any definitive proof of actual possession or ownership on CSX2049. Your "Shelby expert" was wrong about the chassis remains you have in your possession, what else, based on 3rd party memories and stories passed down, may not be all they are held up as? The SAAC registrar, a man whos integrity has never been in question, has already chimed in, he has graciously taken the time away from his family life to respond to your questions and claims, has asked for additional, iron clad information, which so far, you have yet to provide here in this discussion thread. If you have the information you say you do, why play coy, post it here, out in public, and let the chips fall where they may. I have, history shows, sometimes I'm right, and sometimes I'm wrong, the jury is still out on this one, and I personally, eagerly await being found wrong in this case.

Bill S.

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

This statement needs further clarification as to what I highlighted in red. As far as I can tell at this time, you have a cut up AC Ace chassis, and not that of a Cobra, real, replica, or continuation series.

Bill S.

Well you know that there are some strange stories involved with these cars and sometimes the truth only comes out much later when some new facts are found. However I doubt at this time that any new facts are likely to be found to support what Michael is saying.

However there are two different things to think about here. One is that Michael has a frame that he believes was from his father's car that was returned by a mysterious Shelby employee. It seems that the frame he has is not a Cobra frame, so even if there was a mysterious Shelby employee who returned a frame to his family, the frame that was returned was not the correct frame.

On the other hand, when Michael says "If this is the standard operating procedure of SAI regarding wrecked Cobras, such as ours" that is a different matter. Michael believes (or claims to believe) that the Cobra that his father raced belonged to his father/family at the time of the crash, so "such as ours" is related to his family owning the car at the time of the crash, regardless of whatever the frame is that is currently in his posession.

So is it possible that Michael's father actually owned the car that he raced? And perhaps somehow Ann Abiden ended up with a title to sell the wreck to Hasselrig? Wild random speculation could include ideas like Ann had a different early car but mistakenly got a title for CSX2049? After all, early cars did not have the easily found serial number tag on the footbox, which caused problems for CSX2067. Or maybe Shelby actually got a lien on CSX2049 and sold it it Ann who later sold it to Hasselrig? Or maybe Santa Claus dropped off the wreck and its title under Ann's Christmas tree to sell to Hasselrig?

Michael may truly believe that his father owned the car, since he was there at the time that his father raced the car. But sometimes what family tells the kids is not always the truth. When my one grandmother was in her 80's she was shocked when she learned that her "aunt" that came over from the old country after WWII was not actually her "aunt", but was her "step sister". You know it is possible that Michael's father told Michael that he "owned" the car, but maybe he was just the driver?

Anyway Michael's father drove the car. Michael was there at the time. Perhaps his father did own the car. But it seems that if Michael's father did have a title, that is long gone, so what can he do? Most people who would have something to say are no longer living. Is there someone who Michael could talk to get some new facts? Is there still a Shelby employee reunion? Maybe someone at the reunion would remember something? Actually I doubt that anyone would remember something about a particular wreck all these years later.