CSX 4758 Has A New Home

[rokndad]

Well I went and did it!! I flew out to Wylie, TX and bought CSX 4758 right out from under the feet of Gary Morris and his lovely wife Susan.

After visiting SAI several times starting in 2001, I knew the continuation 4000 series was what I wanted. In fact, have wanted this car since it first came out when I was in high school in the early 60's. This is as close as I'll get to the real deal with my status in life.... but Gary Patterson at SAI has been very patient with us over the years, taking my wife and I on several tours of the factory while I was trying to figure out a way to finance the beast. I finally decided that I could do better with a car like CSX 4758 than wait for a chassis and then another year or so hunting parts. I've only had it a week and already I'm hunting for parts here and there and getting UPS deliveries on the front porch.

One thing lead to another, and with a little creative shifting of priorities and, yes, putting my 2001 Corvette convertible on the market, found a way to purchase this beautiful car. If any of you have been reading any of the comments from Kristen, "hey, little cobra", she also bought a car from Gary, you will know the detail and meticulousness Gary pays to these cars. I am amazed at the quality equipment he has installed to make this car just about as close to what I have wanted since the 60's. Now I get to re-learn what it's like to get out my old automotive tools and dwell tach, and get back into wrenching on this machine. Thanks Gary.

I would also like to thank John Ross for sharing pictures of this car being built in Las Vegas, and I agree with him, the chassis fit and finish is amazing. Over a period of time, I'll be getting into it and asking some of the "get acquainted" questions on this forum so bear with me.

As you've noticed, I live in California and just finished going to the DMV today. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. No wait really, and since it was previously registered in TX, they did a full inspection of the car and gave me the same VIN number as the chassis so I won't have to go to CHP for a VIN assignment!! This is, of course, after I wrote a check you would not believe to DMV for use tax and registration. Do the math on a new CSX 4000 roller and runner kit, a $30k Shelby 427 plus David Kee toploader and goodies at 7.75% So it will be registered in CA as CSX 4758!! Oh, and that's after I sit in line with coffee and donuts on Jan 2, 2008 with all the other SB 100 wannabes. Jdog, I already had that drink. But the very nice DMV office manager did give me a 60-day TOP so I'm in business for the time being.

An interesting little aside, my wife of 32 years and I grew up in Whittier, CA and we went to high school with Dean Moon's daughter, Vicki, who has since passed on. My wife's parents' house and Dean Moon's house overlooked Candlewood Country Club golf course, and if any of you know Cobra history, the first CSX was assembled in Dean Moon's shop in Santa Fe Springs, about a mile or so away from their houses. When Carroll wanted to showcase the car in a nice setting for his first brochure, Dean showed him the golf course and they simply drove it out onto the course behind Dean's and my wife's parents house to take pictures. We didn't know what kind of history was going on right in our own backyards!! Dean's house was yellow, just like his shop. I was driving my first car then, which was a '30 Model A Ford (painted Moon Yellow) with a V8 flathead, and I saw that little roadster with the big growl once on Whittier Blvd and I wasn't even going to go there once I heard it!! I asked the driver (the guy looked "old" to me) what it was, and he said "a Cobra". It looked to me like an MG on steroids! From there on I had to have one and it only took 40+ years to do. True story.

I look forward to meeting some of you So Cal types here in the not too distant future, doing some runs and shows and the other stuff we all seem to get into. Thanks to all for the great comments and informative banter I've been reading over the last couple of months....especially that active group from Texas. I've learned a lot.

Tom "rokndad" Remillard