11-04-2002, 09:12 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: P. O. Box 96, CATAUMET, Massachusetts 02,
MA
Cobra Make, Engine: Butler with home-rebuilt 393 Cleveland stroker(Ya---ikes!)
Posts: 3,036
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Not Ranked
Ken Miles
Cal Met.
When I was out in Carpentiera, I visited Ron Butler. He went on at some length about his years with Shelby. This was somewhat out of character for Ron, a man of action more than words. Back in the 60's Ron very quickly became Miles' race-mechanic at Shelby, and, acording to Ron, Miles was a demanding yet exceedingly fair task-master. Ron fit in with Ken Miles' style perfectly and ended up driving the (second) "MG Special" for its post-Miles owner. I KNOW you and practically every West Coast Cobraphile know more about this car than I, but I recognized it as the famous "Flying Shingle" even before Ron could identify it as such.
Butler described Ken Miles' driving as being masterful, courageous and desceptively-fast. Butler said that he was in a league with Phil Hill, Dan Gurney and Masten Gregory. I met Gregory once at the Seneca Lodge (Easties and Glenophiles know whereof I speak) and was impressed with one thing---Gregory looked like a cross between Buddy Holly and a bank clerk. He, like Miles, was a laser-fast driver who nonetheless didn't quite get the ink of the more prominent Hill and Gurney.
Apparently, the Flying Shingle survives! Sic Semper Heroica! Is the "flip-top" the one at Petersen's? There was only one of these, right?
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Freddie
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