AC Owners Club Forum

AC Owners Club Forum => Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum => Topic started by: Morgy on July 09, 2015, 10:56:17

Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 09, 2015, 10:56:17: Hi all

   I'm new on the forum and would like some info on a few of AC 289's

   Price and history on COB 6120 COB 6155 and COB 6124
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 09, 2015, 11:47:48: Mark,

   The Club's registers, which summarise the known relevant history of each car, are available to all members on the website:
   (http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/members-area/models/cobra_thamesditton/)

   The Club does not keep price records or comment on values.

   Robin Stainer
   Thames Ditton Cobra Registrar
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: A-Snake on July 09, 2015, 15:11:07: quote:
Originally posted by Morgy



   Price and history on COB 6120 COB 6155 and COB 6124




   Do you mean COB 6055? The last AC 289 Sport was COB 6127.
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 09, 2015, 16:06:03: Hi

No 6115..
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: nikbj68 on July 09, 2015, 18:09:06: Hi Mark & welcome.
   Is there anything in particular you want to know?
   Ex-Billy Walker(the boxer), 6115 (reg PPE 20E) is one of the most campaigned UK Cobras, I last saw it at Cholmondeley Pageant of Power in 2012. I think it`s still owned by J.Bradburn.
   Not much I can add on the other 2...
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 09, 2015, 23:05:24: 6115s last known owner is Jonathan Bradburn. Its register entry 'Additional Information' (http://www.acownersclub.co.uk/members-area/models/cobra_thamesditton/) reads:

   "G A Walker, EC 2. Mr W Walker, SW 1.
   Severely damaged in 1969. Rebuilt in the early 70s with a shortened AC Paramount chassis (COB6130) and a new body. Damaged again in the mid 80s and again rebuilt with a new chassis and body. Race prepared. Webers. Alloy wheels.
   Severely damaged again in 2012. It is understood that the car is to be repaired, in part using original components discarded in its early 70s rebuild and incorporated circa 2005 into the 6130 replica. These components are understood to comprise front and rear A-frames, chassis cross members, sub-structure parts and some body panels.
   [Billy Walker (67), Stephen Morris (69), Lord Russell, David Salamone (70), Alan Ede (80), Geoff King (85), Aidan Mills-Thomas, Bill Bridges, John Andon (06)]"

   It has no period race history.

   RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: nikbj68 on July 10, 2015, 11:30:31: quote:
Originally posted by rstainer:...
   Severely damaged again in 2012.

   It has no period race history.

   RS
Yes. I saw it crash at the CPOP. Big Thump. Very glad to see the driver was uninjured.
   I should have elaborated when I said "most campaigned" to say in the last 30 years, particularly in the hands of Aiden Mills-Thomas & Bill Bridges, plus it was a TV star, when Gordon Ramsay drove it whilst helping John Andon cook a meal(before he got too sweary!!!) [8D]
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 13, 2015, 10:01:33: Hi..
Thanks for all your posts.. I am currently looking for a nice COB or CSX 289 car. I have joined the club now Still waiting for my membership to come through so i can have a look at the registry. I am finding it fairly hard to work out the values of some of the cars offered for sale at the moment, there seems to be a huge price range between cars that seem to have the same kind of history and condition. Dealers just fishing or being optimistic??
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: nikbj68 on July 13, 2015, 10:10:39: quote:
Originally posted by Morgy

Hi...I am currently looking for a nice COB or CSX 289 car... Dealers just fishing or being optimistic??

Was it ever any different? [;)]
   Best of luck with your quest, I hope the right car for you is not too far away. [:)]
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 14, 2015, 16:52:14: Hi All...

   I have just been looking through the registry on COB 6120 now that i am a member ;-)

   Crashed at Silverstone in 1977.
   Rebuilt in 1979 with a new body.
   Remodelled in 427 style in the 80s. Converted to LHD. Bonnet scoop. Side pipes. Peg drive. 8"/10" alloy wheels.
   How would this Effect the current price or resale value of the car?
   I am happy to say it is now RHD and with no bonnet scoop or side pipes.. Would an AC 289 MK111 not have the 427 body anyway? (sorry newbie question)
   Apparently the car has undergone Full restoration finished 2014 would it not have been better to restore it back to factory spec..
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: nikbj68 on July 14, 2015, 17:15:14: Welcome to the Club!
   The AC289 has a narrower rear arch profile than a 427:

   (http://autocade.net/images/6/62/AC_289.jpg)

   ...And by all accounts is the best-driving variant of Cobra, with coilspring chassis & small block engine.
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Cobra Ned on July 14, 2015, 17:25:10: Well, let's say that the AC 289 has a narrower rear arch than most 427 Cobras. Can't forget the 30-odd cars in the 3125-3158 range that came from the factory with the narrow rear hips just like the AC 289.
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 17, 2015, 10:48:50: Is there details of the Build spec for each UK 289? The registry is a little vague.

   Ie, style of Dash fitted, engine numbers, either Dynamo or alternator,

   Were cast type manifolds fitted as standard or tube style headers/manifolds on late COB 289's
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 17, 2015, 21:40:04: ACOC registers do not record information readily available in commercially-published material (for example ‘Original AC Ace & Cobra – The Restorers Guide’ (Motorbooks International)).

   They serve to record, for individual cars, material known facts that might not otherwise be made available to potential owners.

   The conclusion that ‘the registry is a little vague’ is not one I’ve heard before, from either oldies or newbies. To the contrary, most users seriously interested in an individual car are surprised by the quantity of information that supports individual entries. For example, the Thames Ditton Cobra Register is 480kb; only 770mb (less than 0.2%) is published on the Club’s website.

   RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Cobra Ned on July 18, 2015, 02:19:15: "Style of dash fitted?" How may varieties were there?
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 18, 2015, 11:29:02: Hi Ned

I have seen 3 dash types... i may have this wrong tho. FAI and 427 style flat lower and one with a curved lower section in the middle?
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Cobra Ned on July 18, 2015, 20:04:29: I believe each of the AC 289's were equipped with the same flat-bottomed dashboard.
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rsk289 on July 21, 2015, 00:08:40: Sorry Ned, not according to p. 80 of Rinsey Mills' book (aided by one N. Scudder!) - the 289 pictured has the drop-down centre for the clock, as on a leafspring car.

Roger
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 21, 2015, 12:52:31: The central instrument layout is, I believe, the key. If it’s 3, 2, 1 (from top to bottom) the dash has a drop-down centre. If it’s only 3, 2, the dash is flat bottomed.

   All road-going leaf spring cars and all 289 Sports coil-spring cars had, I believe, a 3, 2, 1 arrangement with drop-down centre dash when originally made; all 427s had a 3, 2 arrangement with flat-bottomed dash. But I could be wrong.

   RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: A-Snake on July 21, 2015, 16:03:37: quote:
Originally posted by rstainer

The central instrument layout is, I believe, the key. If it’s 3, 2, 1 (from top to bottom) the dash has a drop-down centre. If it’s only 3, 2, the dash is flat bottomed.

   All road-going leaf spring cars and all 289 Sports coil-spring cars had, I believe, a 3, 2, 1 arrangement with drop-down centre dash when originally made; all 427s had a 3, 2 arrangement with flat-bottomed dash. But I could be wrong.

   RS
   I'd say this one breaks the 3,2,1 rule ;-)
   (http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/medium/COX_6111_dash_Large_.JPG)
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: A-Snake on July 21, 2015, 16:07:38: COX6126 was sold without an engine and it breaks the rule having a 3,2,1 flat dash.
(http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/medium/COX_6126_dash.jpg)
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: A-Snake on July 21, 2015, 16:34:24: This car is clearly a AC 289 Sport with a 3,2,1 drop down dash. This one is described as an 'early' 289 Sport in Mill's book. Notice it has a glove box lock like the ones used in leaf spring cars while the later AC 289 Sports show the type handle used on coil spring cars.
   Perhaps there is an early/late difference in the dash layout? [?]

   (http://photos.zweezy.com/img_e10b682677424fa096180ebaf575a64a.jpg)
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: nikbj68 on July 21, 2015, 17:12:00: quote:
Originally posted by A-Snake:
I'd say this one breaks the 3,2,1 rule ;-)
(http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/data/500/medium/COX_6111_dash_Large_.JPG)
Is it possible this one was 'flatted' later in life to allow access for the fire extinguisher?
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 22, 2015, 19:42:18: A-Snake,

   6126 was 427-ized after arriving in the US (427 engine, side pipes, Halibrands etc), so no conclusions can be drawn from it regarding AC/Shelby period dash manufacture.

   Likewise from the green car: it has many other incorrect features, so its 3, 2, 1 non-compliance doesn't tell us much.

   RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: A-Snake on July 22, 2015, 20:16:57: Article from Oct. 1967 showing drop down dash.

   (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8056/8367032023_fa77686c72_h.jpg)
   (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8096/8367032291_662d2aa967_h.jpg)
   (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8367032457_87a55161b0_h.jpg)
   (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8513/8367032703_3f8ad1e468_h.jpg)
   (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8367032827_2e811d6f9b_h.jpg)
   (http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8511/8367032915_d6fd170c3c_h.jpg)
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 22, 2015, 20:28:51: This is 6106 which, together with 6107, are the only AC coil spring 61XX cars to have early 427 type rectangular rear lights.

RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rsk289 on July 23, 2015, 09:23:20: quote:
Originally posted by rstainer

This is 6106 which, together with 6107, are the only AC coil spring 61XX cars to have early 427 type rectangular rear lights.

   RS



   Interesting. As this is a 'C' reg, for 1965 first registration (as presumably was 6107), that implies that AC went right down to the wire (Sept. '65) of the legislative cutoff before changing the design of the tail lamps. Other, more 'mainstream' manufacturers, pre-empted this change well in advance.
   Thank heavens AC weren't stuck with an old job-lot of trafficators!
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: A-Snake on July 24, 2015, 17:15:25: quote:
Originally posted by rstainer

This is 6106 which, together with 6107, are the only AC coil spring 61XX cars to have early 427 type rectangular rear lights.

   RS



   This is COB6124 that shows a flat dash with early glove box lock.
   (http://www.classicdriver.com/sites/default/files/styles/colorbox/public/cars_images/co5.jpg)

   Hard to get a clear consensus of what dash is 'correct' on a AC 289 Sport ;-)
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 24, 2015, 21:00:54: It's not that hard if photo examination is restricted to cars in original condition. 6124 was '427-ized' (bonnet scoop, Webers, S/C rear wheelarch flares, 7.5"/9.5" alloy wheels) and only returned to more standard configuration recently.

   The 3, 2, 1 theory stands (I think).

   RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on July 25, 2015, 18:39:06: HI..

   I was told by the Vendor that the Dash was Original... or to his best knowledge it was Original..
   It had the same dash when in it was in its Black 427 look [:(] but i can not find any images of the car before this change...
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: rstainer on July 25, 2015, 19:11:33: Mandy Rice-Davies, a keen dashboard aficionado, observed: "He would, wouldn't he?"

RS
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on September 18, 2016, 11:54:49: Sorry about the low quality of the photo.

   I found this photo showing another flat style dash, anyone know the car

   (https://c3.staticflickr.com/9/8017/29647393922_7580361bbf_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/MaQDjb)AC289 sports with flat dash style (https://flic.kr/p/MaQDjb) by mark.morgan07 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/16563604@N02/), on Flickr
Title: Info for a newbie
Post by: TLegate on September 18, 2016, 16:43:15: The car on the Thames Ditton village green is COB6106 and no doubt is the same car on the show stand. More info on this 289 can be found in the 'Motor' magazine road test, week ending October 14 1967.

   Sadly, it was bastardised to 427 spec by uncaring owner (c/o Brian Angliss) back in the mid-70s. RIP.

   (No information on the Abarth though....)
Title: Re: Info for a newbie
Post by: Morgy on May 27, 2018, 09:09:39: Dragging up this old thread again as i have found some photos of a COB car in AUS.

COB6114, according to the world registry was sold still unrestored in 1996 and showing a Flat bottom Dashboard..