Messages

16

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: CSX 2484

« on: January 06, 2020, 02:18:52 »

It is my belief that the black car that was at Fisken's a couple of years ago is the same car being offered in Monaco today. It was constructed from thin air, based on the absence of any recent ownership records in the registry and a strong hope none would be forthcoming. But the real owner of the car contacted us in 2001 and explained how the car was destroyed on a causeway in Florida on New Year's Eve back in 1966. He had owned it for just a week and had not yet insured it. All he had left was the legal paperwork documenting his ownership, which he sold. The buyer constructed a Cobra using an original 1964 chassis from a car that was converted into a Daytona Coupe. Hence he built a new 2484 from an original chassis as well as the car's original paperwork, plus a number of original parts. That's similar to many of the damaged cars that exist today, and it's a far cry from building a car with no legal claim to a VIN nor any original parts. Today, 2484 is blue and remains in California, not Monaco.

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: AC Cobra-type vehicle VIN asserted COB5998

« on: September 21, 2019, 03:20:39 »

The SAAC Registry published in 5/19 does list the car. It didn't when the proofs lefty my desk; for some reason the entry for 5998 was added by the Editor. As the Registrar, it is my contention that the chassis was simply a "spare part" and even if it was a legitimate AC-built chassis, it was never given a VIN and does not carry a valid one today, beyond a meaningless number to ID it with the DMV. Creating a car from "spare parts" and legitimizing it with a VIN is something I do not endorse.

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: CSX2388

« on: March 12, 2019, 02:16:18 »

Glad to hear you have "resurrected" the genuine but formerly missing original, Robin!

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: CSX2388

« on: March 06, 2019, 14:17:14 »

I think the difficulty in reconciling the histories of various cars may come in part from the fact that the ACOC Register and the SAAC Registry treat some "events" differently. Under the SAAC methodology, if a car disappears for some time but suddenly shows up again, we resurrect it based on its completeness. If the bulk of the car still exists, we say so and it can be rebuilt with no difficulty. However, under the ACOC guidelines, it appears that an incomplete or interrupted history can work against the vehicle. In the case of the genuine 2388, it was taken off the road following a collision, and the registration was no renewed as the owner chose not to repair it. This led to some genius in the DMV to conclude the car must have been destroyed entirely and hence, no longer existed, at which point various parts were said to have been sold to the UK and a fresh car reconstructed from them. But ownership of "parts," even if that may include an engine (albeit not from the real car in this case) does not construe ownership of a VIN nor legal possession of whatever car the parts are said to have derived from. In the case of CSX 2388, the real car remained in existence in the owner's garage for decades, with the original engine, gearbox, ancillaries, etc. This is the car being rebuilt today, with some replacement alloy and tube straightening being part of the process. Sad to say, the process renders the supposed 2388 in England nothing more than a modern replica.

20

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Re: Nightmare of 427 provenance

« on: April 23, 2018, 13:04:57 »

Not having been on the ACOC forums for a while, I hope it's not too late to post what I believe are some salient points regarding this particular car. It must be pointed out that the so-called "original" car has what amounts to an ALLEGED chassis number of CSX 3272. When the original 3272 was badly side-swiped in the 70's, its then-owner determined that a new chassis/body would be his choice to repair it. Only a small number of people ever knew what became of the original car. As has been pointed out previously, the car being discussed here appeared as a restored Cobra bearing the chassis number CSX 3140 at a SAAC convention in California. Many years later, it was realized that the original 3140 was still out there, and the legal owner saw to it that the VIN on this car was removed. That left a clearly 60's-built 427 Cobra with no VIN. What to do? From the various known histories, a guess was made that this car must have started life as 3272. But that's as far as things went. This car, when examined back in the late 70's, bore NO identifying numbers beyond the 3140 VIN it was then claiming. Once that VIN was denied, it bore no trace of another number. If it does so today, it was added since. Hence, there is no proof that the referenced car is in fact CSX 3272. And you can't lay claim to a VIN on a hunch. Which is why we are where we are today. So please refrain from referring to this car as 3272, because that is nothing more than an educated guess as to its real identity.

21

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / CSX2000 FOR SALE!!!!

« on: July 04, 2016, 19:16:14 »

Don't believe the hype about CSX 2000 being repainted in a rainbow of colors. Never happened. It was pearlescent yellow until the late 60's and then Shelby had it repainted the same blue it wears today. It was a fun story though.

22

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Auction

« on: October 28, 2015, 04:20:58 »

Spoke with Rinsey on this one. He says it is built from the genuine car, following a crash that damaged the nose. New body installed. Has a new dash and instruments and is fairly priced for condition.

23

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Auction

« on: October 26, 2015, 22:47:40 »

Car looks entirely wrong for its VIN, from the flares to the side vents to the nose and the slightly misshapen body work. Plus, the anticipated price is a fraction of what a legitimate car would bring. Sounds like Bonhams already knows the car is built from air.

24

Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Cobra on display

« on: September 27, 2015, 18:13:08 »

In truth, have you ever known anyone who has a replica to call it anything other than a 1965 Shelby Cobra?

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Info for a newbie

« on: July 18, 2015, 20:04:29 »

I believe each of the AC 289's were equipped with the same flat-bottomed dashboard.

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Info for a newbie

« on: July 18, 2015, 02:19:15 »

"Style of dash fitted?" How may varieties were there?

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Info for a newbie

« 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.

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Which 289 Cobra at Moray Motor Museum?

« on: July 12, 2015, 06:36:49 »

A couple of things strike me: the car is RHD, yet it has the Shelby "Powered by Ford" badges on the side. These were not used on the COB/COX cars in the 60's. In addition, the location of these is incorrect, as they are directly over the side vents. The car also has later Lucas parking lamps, like those found on late 427 cars. Again, these were never used at the factory on the 60's COB/COX cars. My guess? It is a newer reproduction.

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / Continuation Daytona Cobra

« on: June 07, 2015, 23:31:29 »

Aaron, when Carroll was alive, he occasionally bought tired Cobra roadsters expressly for the purpose of converting them into replica Daytona coupes. It is possible that what we have here is a situation where he sold such a car as a project rather than a completed vehicle. But until we know the VIN on Mr. Voyazides' car, we won't know for sure. It should be interesting to learn more details.

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Cobra (Thames Ditton) Forum / CSX3218 to be auctioned in Switzerland, Jun 2015

« on: May 18, 2015, 01:04:53 »

Mr. Scudder missed this one back in the 70's. He's not going to make a run at it again, thanks. The buyer of the car back then became a good friend and restored this car to a fantastic level of perfection, which I hope it has retained.