Cobra Barn Find?

[TLegate]

How dare you, Lord Muck!! Oh sorry - misread your post, thought you said 'hooker'......
   
   Ned: I am holding back. Can you imagine pulling that out of your barn and asking your friends what they think of your magnificent $500,000 automobile? One for an RM auction unless I'm much mistaken

[nikbj68]

I think we need to organise a field trip!

[Cobra Ned]

OK, but only if it has a barn in it.

[nikbj68]

Uwe(and Peter...) Ahem. Yes. I had only looked at the site at work(rubbish PC!), and couldn`t even see this photo:
   
   
   
   Yes. It DOES have a long nose, and big holes, doesn`t it! It also looks like the battery is behind the passenger seat.
   
   I wonder when it was last on the road, or if it ever actually raced? I`m still thinking Ace chassis

[SunDude]

Here is the registration info on 272 GGT: https://www.cartell.ie/ssl/servlet/beginStarLookup?registration=272ggt
   
   Also, from https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/:
   
   Registration number: 272 GGT
   Untaxed
   Expired: 01 December 1988
   MOT
   No details held by DVLA
   
   Vehicle excise duty
   Vehicle excise duty rate for vehicle
   6 Month rate   £126.50
   12 Month rate   £230.00
   
   Vehicle details
   Vehicle make FORD
   Date of first registration 03 February 1964
   Year of manufacture 1964
   Cylinder capacity (cc) 6391cc
   CO2 Emissions Not available
   Fuel type PETROL
   Tax class PRIVATE/LIGHT GOODS (PLG)
   Export marker No
   Vehicle status Not taxed
   Vehicle colour BLUE
   Vehicle type approval Not available

[nikbj68]

Well. That answers that, not been(legally) on the road in 26 years!

[rstainer]

272 GGT was first registered on 3 February 1964 as a Ford Zodiac. Itsa bitsa.
   
   RS

[TLegate]

Bitsa what, one wonders?
   
   I didn't know Zodiacs used CSX chassis number as well. You learn something every day

[Mark IV]

Sure doe look like a MK IV skin. Note the wipers are two of the three used on the MK IV and there is an apparent "hole" where the third wiper pivot would have resided.
   
   So this begs the question....what MK IV is no longer extant?

[nikbj68]

And more to the point, hasn`t been extant (or at least was rebodied) since the early 80`s, as it looks like this car saw some years service before coming off the road in 1988!

[westcott]

The MK IV can still exist with a new body or even modified as a  MK II clone, who knows?
   
   We all know that everything is possible, for example at least one fire damaged MK IV frame is still for sale in Germany but not longer with its original paperwork and number.
   
   So even a seriously damaged car can be reborn somehow these days...

[SJ351]

This is an ex crash damaged Mk1V that was rebuilt in the mid- 90's by a Ford employee who was friends and worked with the son of an ex AC Thames Ditton fabricator. I can't remember the chassis number but I saw it in the flesh at the time.
   It received some attention to the bodywork at Brooklands Motor Company/AC Heritage, courtesy of Steve Gray.
   It was essentially a budget 'let's get this back on the road' remit from memory.

[nikbj68]

I honestly can`t imagine Steve Gray letting it out of the door like that and allowing his name to be associated with it!!! If it was rebuilt mid-90`s, but hasn`t been taxed since December 1988, they apparently failed to "get this back on the road" to boot!
   
   I was wondering how or why a MkIV would be registered as a 1964 Zodiac still, is it possible that the registration was transferred at some point(being a nice Cobra-ey "GT" suffix) but having been off the road for so long has somehow not been updated in the computerised records? That wouldn`t account for it being listed with a 6litre engine though!
   
   One of the 'commenters', "e" posted the following:
   "Ok Ive been back to see the car the owner is a bit confused by all the interest.
    He let me have a look around it but I’m sworn to secracy about its location.
    it is alloy , it does have inboard rear discs but not a jag rear it has two wishbones and sliding jiont halfshafts, two tube chassis . I was shown the log book CSX number , body convertable, the inlet has 427 stamped on it , 750 holley, dual point , tool kit elora spaners thor hammer etc shelley jack, the wind screen is broken
    hope that is of assistance"

[SJ351]

I seem to remember it is a built up car by a Ford employee who worked alongside Graham Wright - son of Jock Wright, AC Thames Ditton.
   Steve was very helpful and got the aluminum bodywork straightened up within their budgetary constraints but, the rest was down to them.
   Perhaps it lost its VIN due to having been a write off.
   Kit Cobra's often use the ID of a pre '73 Jaguar so, perhaps this is the basis upon which this car was reincarnated with a Ford ID.
   I rather like it in many respects. It is nicely patinated. And an antidote for all the perfect cars out there.
   You could use it daily and park it at Sainsburys.
   Very liberating.

[SJ351]

I dug out the true facts this morning - apologies to everyone a I was suffering from 'post haste'.
   Nick is correct of course that Steve Gray would never put his name to this car.
   He did however supply damaged Mk1V bodywork to these gentleman during the accident repair of a Mk1V, along with a kit of used parts.
   The chassis it is believed may be TVR in origin.
   It is therefore as Robin describes 'a bitsa'