SAAC Forum

1966 24-Hours of Le Mans....no Ken Miles or Carroll in the initial photo posted, but the gentleman in the red jacket is Alan Mann.

The first race to actually have a Cobra on the track for a "road racing event" was at Connellsville (August 25/26, 1962).  The entry was by Ed Hugus and the Cobra is 2001....it broke in practice due to teething issues (overheating?) and did not race on the weekend.

"Hill Climb racing" Cobras seem to appear around mid-1963.

"Drag racing" Cobras seem to appear around early-mid 1963.

"Autocross, Slalom, Gymkhana, etc." Cobras seem to appear around the mid-later part of 1963.

There could possibly be earlier events, but newspaper articles, etc., only reported the top finishers for events.

All three photos are from the August 1968 National at Riverside....and the yellow 427 Cobra (3020) is Dave Dralle's as Silverton-Ford had noted.

3004-Gwer Reichen, accident at Naters Hill Climb, Valais, Switzerland, June 1969....

Quote from: honker on March 21, 2021, 02:54:41 PM
I have this in my files, I believe ? ? that is CSX 2011 #97 on the left, with CSX 2017 #11 ??  at Green Valley Texas in '67.

Stand to be corrected on the CSX #s & date,  some info on CSX 2017, in my 2008 registry is missing, the newer registry probably

has more info ?

Kranky ? ?

Mike

The #11 Cobra driver is noted as Ed Tucker (Lotus driver...is he the owner, I don't know the answer to that one.).  Ed Dnf'd the race as he was involved in an accident with a Mustang.  The #97 driver is Ron West in 2011, result unknown at the moment.  The race is the June 1967 Sunburn Nationals.

As A-Snake had mentioned....one of the first official viewings to the public was the New York Auto Show in April 1962.  The first prototype arrived via TWA (air) around February 22, 1962 (sans engine) and one of the earlier public showings was at the March 1962 Riverside Cal Club Road Races, where the Cobra was used as the official "Course Marshall"....so when was the official release date?

It's also known as Camp Stoneman....an ex-Army base in Pittsburg, Calif.

The photo caption is incorrect....Dave Ridenour is at the wheel in the modified race as #14 (2196)....Ridenour finished 1st oa/1st C-modified....Don Pike was originally scheduled to drive.  Roland Marzolf (3039) also raced his 427 Cobra under the #14 in the production race....Marzolf finished 2nd oa/2nd A-production.  Ridenour did pass away a few months later in a sprint car accident.  Ridenour was running under the S&C sponsorship for the race.

The Dick Guldstrand accident looks pretty vicious....I guess the later fix was the roller skate on the roll bar.....and the Bob and Allen show for 1963...."rubbing is racing."

Quote from: Richstang on October 07, 2020, 05:48:26 PM

Quote from: Szabo on October 07, 2020, 04:22:07 PM
Hallo again,

i found two pics on a FB Site "GT350Lady" but without any source or Infos...



we can clearly see the GT/108 with blacked hood and Racestripe
and luckywise we can see a GT350R, a Daytona, a GT40, a Cobra
and a Lotus Ford ?

because of Richstang we know that the GT40 was P/1004, thx for that Info

but where or when was the Pic made

The first two photos, posted by Stephan, with this group of Shelby's is a fantastic site and find!!!
At first I didn't think it was at Watkins Glen, but there too many coincidences pointing to that location.

Looks at the collection of cars here;
The Cobra CSX3011 no98 to the left in the first photo
The GT40 P/1004 in front of the Cobra
The GT350 R model is what I believe to be 5R213 in front of the GT40
The Daytona to the right of the GT350 R model appears to be CSX2287 (note the no10 on the rear)
The Roadster GT/108 with the blackout hood

This appears to be a preview of the cars that would become part of the 'Cobra Caravan' that toured the country for a month, starting November 17 through December 17th, 1965. 

-The Daytona csx2287, went on to the Bonneville Salt Flats November 6, 1965. It needed to be refreshed afterwards, so it was replaced for the start of the Cobra Caravan tour with CSX2286.
-The previous rear view photo, posted in this thread of the lone '65 GT350 R model, was said to be a pace car at the October 2-3, 1965 Watkins Glen US GP race.
It certainly matches in appearance (no rear bumper or sponsors) and the timing fits. The R model in the Caravan has been said to be 5R213.
-Finally the Grand Prix car race no7, Brabham BT11, was in Watkins Glen for the US Grand Prix. That matches perfectly in timing.

A little bit more information on the Watkins Glen event....October 1, 1965 (Friday)....It was set up as a 3-hour seminar and demonstration with Jim Clark, Stirling Moss and Juan Manuel Fangio.  Jim Clark used the first hour to explain "the racing skill and knowledge which have led him to two world titles."  Stirling Moss spoke "on race techniques, strategy and gamesmanship."  Fangio was there to show "driving techniques in sports cars."  Carroll Shelby provided the cars and "lectured on the construction and driving of a race car."  "Three team drivers, Skip Scott and Tom Payne of Michigan and Bob Johnson of Ohio, showed their techniques in Shelby built cars." (quotes are from the The Boston Sunday Globe-October 3, 1965)

Your second round of photos look to be from the July 1966 races-#17 Charlie Kolb-Porsche 906 (winner), #21-George Avent-Lotus 23, #77-John Lewis-Scorpion (Troutman and Barnes Scorpion)...etc.

In agreement with rockhouse66-#18 GT350 is the Roger West 5r538 R-model at Daytona 1967, not Sebring (#18 for Sebring 1967-is the Dos Caballos Van Beuren GT350 R-model 5r108).

Since the photo quality is poor....the location is correct, in that it is Laguna Seca, most likely in the early 1970's (possibly around 1971-72).  The #99, upkicked side exhaust, chopped down plexi front windscreen, 427 wheels front and rear, AP class designation, white exterior color and what looks to be a 427 competition gas cap on the passenger rear....looks to be pointing out that this is the Dick Workman 427 Cobra (3137).  What number is your Cobra?

My mistake, I was thinking of a different race.

In Richstang's photo....it appears to be George Eaton's 427 Cobra fender with a sticker on the headlight parked next to the Comstock R-model?

Optional Studebaker magnesium wheels on both the Comstock R-model and the Falcon.  I think your date is incorrect on the Mosport 1966 photo....Comstock racing only had those "Studebaker wheels" (15x6) on for an event or two in early 1965 and switched to the standard American Racing magnesium wheels (15x7) from then on.  The same "Studebaker wheels" were run on the Comstock Notchback for only a few races also.

The Falcon had the IRS rear suspension and was a prototype used for testing only....an idea that was being kicked around as something to be done to the Shelby GT350 since the platform between both cars was similar, but the expense/costs and lap times proved otherwise to the accountants back at Ford.  Also, as an educated guess....I don't think this IRS Falcon had anything to do with the Bob Johnson Falcon that he ran in 1967....the extra expense to convert it back to stock rear fenders (IRS Falcon has cut rear fenders for easy wheel replacement) and a standard straight axle rear end, which would make it legal for Sedan racing....?

Yes on Ken Miles in the Cooper Cobra.

No on Bob Bondurant in the chair, etc.

Major magazines that only produced one issue a month had a lead time of anywhere from two to three months (Road and Track, Motor Trend, etc.).  Many of the other competition oriented magazines were usually only about a week to three weeks behind in current affairs (Autosport, Competition Press and Autoweek, etc.).