Quote:
Originally Posted by Nedsel
Tim, a lot of what you mention is correct. With respect to Cobras built and sold by AC Cars that were not part of the Shelby contract, the COB designation indicated right hand drive, i.e. a car for the UK (hence the B, for Britain) while the COX VIN indicated left hand drive, for Europe or Canada (hence the X, for eXport out of Britain). The COB car you recall, 6047, has been back in Europe for the past few years.
One aspect of what was published in the 2008 SAAC registry that many people fail to consider is that SAAC was smack in the middle of a legal battle with Carroll Shelby when the registry was being written. Given the delicacy of the proceedings, great care was taken not to antagonize Shelby or his attorneys, and certain liberties were taken with respect to what might otherwise have been seen as calling a spade a spade. At the time, it was PC to call it a shovel instead. Otherwise, one might have pointed out that out was AC Cars, Ltd. that created the AEX, BEX, COX, COB, and CSX chassis numbers (among others), which were simply a series of alterations in specification to the original AC Ace designated by A, B, and C to highlight the changes. The original Cobras were the result of a joint effort by both AC Cars and Shelby American, but neither would have produced the same car absent the willingness of the other to cooperate in their production. Hence, the later "Cobras" built exclusively by Shelby used VINs to which Shelby had dubious legitimate claim and were never approved by AC Cars nor its successor entity, AK. Read up on the legal battle between Shelby and Brian Angliss of AK, and note that Angliss built a number of cars using a CSX 3xxx VIN, using the theory, "if Shelby can appropriate what was AC's, AC can do the same to what was Shelby's."
The bottom line is that the newer Cobras, whether built by Shelby in the U.S. or AK in the U.K., lack the cooperative Anglo-American production model used in the construction of the 60's versions, and are therefore fundamentally different even if their specifications are similar.
|
Really?
So SAAC was being PC? This explains all the effort to register the CSX 4000 Cobras and the entire chapter devoted to the car which discusses the "replica" issue and the explanations sets forth which are factual and logical. Explains the logical definitions as used both in the body and in the Appendix.
So, is the SAAC "3000 Registar" speaking for SAAC here?
Is this an official statement?
Regardless, fact is not even the CSX 3000 "Registar" can change the facts, despite his bias for the original cars
So is the 3000 Registar now saying SAAC really didn't print what they really thought and didn't mean what they printed about the current production Cobras and the definitions that apply to them but nevertheless collected how much selling how many copies of the Registry? Please clarify.
So if SAAC is no longer concerned with the current production Cobras maybe Continuation owners should stop registering their cars with SAAC for the next Registry? I guess SAAC doesn't even need a Continuation Series Registar then? Hmmm. Hell, if SAAC is printing stuff they really didn't mean (did they?) because they are "PC" who needs the Registry?
So what is the next Reigistry going to say Ned? The current production Shelby Cobras aren't Shelby Cobras? Puhleese. Really? Why wait. Publish a statement now.
Oh by the way....AC doesn't own the rights to "CSX" designations.. Do they? Current production Cobras don't need the "AC" Paradigm to be a genuine Shelby Cobra. Period. Originals do. At least according the defintions of the Registry as much as we can rely on them I guess.
Fact is Team Shelby does have a broad scope. Fact is SAAC is still soliciting CSX Continuation registrations, aren't they? Fact is SAAC' is currently taking the position they are broadening the scope of cars accepted in membership not narrowing the scope.
Current statement from the SAAC website:
Welcome to the Shelby American Automobile Club. SAAC is an international organization that was founded in 1975. It was originally dedicated to the preservation, care, history and enjoyment of the world championship cars from Shelby American and the cars they have inspired from 1962 to today. Those goals have not changed. Ownership is not required for membership—just enthusiasm.
Every large automobile marque has at least one organization for owners and enthusiasts.
The cars that Carroll Shelby built between 1962 and 1970 are no different. SAAC has been in existence since 1975 and has published award winning magazines, newsletters and books since then. The club is recognized as the undisputed authority on the history and legacy of these cars. Carroll Shelby stopped building cars in 1970, but enthusiasm for them increased every year after that. The trouble was that, aside from a handful of owners, nobody knew very much about these cars. And even then, their knowledge was based only on their car and a handful of others they had seen. Shelbys and Cobras weren’t exactly plentiful. With everyone asking questions, one of the goals of the club became researching the production history and specifications of these cars and sharing what was learned with members. In the 1990s and beyond, Shelby became aware of the increased interest and subsequent rise in value of the cars and began building another generation of them—both Cobras and Shelby Mustangs. SAAC was originally set up to cater to the cars Carroll Shelby created and raced — Cobras, GT350s, GT500s and Ford GTs — but since its inception the club has broadened its parameters to accept virtually all high performance Ford-powered cars including Tigers, Mangustas and Panteras, Boss 302, 351 and 429 Mustangs, AC Mk IVs, Cobra 4000s, Mustangs of every year including the latest generation of Shelby GTs and GT500s, Griffiths, Italias, Galaxies, Fairlanes, Comets and yes—even Cobra kit cars. While SAAC does not accord “equal” status to all these other vehicles, it nonetheless welcomes them (and their owners) into the club. The reason for this is simple: SAAC has no ownership requirements, so in that sense everyone is welcome to participate. Many members own more than one hobby car and while that first car is usually a Cobra or a Shelby, often the second vehicle is some other Ford performance car. So it is the membership which has actually broadened the club’s scope and determined what cars are accepted at club events.....
Shelby's been dead how many years now? 3 1/2 years? Suits been over for how many years? 7 years? Seems like SAAC hasn't hasn't changed what they said one bit.
Seems like the 3000 Registar has an axe to grind.
I don't need the 3000 Registar to tell me what the current production Cobras are. The facts and law do.
Oh yeah, so does the World Registry in black and white and the former and current SAAC statement about the club.
BTW I think the 40th Edition of the SAAC World Registry did a great job dealing with the Current Production Cobras and did so logically, correctly and fairly.