[Historybuff]

I would write it but for the cost of the artwork. Michael Lynch, a historian who is a paragon of research and a good writer too, told me he has various historical books he wants to write but can't afford to buy all the photos.

I would like to nominate some authors, some of whom you might not be familiar with.

Jerry Heasley might have enough info and pictures, his latest Corvette book is very lively and well photographed. Leffingwell , one of the great car photographrs, has the money to write it (married to a Chandler, yes those Chandlers) but he is not really a racing writer per se (I say that after he did three pages on the King Cobra but mistakingly pictured Gurney's Lotus instead).

Joe Scalzo, a long time Indy writer, is said to be working on a new book that is going to have two chapters on Shelby. He is the kind who could detail race histories and still be entertaining to read.

Brock Yates is a very lively writer who would be fun to read but who knows exactly what kind of book should be written? Where is the market? It all depends on how detailed a book you want. If all you want is race victories listed and serial numbers, that's not a Yates style book--that is more of a Ronnie Spain type thing, a one car per page ararnged by serial number thing. Poor Ronnie was sued when he "outed" some fake GT40s so think of the danger that awaits those who in print try to separate real 427 Cobras from those purporting to be real (one Los Angeles lawyer I interviewed showed me five of them he had made up, cars that even used real Cobras' serial numbers!).

It is an irony that the 289 won most of the Cobra's battles but the 427 is the car everyone wants to read about. Kind of like Hollywood making a movie and every reviewer ignores the star and instead lavishes praise on some supporting actor who stole the picture...