NYC Downtown Hospital and Primary Children's Hospital Car Together

[David Kirkham]

Fellow Car Nuts:

Yesterday we delivered the Primary Children's Festival of the Trees car, KMP0623, to its new owner. I think it is pretty cool he is a local guy. Right before we delivered the car, I realized KMP0204, better known as KMP NYC 911, was here in our shop as well. KMP NYC 911 is the first car we donated to charity right after the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City. We donated the car to the New York Downtown Hospital. That was the hospital that took care of the firefighters and police who responded to the attacks. Then, the memories started coming back of those first days here on Club Cobra.

The owner of KMP NYC 911 (still the same guy!) who bought the car in 2002 sent it back for updates and tuning. That car reminded me of all of you here on Club Cobra who have helped us over the years. I think that is where we first got to know Ron Richards, Jamo, Pat Buckley, Turk, John McMahon, REAL 1 Evan, Brent Mills, Steve Sunshine, Bill Sliverstein, and who knows who else I have forgotten, my apologies. I looked for the posts of those days long ago and realized they were probably lost in a Brent Mills server crash (remember those days?) I thought back to how new the web and blogging were at the time. I remember asking my brother what "blogging" was. When he answered I didn't get it!

I remember Pat Buckley sanding his car to 400 grit paper (we only did 120 grit on our first cars) in an effort to show us how cool he was...it worked! We were schooled. His brush job made our first efforts look like High School shop class. I'll always remember how nice his car looked. I thought, man, we can do that too!

Then, others here gave us their advice, ideas, and ultimately complaints with other brands of their cars and different parts they wanted. So, we started to make all sorts of different parts to fill a million little niches in our industry.

As I look at KMP NYC 911 I see how far we have come over the years. I look at all the billet stuff. I look at the polished bodies, I look at the cool parts and I realize it is really because of the great guys here on the site we have done what we have done. You were our inspiration. I sincerely thank you all for being the great enthusiasts you are. Many of you have become close friends and I thank you for that friendship. You are all the best!

Merry Christmas to you all. We at Kirkham Motorsports wish you all a very successful New Year and a million miles of smiles in your rides!

Here is a picture of KMP0623 and KMP NYC 911 together.

David

[John McMahon]

David,

Wow...time does fly, but the memories of that event do not fade. I enjoyed spending so much time at the Javits show with you guys giving that KMP away.

It was inspiring, that is why I tried to be there each day and help out any way I could. Many in the tri state area, including myself, had friends in those towers and aside from going to Ground Zero to help in the dig, this was the closest I could come.

It was moving cause of me because the dig was ongoing as we gave that car away on eBay. Many of the rescue workers; EMS, NYPD, NYFD and TA came through the exhibit at one point and thanked the Kirkhams for what they were doing and at the same time, you could see the pain in their eyes of what they had seen. It only made them more determined to continue.

I still remember Rudy Guiliani trying to sit behind the wheel of that Cobra...HAHA!!!!

Thanks to one and all that helped out in the Cobra community...but most importantly thanks to the Kirkhams for going 'above and beyond' the call.

On a side note, a number of members also worked with the Salvation Army at the depot at Liberty State Park in NJ after the attack. It had been set up as a 'Mourning Center' for families that had loved ones missing or killed in the attack. We provided coffe, soup and sandwiches as their families gathered to grieve, share storys with others and post notes and pictures on walls that had been erected for them.

A chilling time it was, but it also showed the good in all of us in this great country.

Happy Holidays and never forget our loss.

[computerworks]

Very cool to see both cars together...

Wow...time does fly, but the memories of that event do not fade.

I still remember Rudy Guiliani trying to sit behind the wheel of that Cobra...HAHA!!!!

For sure, John...that was an event to remember....unloading the transport late at night...I had to make a fast JFK run to pick up one of the boys from Poland....

Steve S. and I scrambling to grab whatever we could from the Javits center...setting up hi-speed internet so we could 'webcam' the display...

...Johnnie Mac bringing in his "secret formula" alum polish to dress the car...

All for a good cause.

Thanks David and Tom for the gift of friendship, as well as the donated car.

Oh...and the Mayor sitting in the driver's seat.

[John McMahon]

Ron,

I never want to clean another ally car again! Major learning experience though!

Don't forget when we had to move the KMP display from the back of the building to the front!!!!!!

Steve S and I having dinner with the Kirkham Boys discussing their early skunkworks!

Good times for a good cause!