Shelby related pictures....Cobra, Daytona Coupe, GT40, GT350

[Blas]

[quote=xb-60;1461444]

OK, here is a reply from William Edgar the son of John Edgar in the photo. Don't think he is a member here so if you can tell me where the photo came from or send me a Hi res copy, I will relay it to him.


Hello again, Blas,
Good photograph. Thanks. I have never seen this one before, and I would like to have a hi-resolution copy for my files.
People, left to right: Unknown man w/cigarette, John Edgar (age 55), Ruth Levy with cigarette, Shelby's business associate Lew Spencer (?), Edgar/Shelby racing mechanic and transporter driver Joe Landaker, and Carroll Shelby. I'd say the location is Dallas, Texas, at the time Ruth drove an Edgar-entry Porsche 550 at the nearby Eagle Mountain races during a rainy spell in early June 1957. Rain on the pavement here. The white Cadillac is not an Edgar car, but the black-on-white license place is specifically what Texas plates were in color scheme for year 1957. I can't tell what the low white car, mostly likely a race car, really is. The red race car is almost definitely the John Edgar's Ferrari 410 Sport s/n 0598 CM (racing number 98) from what is visible of its partial racing number 8 and characteristic 410 Sport's large hood scoop. Finally, Shelby is un-characteristically wearing a dress shirt and tie, making me believe he has to be close to his Carroll Shelby Sports Cars business office there in Dallas. Do you know the name of the photographer? Get back to me with your thoughts.
Best regards,
William Edgar

[Blas]

Look at a 1957 Elva MKllB 100/49 maybe.
Door line and trim at top of door looks right as does tail light shape and location...

1957 ELVA MKllB 100/49, 1 of 13 CARS, CURRENT LOG BOOK, GREAT CAR, RACE CAR

Blas

[xb-60]

[quote=Blas;1461596]

Originally Posted by xb-60

OK, here is a reply from William Edgar the son of John Edgar in the photo. Don't think he is a member here so if you can tell me where the photo came from or send me a Hi res copy, I will relay it to him.


Hello again, Blas,
Good photograph. Thanks. I have never seen this one before, and I would like to have a hi-resolution copy for my files.
People, left to right: Unknown man w/cigarette, John Edgar (age 55), Ruth Levy with cigarette, Shelby's business associate Lew Spencer (?), Edgar/Shelby racing mechanic and transporter driver Joe Landaker, and Carroll Shelby. I'd say the location is Dallas, Texas, at the time Ruth drove an Edgar-entry Porsche 550 at the nearby Eagle Mountain races during a rainy spell in early June 1957. Rain on the pavement here. The white Cadillac is not an Edgar car, but the black-on-white license place is specifically what Texas plates were in color scheme for year 1957. I can't tell what the low white car, mostly likely a race car, really is. The red race car is almost definitely the John Edgar's Ferrari 410 Sport s/n 0598 CM (racing number 98) from what is visible of its partial racing number 8 and characteristic 410 Sport's large hood scoop. Finally, Shelby is un-characteristically wearing a dress shirt and tie, making me believe he has to be close to his Carroll Shelby Sports Cars business office there in Dallas. Do you know the name of the photographer? Get back to me with your thoughts.
Best regards,
William Edgar

Hi Blas,
Great information there from William Edgar. Just shows how much is out there for the asking.
It was Greg (my427cobra) who posted the picture originally (post #117); I've got a copy that's a little larger, but still not hi-res. PM me with your email address if you'd like me to send it to you.

Cheers,
Glen

[my427cobra]

H guys. The pi cI had was a very old original photograph 3" x 4" that I had with a bunch of other vintage photos. No negative though.

I donated those pics to SAAC a couple of years ago.

Great to narrow down all the correct period info.

Cheers
Greg

[xb-60]

Following on with the John Edgar line, I found the following pic of the team's transporter, dating from 1956....



This rig apparently had the ability to cruise at 100mph. Not bad for 1956!


Cheers,
Glen

[Blas]

This is a photo by Lester Nehamkin at the Palm Springs Airport just prior to the November 4, 1956 SCCA National races, in which the over-1500cc main was won by Shelby in the Edgar 410 Sport crossing the finish one-half second ahead of Phil Hill driving George Tilp's Ferrari 857 Sport. The Edgar transporter was made up of a Fruehauf trailer and GMC tractor powered by a Landaker-hopped-up Pontiac V8 that could show 110 mph on the speedometer. It was America's first race car closed hauler of that size and was equipped with 4 bunks and full kitchen and bar.

[xb-60]

Blas, what was John Edgar's background? He was obviously very passionate about, and very committed to his race team effort.

A "hopped-up Pontiac V8" .....so this was a modified road-car engine? Wow!

Cheers,
Glen

[Blas]

There is a lot of info on the web regarding John Edgar and his racing history with Ferrari and Maserati, etc..
Two of my comments posted below were directly from his son William back to me.
William is a writer and a photographer in quite a few automotive related magazines.
Blas

Start here perhaps....
https://edgarmotorsport.com/the-edgars/

[xb-60]

Found this early shot of Ron Thorp's 289 Cobra (COB6033) racing at Catalina Park in the Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia in 1963




Cheers,
Glen

[BJ's Snake]

Speaking of Ron Thorpe, I was lucky enough to meet him and get a pic of him with my 289 Pace then in build stage at the 2016 Nationals.
He was also good enough to sign a plaque that I attached to the tunnel as atribute to the drivers of the era.





Cheers

[xb-60]

Brett - great to see that the Australian legends from the '60s are still around the place and still interested
Thanks for posting the pics.

Cheers!
Glen

[Jac Mac]

Pretty sure there is an old SCW magazine from OZ with a road/track test of the Thorp Cobra up in the loft somewhere, If I find it I'll scan the article, could be awhile though, its far to easy to waste an hr or two up there!

[xb-60]

Thanks Jac Mac. I was just a wee little boy back then; didn't start my collection of SCW for at least another decade.
Have fun wasting an hour or two ....or three, sometime.

Cheers,
Glen