"The Cobra Club" grill badge

[Alfa02]

Ok Buzz, we use your Badge as our Logo (Which I personally love) Any idea how we go about it? Manufacturer? I personally would have no problem adding "some" monies to start the ball rolling, with the idea of just getting my initial investment back. I would be honored to be part of the program. I just spoke with Brent (EM-0785) about some manufacturer around the Seattle area, he said he would look into it, as I will too. I'm sure we have to get a hold of Brent Mills, to ok the project. any other idea's?? Cheers Tom.

[CSX 4133]

Originally Posted by Buzz

In a case such as this, there would be no problem with the artwork itself. That is my own unique caricature of a cobra snake and not a copy of anyone's logo or artwork. Nobody on this planet can own the rights to the "idea" of a cobra's head and anybody anywhere can draw one and use it as they please. The name "Club Cobra" used in reference to the vehicle itself could probably be arguable, but the bottom line is that we are not talking about a commercial venture here. We're a group of enthusiasts using OUR original artwork to produce badges/stickers for OUR personal use. I can't see that being a problem unless we try to sell loads of them on Ebay.

Just to be on the safe side I would check with Ford Motor Company as they currently hold the trademark rights to the "Cobra depicted" on the Shelby emblems.Your design is just similar enough to draw their possible attention. Getting permission to use a design is far better than a cease and desist order from Fords attorneys. My 2 cents.

[Buzz]

Getting Brent Mills's ok would definitely be the right thing to do. Not sure, but I would imagine most trophy shops could make those badges, and stickers would be very easy to source. I was planning to to create a more "vintage" looking version as a possible option, depending on how much interest is shown.

[Buzz]

I refuse to live in fear of attorneys. Generally, all frontal line images of a snarling cobra are going to look similar because they depict the same animal. I have all the tools and records showing that mine is an original drawing and borrows no part of any other picture of a cobra.

EDIT to add - there could be some exposure because the image is unquestionably used in connection with the car itself, but like I say - it's not a commercial venture. If I wanted to put that on a T-shirt and give one to 25 of my friends, Ford's attorneys cease and desist letter could line someones budgie cage for all the difference it would make. There's cobra radios, golf clubs and all manner of other cobra branded commodities out there, all with their own snake images and icons.

EDIT again - If the idea is for this to become an official logo or symbol of Club Cobra and made available to members on an ongoing basis, then yes - permission should probably be obtained from Ford/Shelby. That is as opposed to a group of people making up a one-time batch of a few stickers or badges to put on their own cars.

[Alfa02]

Buzz, I believe Brent lives in Seattle, I would have no problem, meeting up with him, if need be. Anything I can do to help the project move forward, Tom.

[Buzz]

Tom - maybe a PM to Brent asking him to have a lookee at the thread and weigh in with his position might work. I love doing this sort of stuff, and it matters not if the idea flies, so I'll go ahead and make up one or maybe two alternative designs. It's also rekindled my interest in making up my own custom emblems to replace the ones on the car now.

EDIT - and yes they will say COBRA! (not Shelby, Ford or AC, though)

[Alfa02]

Buzz, exc. idea, I can & will do that. Hopefully Brent is aware, of this post already. I too am excited about the prospect of "your" badge becoming the one on all our Cobras Moving on to the next phase, contacting Brent. Cheers.

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by Buzz

EDIT - and yes they will say COBRA! (not Shelby, Ford or AC, though)

Will you have to spell it Kobra? You know like they do with Krab.

[Alfa02]

Ok Buzz, message (PM) sent to Brent Mills. Don't know any other way to contact him? Do you? or anyone else? Left my Phone# too.

[A-Snake]

Here is the badge with all the paint.

[1ntCobra]

I have a Club Cobra baseball cap that I bought from MrMustang a bunch of years ago. I think he got out of selling them shortly after I got mine. Maybe Bill can comment on whose permission he got, if any.

[marcocsx3121]

As Ned pointed out, the Cobra Club was started by Bruce Jodar in 1972. I was the Eastern Regional Director, and the meetings/keg parties/street races that started at our New Jersey home were, officially, Cobra Club meetings. I still have the membership roster and the club newsletters ("Snake Bits"). As for the badge, we donated ours to the Chanteclair restaurant in NYC so that it could take its place as part of the collection of more or less historic car badges that the owner of the place, Maurice Dreyfus had collected. Monsieur Dreyfus had been the driving champion of France in the 1930s before becoming a New York restauranteur.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by marcocsx3121

As Ned pointed out, the Cobra Club was started by Bruce Jodar in 1972. I was the Eastern Regional Director, and the meetings/keg parties/street races that started at our New Jersey home were, officially, Cobra Club meetings. I still have the membership roster and the club newsletters ("Snake Bits"). As for the badge, we donated ours to the Chanteclair restaurant in NYC so that it could take its place as part of the collection of more or less historic car badges that the owner of the place, Maurice Dreyfus had collected. Monsieur Dreyfus had been the driving champion of France in the 1930s before becoming a New York restauranteur.

I have a pretty complete collection of "Snake Bits" as well as the SOA magazines. reading the "for sale" adverts just makes me very depressed.

[Alfa02]

Ok, gentleman the last 4-post's are from Long time member's. As such, are we processing in the proper manner? to see this badge become a reality. I for one, being a "new member" but a old guy, would love to have my Cobra wear a badge, with "our' logo on it. Any help would be greatly appreciated (idea's, comments, etc.) As you can tell Buzz, is our driving factor with his design, but I will help anyway possible. Thank you, Tom.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by A-Snake

Will you have to spell it Kobra? You know like they do with Krab.

Ironically, I went to a new sushi restaurant last night and ordered the sashimi platter. For the most part it was quite nice but I was disappointed to see pieces of that krab stuff thrown in. It was spelled with a "c" on the menu so I told the waitress that's false advertising. In two minutes she returned with 5 slices of hamachi. All's well that ends well.

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by Buzz

Ironically, I went to a new sushi restaurant last night and ordered the sashimi platter. For the most part it was quite nice but I was disappointed to see pieces of that krab stuff thrown in. It was spelled with a "c" on the menu so I told the waitress that's false advertising. In two minutes she returned with 5 slices of hamachi. All's well that ends well.

Wow, you came out great on that!

[Alfa02]

As this post has just about run it course, Buzz & I thought it time to start a post for the new "Club Cobra" badge he has designed. To see how much interest it generates, everybody good with that?

[my427cobra]

So here's a weird idea.

What if we could create a square badge with the "Club Cobra" name along the bottom and a circular hole in the center large enough to "press" a Cobra hood/decklid badge into the hole.

Using a purchased Cobra badge and "installing" it into the Club Cobra badge could sidestep the copyright concerns. I think.

Cheers
Greg

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by my427cobra

So here's a weird idea.

What if we could create a square badge with the "Club Cobra" name along the bottom and a circular hole in the center large enough to "press" a Cobra hood/decklid badge into the hole.

Using a purchased Cobra badge and "installing" it into the Club Cobra badge could sidestep the copyright concerns. I think.

Cheers
Greg

Cleaver thought, but FWIW I'll relate a similar project that didn't work. A guy stitched a Harley-Davidson patch onto the back of a directors chair. They were real patches purchased from HD. He was selling the director chairs on line described as Harley-Davidson director chairs. HD sent him a cease & desist letter

[Buzz]

Correct! Using licensed retail material as part of a new product is asking for more problems. Copyright issues really shouldn't be a concern with this. We create our own Club Cobra logo and we make a handful of badges and that's that. All we need is Brent's approval to use "Club Cobra".