Cobra registery

[boxhead]

Just a quick question
Where is this cobra registery that alot of people keep mentionig?
Is it only available to Cobra owners or can someone like me go and check it out?
I would like to checkout the history of these cars and look at as many pics that i can

[computerworks]

The Registry is published by SAAC (Shelby American Automobile Club).

It is not 'on-line'; it is a hardbound book. The last printing was 1997. It has been reprinted, but not updated, and is for sale by SAAC for $125.00

http://www.saac.com/saacStuff/index.html

[Cal Metal]

If you are interested in owning one, you may wish to wait. The new edition should be out in less than a year--the Cobra and the GT-40s. The remaining text on the Shelbys, etc. will be later on.

[Ron61]

Cal,

Is the Cobra and the GT-40 going to be the title of the new registry ? I have been getting mine in the past from Classic Motorbooks. Do you know of a better place that may have the new version before they get it ?

Thanks,

Ron

[Cal Metal]

Ron:

I don't know. If memory serves--and Computerworks can correct me on this--I thought the '97 Registry was, initially, only available through SAAC. That is where I bought mine. We had a thread on this some time ago, but I cannot find it in the archives.

Just found it. It looks like the time line was a year and a half, as of last June. Looks like the end of '03 before it is here. The Shelby info will be a year and a half beyond the end of '03.

[Ron61]

Cal,

Thanks for the info. I will contact the SAAC club here that I belong to and see if they know when it will be available for sure. I have just always gotten mine through that Classic Motorbooks that I mentioned as they seem to have more car related books than any other place I have found. It will be interesting to see how many changes of ownership and what modifications have been made and reported.

Ron

[Jim Maxwell]

My friend, Ned Scudder, is the SAAC Cobra Registrar. He advised me at the end of March, 2003, that the next SAAC Cobra Registry is scheduled for publication in the summer of 2004. In the past, all of the Shelbys have been in a single volume. The first "Cobra World Registry", published in "Winter 1973", compiled by Bill Kemper, had all of 23 pages. The next Registry was published in August, 1976 by the fledgling SAAC, and had 82 pages. The next Registry was 1982, with 480 pages, then 1987, with 583 pages, and finally the 1997 Registry, with 1336 pages!!!
Because of the huge volume of data, and the desire to have a photo of each Cobra in the next edition, the Cobras and GT40 will reportedly have their own volume and the Shelby Mustangs and later cars will have a separate volume.
The publication date of the 1997 Registry was pushed back many times as more and more data pored in. Hopefully, this projection of Summer 2004 will hold.
I suggest that those who want a copy of the new Registry when it becomes available, go through SAAC to get it. You don't have to be a member to buy stuff from them. Just monitor their web site for more info.
Some interesting names pop up in that very first Registry. For instance, Lynn Park, of Trigo Wheels, had CSX 2046, Ken Eber, of SAAC, had 2226, a man from New Haven Connecticutt named Charles Schwab (yes, THAT Charles Schwab, or Charlie, as he was referred to in early Cobra club literature) had 2228, Bill Kemper had 2283, 2340, Ned Scudder had 2306, and well known Cobra nuts, Carter Gette, Peter DeSilva, Charles Ford, Marc Hefte, Geoff Howard, Don Silawsky and Gordon Gimble are all mentioned. These guys were some of the first absolute Cobra fanatics, and some of them still are.

[boxhead]

Thanks for the responses.
I had no idea it would be a book,
I will look into buying one, it will help with the long nights waiting till i get my car.

[STEPHEN BROHOLM]

G'day Boxhead.
I remember there being a copy available at a motor book store at Parramatta in NSW.
I can't remember the name of the store , however they deal in military books aswell. The shop is on Chuch street, Parramatta.

[kevinR]

The new Registry will be in two volumes. The first one is expected to be the Cobra/GT-40 in 04. The second will be the mustangs a year later (05). The 1997 registry was intended to be the 1995 version. However, there was a large influx of new information and the 1995 version was held up to be certain the new information was included. There is an effort to get a photo of each car for the new set (but no open hood shots). However, for some reason a lot of folks don't send in photos when asked for one.

The quickest way to get a new set. When SAAC starts it's pre-purchase period, sign-up and pay the cost. Places like Classic tend to get them after SAAC sends the pre-purchase ones out. It's correct that you don't have to be a member of SAAC to get one. But then you don't need to own a CSX Cobra/Shelby Mustang to be a member either.

So if you own a CSX Cobra (regardless of series number), GT-40, or Shelby Mustang, contact the appropriate registrar (SAAC website) to be certain your car is properly documented. At this point in time, I can assure many owners of the 4000, 7000, and 8000 series they will be disappointed when they see the new registry and their name is not in it. with over 300 cars built to date, less than 100 are registered. As a SAAC registrar, I can only put in the registry what is documented. Meaning, the registrars can't print what the owners (and historical documents) don't supply.

I hope this helps

[Ron61]

I belong to the NOR-Cal chapter of the SCCA and I contacted one of our nationl reps and he told me that the registry which was scheduled for Summer of 2004 as Jim Maxwell stated is having problems getting organized and may not make that date. Kevin thanks for the name as the guy I talked to was not even sure just what it wouold be called. But it does seem that it will be out sometime in 2004. So I will just watch the websites and get my order in as soon as they take them.

Ron