Dragonsnake Heaven

Cal Metal · #1 (**permalink**) 10-03-2003, 09:00 PM

Dragonsnake heaven at the Mini-Nats...

4RE KLR · #2 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 05:50 AM

Cal
This may be a stupid question but how many Dragonsnakes were there? Are they all accounted for?

not trivia, I do not know this answer. I have always liked the way those cars look and was just curious.

computerworks · #3 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 06:06 AM

Steve...the "Dragonsnake" concept ended up as an optional factory-configuration that could be ordered from SA for a drag Cobra.... several were sold.
However, it originated with a factory-campaigned car that was active in local SoCal drags as a publicity car for SA.

From earlier discussions, I have this list of known Dragonsnake configs:

CSX 2019------Factory PR Dragonsnake
CSX 2093------Famous Costilow/Larson car. This was an independent car, non factory built, perhaps the most famous of all the DS cars.
CSX 2248------Factory built for Customer (the El-Cid car)
CSX 2353------Independent (Siebens-Sidel car. )
CSX 2357------Factory car (second one built)
CSX 2427------Factory Prepared/independently campaigned.

CSX 3198------Factory Prepared car for Harr Ford. Only 427 built.

RICK LAKE · #4 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 06:10 AM

Cal Metal NICE PICTURES. Bruce Larson has one in brownish red. It's been to Carlisle Ford show acouple of years. Same question, are there any BB dragons Cal Rick Lake

computerworks · #5 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by computerworks
CSX 3198------Factory Prepared car for Harr Ford. Only 427 built.

Cal Metal · #6 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 09:10 AM

The Harr Ford DragonSnake that Ron posted is the only legitimate 427 DS ever produced. Gus Zuidema drove this car, working as an employee for Harr. There is some interesting controversey surrounding the car between Shelby and Harr Ford over blown engines and transmissions. The Registry does a good job in sorting out the mess. This car was recently offered in the Snakebite for $450,000.

In the first pic, the smaller gentleman is Tony Stuhr, I think. He was one of the four Shelby employees who built and campaigned CSX 2019, the first Factory DS. That car is still in unrestored condition. It is owned by CC member, Hal Heimdal.

REAL 1 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 09:25 AM

Cal: Thanks for the pics. Neat stuff.

Ron: You are amazing man! A virtual walking Cobra encyclopedia.

Carroll DeWeese · #8 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 10:13 AM

I love the Dragonsnakes. The hardtop contributes to performance and looks. I knew that the factory produced 2 but now I know that 5 additional "originals" were built. Thanks.

Cal Metal · #9 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 06:40 PM

Special thanks to Rich Mason, owner of CSX 2196 (Flip Top) and CSX 2427 (DragonSnake) for sending me the pictures that were posted on this thread.

For those of you who don't know Rich, he is a great guy and a consumate collector. I sometimes think he was born in the future and came back to own all these great, historic cars. How can one guy be so perceptive?

He also has some great Corvettes of the past, including the ultra rare Corvette SR-2 Race car. If you think the Daytona Coupes are rare, this BowTie is a true one of a kind.

computerworks · #10 (**permalink**) 10-04-2003, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cal Metal

He also has some great Corvettes of the past, including the ultra rare Corvette SR-2 Race car. ...

Spectacular!

This one is Mason's.....

Cal Metal · #11 (**permalink**) 10-05-2003, 07:45 AM

Great job, Ron. Real 1 is right: you should be the Registered Archivist for CC.

TimG427 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-06-2003, 10:42 AM

I met a man at a car show recently that appeared completly legitimate. He let me know that he ordered CSX3007 brand new for drag racing in California. He had very specific details of running the car for two years. Shelby helped him with advice in the early days. He said the car was a comp car in solid silver, no stripes.
Does anyone know of this car? I did not get his name.
He said the CSX3007 car carried lots of fame due to the James Bond movies of the 60's and it being 007.
One other note, I was at Nabers Motors over the weekend and they were kind enough to show me the Delmo Johnson Z06 Corvette that finished 17th at Sebring in 1963. Poor shape, but the car is the actual Z06. Fun to see.

Cal Metal · #13 (**permalink**) 10-06-2003, 11:32 AM

Tim:

CSX 3007 was originally invoiced to Bradley Wagner of Springfield, Illinois. It was subsequently reconfigured by Shelby--under work order #13234--to a drag car. Car was sold to Perry Reese in the late 60s. Sold in the 70s to Lenn Abell (GA), the car is owned by a Japanese collector in Yokohama.

There is no evidence in the Registry that the car's original owner was from California.. Shipping charges to Illinois for $470 seem to negate that fact. There is no mention of where Mr. Reese was domiciled, but he wasn't the original owner, either. No mention of a James Bond connection. Maybe people confused the Cobra with a Aston Martin DB 5. Hard to imagine, though.

Initial purchase price was $11,044.00 with trailer.

BTW, Rich Mason also owned the famous Delmo Johnson '62 Sebring Corvette--the one that pre dates the '63 ZO6 you mentioned.

TimG427 · #14 (**permalink**) 10-06-2003, 12:29 PM

Thank you, my hope was that someone with a registry would check the history of 007. I may have just taken it for granted that he was living in California because he said that he worked very close with Shelby on beefing up the rear end. He discussed at length aoubt the rear and how durable it was. Only with slicks and lots of traction could they damage the half-shafts. I enjoyed talking with him. My hope is that he was the original owner.
I am kicking myself for not getting his contact information.

computerworks · #15 (**permalink**) 10-06-2003, 12:42 PM

Tim... the Registry notes that the original color of the car was Silver-Blue, and that it was built with "shorty" side pipes.

Cal Metal · #16 (**permalink**) 10-06-2003, 01:04 PM

Tim:

The white pages shows a number of Bradley Wagners (some with multiple listings) in the Greenville/Blanco, Tx area. Is this close to you?

TimG427 · #17 (**permalink**) 10-06-2003, 01:08 PM

Blanco is about 40 miles from Austin. Very close.

mike_cavanaugh · #18 (**permalink**) 11-07-2003, 10:41 AM

I'm working on getting the owner of the Harr Car to take it to SAAC 29 in Michigan. I'm thinking that it has not been out in public in a while.
Ron, Where in the world is that video of CSX3002 from down under? I'm begining to think it won't ever materialize. We are really interested in that footage. Anything I can do to help.
I think you already got a ride in 3002, didn't you?

Cal Metal · #19 (**permalink**) 11-07-2003, 11:04 AM

The one I would like to see is the 2019 car--the first Factory DS. It has never been restored and has been owned by the same person since 1967.

RedCSX · #20 (**permalink**) 11-07-2003, 02:18 PM

A couple of points on the Mini Nats. I helped coordinate the Drag Race at the Mini Nats this year. It was a big hit with all the members and the guest. Your correct Cal Metal, that's Tony Stohr in the picture. Super nice guy who is still active in cars. Mostly Hot Rods, no Shelby's. Tony went down the track in the Dragon Snake he use to race and it ran very poorly that day but still made it down the track if I remember correctly in under 13 seconds.
Rich Masons Flip Top, an incredible car was damaged when he spun out at the Monterey historics when Dick Smith (#198) blew and oil line in the last turn before the main straight. I hope I remebered that correctly as well.

Morgan