SAAC-32 Trip Report

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by SFM5S159

Ron,
Hi from Mike in Cincinnati!
So how many coupes made the show? I saw at least two.
I know this is the Cobra forum, but did you get any pics or counts on R-models? I could not make it, but thanks so much for the pics!
MC

Mike...

...I reviewed picture sets take by my buddy at SAAC, Bill Malone, and he did find an R-Model there...5R106

[jay bentley]

Originally Posted by computerworks

The Shelby American Collection was there in force, with some nice cars from the Boulder facility



Larry Miller, as you know, has an awesome personal collection. They have set up a museum at the track's welcome center that rivals the Boulder museum in size and content.

A great photo op was the replication of the famous Cobra Caravan picture...with real cars.

Here is 5R535. I also saw Howard Pardee's 5R095 in a picture from the convention. That would make 3 R-Models so far.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by jay bentley

Here is 5R535. I also saw Howard Pardee's 5R095 in a picture from the convention. That would make 3 R-Models so far.

Didn't know if 535 was a real R-model...thanks

Originally Posted by jay bentley

I also saw Howard Pardee's 5R095 in a picture from the convention.

Was it white?

(...just kidding )

[Power Surge]

Hey Ron, I know you have a GT-350H, do you ever do anything with it? Is it a completed car?

[DavidinDurango]

Yessir, that is the suspect!

It was sure great seeing all the old warriors out and about.

Originally Posted by CSX2009

To David:

Is this the white GT40 at SAAC 32 that you were talking about?



I'm assuming that it is gt40 p/1037 the Comstock Racing gt40?

[DAVID GAGNARD]

Isn't Kopec's # 98 Essex Wire car an R model??????

I think there are a couple of R-models from the cars that Cobra Automotive brings to the SAAC events to race........not sure which or how many cars they brought to Utah this year........

BTW: If you ever get a chance, ask Howard Pardee the story behind him buying 095, it's a hilarouis story to say the least........

Ron; By chance do you know who won the Vintage race???? maybe the top three finishers????

David

[Johan]

I wish you had taken the time to peel up this sticker because the original Mustang number is below it. Then you could have pointed it out to the owner.
I bet he would have been surprised to see it !

[jay bentley]

I wasn't going to go there, but Johan is correct on this one.

Jay

[hurricaneharold]

Originally Posted by computerworks

CSX2201

Great photo`s

[Trevor Legate]

Thanks Ron - I shall now write out 1000 times "I did not attend SAAC32 because...."

Oh well, at least we have our Goodwood shindigs over here where the weather is usually cooler. We also have something called rain. Not sure I'll ever forget the incredible heat at the SAAC gathering at Charlotte in '98, so maybe rain is not so bad!

[BMK]

Trevor Legate

Trev,

I made the 31st and really enjoyed it. Looks like I may need to write my lines as to why I didn't make SAAC 32 also..

[BMK]

Computerworks

Ron,

Great photos, thanks for sharing. It was good to see some of the cars again.

[hey,littlecobra]

hey Ron. I read somewhere (maybe gasholes?) that somebody asked if there was going to be a tribute to Dick Smith at the banquet Saturday night. I think you replied something about you'd see that night.
Well on this thread you have pictures from the banquet, but I don't think I've read anywhere about a tribute to Dick.
At the Tulsa mid-America meet there was a nice tribute- I was wondering if they did indeed have one at SAAC??

thanks very much!
Kristen

hehe. as a 'guy' would post it, it would probably say "any tribute to Dick on Saturday night?"

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by hey,littlecobra

...somebody asked if there was going to be a tribute to Dick Smith at the banquet Saturday night. I think you replied something about you'd see that night.
Well on this thread you have pictures from the banquet, but I don't think I've read anywhere about a tribute to Dick.
At the Tulsa mid-America meet there was a nice tribute- I was wondering if they did indeed have one at SAAC??

I recall a brief mention of Dick's passing but unfortunately, there was nothing that was part of the formal dinner program.

[VRM]

Originally Posted by computerworks

I recall a brief mention of Dick's passing but unfortunately, there was nothing that was part of the formal dinner program.

A couple of years ago I suggested revving engines of all the Corvettes at Carlisle to commemorate Chip Miller (co-founder of Carlisle, Corvette guy, and very cool person). They do the engine revving thing every year now. Perhaps the same thing should be done for Cobra people. It's a fantastic and touching thing to be in the middle of a few thousand screaming cylinders.

JMHO,
Steve

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by VRM

Perhaps the same thing should be done for Cobra people.

That was done in a timely fashion, to honor Dick Smith, at the Knott's show this year

[VRM]

Originally Posted by computerworks

That was done in a timely fashion, to honor Dick Smith, at the Knott's show this year

Yep, perhaps something a bit larger than just a local club, though I'm sure it was impressive at Knotts Farm as well. He was a good guy for all Cobra enthusiasts. As were Hal Keck and Ed Hugus.

I'm thinking maybe someone reads the names of anyone important to the Cobra hobby at the banquet, followed by a moment of silence, and then the next day all the engines rev at noon.

Steve

[chuckbrandt]

Originally Posted by computerworks

As we were setting up for judging on Saturday, they told me one more car was coming....soon, the ground rattled...and what pulled up? A King Cobra under its own power playing some sweet music on those pipes...

Hey Ron,
Thanks for the great photo coverage of SAAC-32! I am really kicking myself for not being there. Unfortunately it coincided with my wife's 40th birthday. I almost had her convinced to spend it in Utah but then her family arranged a trip to Cabo instead. Bill's King Cobra is truly stunning and does sound great too, I've only heard it at idle, can't wait to hear it at speed. Did Bob Bondurant have a new biography book available? He thought it might be ready before the event.

Thanks again, so sorry I missed it.

Chuck Brandt

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by chuckbrandt

Did Bob Bondurant have a new biography book available? He thought it might be ready before the event.

Yes, with Phil Henne. They were there with the book...and did signing sessions.

[csx3326]

[quote=computerworks]CSX3326...
(...I'll wait for the responses on this one..... )

...a street car fixed up with all the S/C dressing.




RE: CSX3326

2009 SAAC Shelby Cobra Registry CSX-3326 Documented History Footnote (new updated version).

3326. Red/black interior. Invoiced to Shelby American on 11/7/66. Built at the West Imperial Highway plant with a single 4V 427 engine, the car’s chassis number was given a 67 prefix. It was invoiced on 8/3/67 to Negle Ford, Inc.(Rochester, NY) as 1967 Cobra (red) CSX3326 ($6,595.00); less single 4V carb rather than dual 4V (-$100); plus freight ($325.50), for a total of $6,820.50. Following its delivery to Nagle on 8/24/67, the Cobra was purchased by Paul Nichter (South Wales, NY). It was registered with the NY tag LC-2740. In 68, Nichter blew the car’s original engine. After a discussion with Shelby American he received a new one which had lightweight heads and various Holman-Moody modifications. Nichter, who held an SCCA competition license and raced a Camaro, lent 3326 one evening in 1969 to two friends who were unfamiliar with the performance attributes of a 427 Cobra. The 4/26/69 edition of the Buffalo Evening News picked up the story from there: Two men died when a high-powered, low slung, $6000 sports car hit a small, concrete-block storage house off the Scajaquada Expressway near Grant Street at 10:20 pm Friday. Police said the victims had borrowed the 1967-model car from a friend about an hour earlier. That car was better suited to racing than being on public highways, a policeman told the Buffalo Evening News. Dead are: Charles R. Gilbert, 28, of 80 Ashland Avenue, the driver; and James Cooper, 28, of 221 Summer Street...Firemen said the car was engulfed in flames when they arrived....Police reported finding more than 300 feet of skid marks [and]? identified the owner as Paul Nichter, of 11165 Center Road, South Wales. They said the auto was capable of speeds in excess of 150 mph. A photo accompanied the article, showing a bent Cobra with Sunburst wheels that, although burned on its left side, was clearly whole. Nichter’s insurance agent paid the claim and allowed Nichter to re-acquire the wreck in order to salvage the car’s engine and transmission, noting that firm Cobra prices had left Nichter somewhat under-insured. Nichter replaced the wrecked Cobra with another one which, through pure coincidence, happened to be one chassis number removed, CSX3327. For a number of years following the wreck of 3326, speculation and innuendo created several possible scenarios as to what became of the car, some of which were fueled by statements erroneously attributed to Nichter himself. Finally, in 01, Paul Nichter produced a notarized statement which settled the issue: ?I, Paul Nichter, of 344 Vulcan Street, Buffalo, NY, hereby offer a statement of facts relative to my ownership and subsequent sale of two 427 Cobras, VIN CSX3326 and CSX3327: In 1974 I advertised CSX3327 for sale and entered into a sales agreement with a man whose name I recall as John Weber, of Ohio. As part of the deal between Mr. Weber and myself, a cash deposit along with a bank letter of credit was used by Mr. Weber as his down payment. An agreement was struck for Mr. Weber to aquire some parts from me, including race Cobra wheels and the wrecked remains of 3326, less its engine and transmission. The parts car that Mr. Weber obtained, CSX3326, was deemed to have no value at this time, as it had been involved in a severe accident in 1969 and was considered to be junk. I had received it back from my insurance company shortly following its destruction in order to remove its engine and transmission, which I sold in 1969. The remaining shell of CSX3326 was sold as a source of spare parts for the second Cobra, CSX3327, within the package deal between Mr. Weber and myself. Although I had allowed Mr. Weber over 30 days to pay off the remaining balance of $9000 which was owed me in our sales agreement, the buyer was unable to produce the funds. I therefore demanded the return of CSX3327 along with the spare parts he had taken. I did receive CSX3327 back from Mr. Weber, however he kept my spare set of race wheels and the wrecked remains of of CSX3326. Mr. Weber and I finally agreed that that I would retain the deposit monies and he would keep the wrecked remains of CSX3326. He was to have returned to me the spare race wheels, but never did so, and I feel to this day he still owes me these wheels. Following the sale of both CSX3326 and CSX3327 and the spare wheels I possessed up to that time, I no longer owned any parts or pieces from either of these two Cobras. It is my statement that the information contained herein is true. Signed and dated this 21st day of September, 2001. From Weber, the remains of 3326 were acquired by Bob Heller (Clifton, OH) in 75. The founder of the Cobra Club, Bruce Jodar, submitted a written statement which backed up Nichter’s: As founder of the Cobra Club I had the opportunity to inspect a large number of Cobras in varying stages of repair. One such inspection took place in January of 1975 at the Ohio home of Bob Heller where I was shown the chassis and remains of a 427 Cobra which had been involved in a wreck. According to the notes taken at the time, the vehicle was determined to be authentic and bore the serial number CSX3326. Of note is the fact that Jodar? passed the information to the Cobra Club registrar, Bill Kemper, who produced the index card he kept for 3326. On it was written 1/15/76. Ref: Bruce Jodar: junk. wrecked and sold. OH, demonstrating that 3326 was no longer in Nichter’s possession later than 1975. The remains of the car were resold in 76 to Charles Ford (New Albany, OH), who noted in a written statement in 01 that he acquired the remains of CSX3326 (chassis, damaged; right front suspension; complete rear suspension; major portions of the left front suspension; steering rack with damaged left tie rod, and other parts) from Robert Heller of Clifton, OH. I did not get any body/ interior parts at that time. Prior to acquiring it, I had introduced Mr. Bruce Jodar, founder of The Cobra Club, to Mr. Heller, and he noted its location and condition for the registry. I had first seen the wrecked CSX3326 at the home of John Weber of Cincinnati, OH, when I purchased a 289 Cobra from him. At that time, the suspension was still in place but the body panels had been removed. Mr. Heller bought the the remains of 3326 and other parts from him. I subsequently got the chassis and suspension from Mr. Heller. Dana Beall of Parkersburg, WV acquired the majority interest in CSX3326 from me when I decided I did not have the time to pursue its restoration. I believe he later picked up all remaining pieces from Mr. Heller. Beall bought out Ford several years later. The chassis of 3326 was repaired where damaged, and fresh sheet metal was installed. Still unfinished, it was sold to a hobbyist in 01. As of 04, its restoration was ongoing. (It should be noted that a replica of 3326 was created in the fall of 81, based on a claimed sale of the wreck by Nichter some 6 years after it had already been sold to Ohio. The sale of 3326 was via a statement signed by Nichter’s secretary, and mentioned transfer of the title. But Nichter never received the title from his insurance company, hence he could not have transferred it or the car itself in 1981. According to Nichter, the dummy paperwork - which he never signed - resulted from the sale of miscellaneous T-Bird parts. The last known locale of the finished replica was CO.)