1ntCobra

I couldn't read that so I did a search myself. If I read this correctly, Ol' Shel now owns the SAAC trademark as of November 16, 2007. The plot thickens, someone please pass the popcorn.

Wayne

No, Wayne...it just means they filed an application for a trademark on that date as stated in that application.

There is a long process that follows before anything is granted.

Not my area of expertise (by any means), but I think "prior use" trumps this. :p

Certainly no expert here either, I just shoot from the hip mostly. :D

When I filed for MY business name to be recorded in Hawaii there was no 'law' that said I had to do that. The reason I filed the NAME was to protect it from others using it. That filing, in Hawaii, only protects me for (I think) 4 years at a time, then I have to register it again. If I don't register it I suppose I MIGHT prevail in a court of law, but if a BIG DOG wanted the name, I wouldn't have the resources to fight them for it. I would simply loose control of my business name. Which would be a major blow to doing business, I could 'start over' with a new name. Yeah right, and give up a hard earned reputation among VERY confused clients? It would be a death blow to loose it.

I edited my post to add a link to a bigger version of the picture.

Trev...nobody asked him to leave, or to even stop posting. I responded to him as a member.

I'm not sure whether I'll back either organization's play in this pissing match...I would rather be out driving. But when somebody starts pontificating about how letters are written and what tactics ought to be used, do they think they are immune from a critical response? Doesn't mean he has to whine :CRY: when somebody calls him at the table.

How can I ignore utter crap like this?

"Obviously, our superM does not believe that 12 honest men right and true could judge anyone's guilt or honesty..."

Jurys wait until they hear all the evidence...exactly the point he refuses to accept.

Look at all the stuff coming out daily in this little mess. One might have seen SAAC's quote in a different light had they waited a few days and seen what was going on at the patent/trademark office...might seem like barbarians are indeed at the gate. Course, one also has to wonder WTF brought them there. Who knows what else is out there...we're getting fed info in little bits and pieces.

Anyway, as others have suggested....blah blah blah All I see are two clutches of fancy-assed folks who look (and have acted) like they belong in the Sun King's Court fighting for the favor of the people they have long not really given a damn about other than to be heaped praise from when they fart.

Given some time, maybe some heads will roll.

{FTF}

:cool:

Ron
I guess that I should have worded my post differently. I had checked and there were only 4 references to SAAC on the Trademark list, 2 dealing with pharmaceuticals and one with radio software so it looks like Shelby is the first to apply for a Trademark for "SAAC" dealing with automobiles and car promotional items (unless I am missing something). The date of the application is November 16, 2007. By the way, it seems like blow up dolls are the only thing not on their list of promotional items. :) :)

Wayne

Wayne - you shouldn't have said that about the blow-ups - there he goes
filing another application!:LOL:

I am surprised that SAAC did not already have a trademark as they sold the "SAAC" Mustang from the "SAAC Car Company" back in the early 90's. (the car they initially offered as a "Shelby" but apparently CS decided not to allow them to use the name).

Rick

I now say 41 pages..........

Hi Boss J

Only posted in fun -you know me, never take a durn thing seriously, especially in the wide and wonderful world of all things Cobra! I've been trying to document it for too long, so a kind of amused form of utter cynicism has kicked in. Especially in this case, when all we have is a letter from a lawyer, which I only consider the first shot across the bows and never to be taken too seriously - it's a form of checking out the opposition as are all such letters. I too consider the SAAC response somewhat OTT, but there again, I know not of what is taking place outside the public domain. Nor does anyone else.
I'm kinda surprised and yet not surprised by the situation, since I always had serious doubts about the (apparant to me only) SAAC policy to raise CS to the level of sainthood, as witnessed by the ecstatic club outpourings circa 1980 onwards. I thought that if anyones bottom was asking to be bitten, it was the SAAC butt. And so it comes to pass. Terribly sad though. Bye....(back to your 'reading-room')

Trev... ;)

50...at least.

Likewise indeedy, but can you now close this diatribe since I keep getting links dropping into my Inbox and I'm fed up deleting them...!

Gone again......

I'm pretty sure at the time SAAC said that Dodge was not happy with using the Shelby name on a Mustang, since Shelby was building Dodges back then.

I wonder if Shelbys version of SAAC is going to get into verification/restoration along the lines of Ferrari Classiche. Amy, any comments on that? Ferrari Classiche will verify chassis/engine numbers, options, etc on an old Ferrari, and can also perform full restorations to exact factory specs.

Anybody else notice the new logo on the SAAC site? I wonder if SAAC is going to try and hold onto the SAAC moniker as just a single name, rather than the intitials of the club name. They can't call themselves Shelby any more, but unless Shelby wins the SAAC trademark...

It's also interesting to note how other brands and manufacturers relate to their fan base. Corvette guys have the NCRS (non-profit, but somewhat similar in function to SAAC), and the Corvette Museum. They have a bunch of support from Chevy.
The Aston Martin Owners Club (and the associated Heritage Trust) also functions in a similar way to SAAC, but I am unable to determine if they are non-profit. They also have factory support. Aston even had a company historian (a very friendly and helpful gent who passed away a few years ago)!

I have never seen a manufacturer react like this to a supporting organisation - time to heat up the popcorn and see what happens.

Steve

A few years back, Porsche sent out a bunch of letters to businesses and clubs using the Porsche name, asking them to "cease and desist"...or something to that effect. Essentially, they said that that had to do that to protect their name, trademarks, etc. In the end, all of the Porsche clubs that I'm aware of were given the right to use the name "Porsche", as well as the logo (as far as I can tell, anyway). If there was a fee or not, I don't know, but I do know that none of the clubs that I'm aware of were put out of business or forced to change their name.

But hey, Ol' Shel is some kinda marketing genious, right?

Or, perhaps he needs to read " How to win friends and influence people."

Why do you go?
 

A hypothetical question for the members here - so if Carroll Shelby is going to have no connection with SAAC from this point forward - work with me on this - will you attend a SAAC national convention? I know that's the highlight for me - meeting and talking with The Man - because it ain't the track time. You definitely don't go to a SAAC national for track time. It may be for the cars - but how many concours cars are there anymore? The popular vote car show?. There are many regional shows with as good or better car turnouts. So will events such as the Mid America Shelby Meet in Tulsa every June benefit from this feud? If Carroll is a no show, will anyone attend? Why do you attend? The venue? The swap meet? The banquet? Is it all meaningless without Carroll? Don't flame out on this. I'm serious. I was drawn to the national meets because of the lure of CS. We all may say "fine, let's move on" to all this, but will it ultimately affect the viability of SAAC?

...don't think so, with your hypothetical, Doug.
CS hasn't been to a National Meet in years.
... of course it was nice when he was there...and he was missed when he wasn't....but the meet goes on.

Ron's right.
If you want to see him go to BJ's in Jan.

Doug;

CS has only been to 1/2 of the annual SAAC conventions that I have attended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The times he was there, I only got a very short glimpse of him as he was not in good health, his presence did not make any difference to me in that regard........

I go to see the cars, run on the track, and see old friends (some I only see this one time a year), and make new friends!!!!!! mainly the last two reasons.............

David

Yup...there's always rumors that he's gonna show, but it rarely happens.