Cobra and Racing Movies

Argess · #1 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 05:15 PM

I admit, Gumball Rally is my favourite movie. Saw it at the theatre when I was about 16 or so. Back in my subconcious, I must have remembered that Cobra and when I picked up my first Kit Car Magazine about 1982, I knew one day I would have to own one.

Way back on the Cobra list of movies is Indianna Jones and the Temple of Doom......little kid driving it with blocks strapped to his feet...sorta funny, but that movie came out before I owned a Cobra and I fear I was a tad envious of that little kid.

I've never seen the Elvis movie with a Cobra in it. Nor have I ever heard Bill Cosby's story of his Cobra ; "200 mph". I think the latter would be my preference.....

My second favourite racing movie, doesn't involve Cobra's, but it is James Garner in "Grand Prix". That old Grand Prix open wheel stuff was real racing.

A real gem of a racing movie is "the Big Wheel" with Mickey Roonie. A bit "hammy", but the scenes of old race cars and real racing footage is incredible.

"Lemans" with Steve McQueen is goood, but not much story line.

The chase scene in "Bullit" is far overated in my opinion.

Anyway, does anybody know of any other good movies featuring Cobras? I'd really like to get some vintage racing footage, but havn't found any so far.

SunDude · #2 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Argess

Way back on the Cobra list of movies is Indianna Jones and the Temple of Doom......little kid driving it with blocks strapped to his feet...sorta funny

I think you're confusing this with an early scene from "Romancing the Stone," where the young boy uses a bolo to knock out Kathleen Turner's sister in Colombia.

James Garner may not drive a Cobra in "Grand Prix" (only the best movie ever about motorsports), but he does drive a Shelby GT350 Mustang in it.

I'm aware of a few Hollywood films featuring original Cobras, but it seems that more and more of them are featuring replicas these days (think "Iron Man" and "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle" and "Bad Boys II" etc.).

You're right that some ol' Elvis movies had original Cobras in them, such as "Viva Las Vegas" and "Spinout." Look for original Cobras in "Hollywood Knights", "The Gumball Rally" and "Red Line 7000."

Argess · #3 (**permalink**) 08-24-2009, 06:04 PM

Yes, you're right....Romancing the Stone.

And I forgot to mention Ironman.....almost make a person cry to see that Cobra damaged. Seems to me BB2 also had the Cobra destroyed.

Thanks for the tips. I'll look them up.

SunDude · #4 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:05 AM

If you really want to buy a couple of great Cobra DVDs, I would suggest the following documentaries:

The Cobra Ferrari Wars, re-released as The Snake and the Stallion
Victory by Design: Ford Muscle

I have both of these in my collection and have watched them over and over again. Gotta haves, in my opinion.

You can buy the first one from Cobra Country and the second one from SpeedTV or the Victory by Design website. They're probably also available on Amazon.

rustyBob · #5 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 08:20 AM

Hey guy's i believe Bad Boys 1 had the Cobra in it not BBs 2( a Matt Adams Cobra),Bill Cosby's 200 mph will have you laughing so hard you will be crying.The Cobras used in Charlies Angels were Shell Valley cars and i believe they used 6 of them a couple of running cars and the rest were body only cars to distroy.The Cobra in the Elvis movie may not have been a Cobra at all i heard a rumor that it was something else like an Austin Healey but i cant say for sure.

Joe Wicked · #6 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 10:19 AM

Here the imdb for cars. http://www.imcdb.org/vehicles_make-Shelby.html

LREYBURN · #7 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 01:21 PM

Joe, I don't know when you were born, but in 1965 Shelby American loaned CSX 2540 to the Honey West TV Detective Series staring Anne Francis. The series is now available on DVD. The TV show was horrible but I kept watching just to catch glimpses of the Cobra. That was 2 years after I saw my first Sportscar Race at Lake Garnett, Kansas, where Cobras kicked Corvette's butt.

Dangerous Doug · #8 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 04:47 PM

Channel-flipping the other night and caught a glimpse of a Cobra on what I thought was a reality show.

Well, I guess you could call it a reality show. It was "To Catch a Predator" and some guy in Florida took his Cobra to go hook up with what he thought was a 13-year old girl for sex. Unfortunately for him, his date was with television cameras and the racey transcript of his conversation with the "girl" (Apparently, he likes Cobras AND bondage...), not to mention about 5-6 zealous police officers...

What a DS...

DD

lovehamr · #9 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:23 PM

It seems like I remember a Cobra, a GT40 and a couple of other no-doubt replicas being destroyed at the end of "The Punisher."(2004)

Steve

rustyBob · #10 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 07:58 PM

I almost forgot about the Cobra that was in the tv series Houston Knights with Michael Pera.

twobjshelbys · #11 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunDude

If you really want to buy a couple of great Cobra DVDs, I would suggest the following documentaries:

The Cobra Ferrari Wars, re-released as The Snake and the Stallion
Victory by Design: Ford Muscle

I have both of these in my collection and have watched them over and over again. Gotta haves, in my opinion.

You can buy the first one from Cobra Country and the second one from SpeedTV or the Victory by Design website. They're probably also available on Amazon.

There are two classes here: Fiction and Documentary.

Cobra Ferrari Wars / The Snake and the Stallion is and will be my favorite documentary.

johnc427 · #12 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 09:38 PM

Hollywood Knights has a race between a t bucket and a cobra towards the end. Guy Fieri from the food network show normaly drives a Pontiac Firebird but one stop had him in a Cobra in San Diego. The kid in the Indana Jones movie put blocks on his shoes and was driving an Auburn Speedster.

COBRANIP · #13 (**permalink**) 08-25-2009, 11:19 PM

"The Killers" 1964 version with John Cassavetes and Ronald Reagan.
John Cassavetes ("Johnny North") is a race car driver and races a Cobra with what looks like some authentic race footage. Has one of my favorite movie lines.....(by Lee Marvin)..."Lady.....I haven't got the time." You DO need to see the context!
Oh yeah,....has Angie Dickinson also.

Joe Wicked · #14 (**permalink**) 08-26-2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LREYBURN

Joe, I don't know when you were born, but in 1965 Shelby American loaned CSX 2540 to the Honey West TV Detective Series staring Anne Francis. The series is now available on DVD. The TV show was horrible but I kept watching just to catch glimpses of the Cobra. That was 2 years after I saw my first Sportscar Race at Lake Garnett, Kansas, where Cobras kicked Corvette's butt.

Don't worry Larry, I am as young as you think. I was born in 73 so the show was long gone before I came along. I have never seen it. My first introduction to the Cobra was at a 4th of July parade and car show in the town I grew up in in Nebraska. I was 14 and saw a black cobra. I drooled all over the car at the car show and asked the owner a lot of questions (albeit ones that people tire of like how fast is it, etc...) I remember for years "Shelby Cobra" stuck out in my mind. I always said I would have one. When I couldn't afford it I switched gears to Mustangs and have had a few of them now, but still trying to complete that dream that started 22 years ago.