Which 289 Cobra appeared in Elvis "Spinout" (1966)?

[SunDude]

So I happen to find a DVD of the 1966 Elvis flick, "Spinout," in the bin at Big Lots for a mere $3 and decide to pick it up, as I know the movie features an original 427 racing Cobra (namely, CSX3002, CSX3011 and CSX3012 were all loaned to MGM for the film).

But to my surprise, I noticed a 289 Cobra in race trim was also in the film (!!). Check out the following screen caps and see for yourself.

I couldn't tell from the movie whether this 289 has cut-back doors, but you can clearly see the forward-facing rollbar, undercar exhaust and competition hood scoop.

Does anyone know what the chassis number is for this 289 comp Cobra?

[1985 CCX]

CSX2431 would be my guess........
Based on decal on hood, headlight screens and comp appearance.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

CSX2431 would be my guess........
Based on decal on hood, headlight screens and comp appearance.

Good call.

According to the SAAC Cobra Registry, CSX2203 and CSX2431 were used in the movie.

[PDUB]

Anyone know what type of mirror is above the dash, centered? Is it spun aluminum? CSX2459 had the same setup.

[StewbieC]

Looks like a Raydyot.

Pretty rare now, but repros are available.

[ALF]

Originally Posted by SunDude

Could it be, that this are Bob Bondurant (blue driver suite) and Ken Miles (white driver suite)????

This would be an other movie with great drivers on it after Grand Prix and Le Mans.

[SunDude]

That's Elvis in the light blue (not white) driving suit with the blue helmet, not Ken Miles I'm afraid.

[JBCOBRA]

Excellente Pictures!
Thanks Sundude

[CobraEd]

What is wrong with the header/sidepipe on the white car? It looks all peeled back.


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[computerworks]

Originally Posted by CobraEd

What is wrong with the header/sidepipe on the white car? It looks all peeled back.


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Early comp side pipes were not 'press-fit' and had external squeeze-flanges with bolts on the pipes.

[CobraEd]

Thanks for the info!


.

[Historybuff]

I think it's a 427 big block because the outside exhausts come out of the body side where the racing 289s with outside pipes had them under the car. Also the bulge of the rear fenders is more pronounced than in the USRRC or FIA small block race cars. I have also seen a still picture of Elvis standing next to the car. If you see the movie, Elvis is driving the car for almost 30 seconds, in seems, down Pacific Coast Highway when some babe comes along and interrupts him (those pesky women!). I am surprised that, once he experienced a 427 Cobra, Elvis didn't want one for his own...

the car might have been the same one that, when it raced , was known as Ollie the Dragon because it at one time had Webers and would belch flames out the air scoop

PS How did you get those pictures from a movie? Is the quality even better than we see on our computer screens?

[Fordzilla]

Elvis didn't need to own one, he got to flog the movie rental Cobras! He & a buddy of mine ran the snot out of CSX 2019 while filming "Viva Las Vegas".

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Historybuff

I think it's a 427 big block because the outside exhausts come out of the body side where the racing 289s with outside pipes had them under the car. Also the bulge of the rear fenders is more pronounced than in the USRRC or FIA small block race cars.

NOT the white car Wally, the dark colored one is the 289....and the pipes come below the bodywork.

[SunDude]

Originally Posted by Historybuff

PS How did you get those pictures from a movie? Is the quality even better than we see on our computer screens?

The source is just a basic widescreen DVD, not HD-DVD or Blu-Ray.

All I did was view the movie in Windows Media Player, pause it where I wanted it, did a simple screen cap (Ctrl-Print Screen), then pasted the image into Windows Paint, and saved it as a JPG. Pretty unsophisticated really, but it seemed to have worked fairly well.

(By the way Elvis was driving the white 427 comp Cobra in the scene you describe, where he gets squeezed off the road and into the river at a narrow bridge by Shelley Fabares at the wheel of a red Ferrari convertible.)

[*13*]

Where were these shots filmed? Some of the spots look familiar

[PDUB]

Thanks for the info Stu!

[Nedsel]

Interesting that, although Elvis was driving a white Cobra when he was forced off the bridge and into the water, when the next scene comes along, the car half floating in the river is a stunt-double that looks like a Cobra much in the same way that Joan Rivers looks like Angelina Jolie. Not a great casting job. Guess the Shelby rental contract didn't allow full submersion of their cars? Anybody know why?

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by Nedsel

Interesting that, although Elvis was driving a white Cobra when he was forced off the bridge and into the water, when the next scene comes along, the car half floating in the river is a stunt-double that looks like a Cobra much in the same way that Joan Rivers looks like Angelina Jolie. Not a great casting job. Guess the Shelby rental contract didn't allow full submersion of their cars? Anybody know why?

Don't you think the car would have needed a salvage title after going for a swim? But in the fanasty world of this movie, Elvis got the car running soon after, didn't he?

[1ntCobra]

Interestingly the stunt double Cobra has been in a couple of Elvis related museums, as the Cobra from the movie.