Story of the Month(s) for August & September

Upon arrival and finishing of my Classic Roadster small block Cobra, I sat in the garage for 13 days waiting for the rain we never get, to stop.  First clear day, even though it was 45 degrees, here I went, to my enjoyment of thumbs up, vee signs, horn honks and what is it questions.  biggest rush I have had or want, being the old guy that I am.   Better than coffee in the morning or Viagra at night, because you don't have to wait that hour.  The only problem that day was that it ended too quickly and I knew that the following day, a group of friends from Europe were coming for a visit and that I would not be able to play with my new toy as much as I knew I would want.  A few days into their visit, they requested that I assist them in having some printing done, so I went to an old friend that  was in the printing business to give me a hand.   Carrying pictures like a new daddy, I went to visit him.  He told me that he had a friend that had just finished building a Cobra and  asked if it would be alright if he gave him my name and number so we could compare notes.  No problem since I thought it would be a while before I got a call from him.  I still had my foreigners hers and would be busy for a while. Thirty minutes later my cell phone rings and Tom Meadows calls.  We talk for a few minutes about getting together.  Come to find out, Tom lived less than one half mile from me.  I dumped all but one of my guests at the hotel and off to the garage I went to pick up my baby and go for a visit.

 Tom and a friend were standing outside his house waiting.  We shook hands and he told me that they had heard me coming.  The next thing I know Tom is sitting on the ground behind my car and telling me that this is his favorite view of a Cobra...it's the one most people see. 

After a ten minute look at the car, he asks if I want to see his ERA.   A quick trip to the shop behind his house and WOW!!!!  Absolutely the most gorgeous car I have ever seen !  Candy Brandywine with White pearl, 427 stroked to 454, 13-1 compression, 600+ hp.  I needed a cigarette after that.

After all the oohs and ahs were decided to take a run around North Dallas.  You very seldom see one Cobra, but two running together set Dallas traffic back!  The guy selling flowers at one light did not  even see or hear my car till the light changed.   We thought he died!   Unfortunately the cruise had to end all to soon.   Time to go back to the people who don't speak English.  Did you know that there is no word in Albanian for Cobra.  I always knew when they were talking about the cars.

The guests finally left and Tom and I began doing some serious cruising.   Occasionally, we would go visit our jobs, but mostly Cobras were the order of   the day.  I kept upgrading mine, trying to stay up with Tom at the area shows.   After all, he will tell you that he didn't throw the checkbook at his, he threw the whole damn bank.

Since that time, we have made the circuit of shows and cruises.  In 1998, we went to Tulsa for the Mid America Ford High Performance and Shelby Meet.  My car slid out of the trailer and crushed the right rear fender (Tom was afraid of the competition) but we showed anyway.  Tom's car won and I came in runner up.  Later that year, while my car was being repaired, Tom went to Charlotte and won the Nationals as best replica.   Bigger rush and great job. We've been feature cars in many shows.  Now we have started custom building cars for special customers and friends.  My new car was runner up in the 1999 Mid America show and will be the feature car in two shows in October.  Just lucked out at the Yellow Rose All Ford Nationals.  We are building a car for the new national water skiing champion and have been promised three magazines for articles and covers.  The dream continues.

I not only have a new passion for an old  love, I have a new brother, a whole lot of new friends and more dreams than I ever thought I would have.

Remember,  Cobras Rule and vetts and vipers drool.

God Bless'
Jay