History Question - when did the first 30 something 427 chassis landed on LAX

[Szabo]

Hello,

i had a question about a point of Time.

when did the first batch of 427 chassis was deliverd on LAX from England



I have this early bird view pic which we see around 30 something chassis in the sun...
this was shortly befor June 1965



the Cobras stands pretty much during mostly all Pics from LAX somewhere in the backround
until all was produced.





on the other side i have this Pic from a GT350R on LAX from a articel made July 1965
but i am not sure, because no Cobras in the backround, but we can clearly see the blastwall
to the end.

So i suggest that the Pic was made befor first Cobras was landed

What do you think



Greets from Germany

Stephan

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Last photo could have been taken in this area.

[Cobra Ned]

The initial batch of 427 Cobras landed at Shelby American early in January of '65.

[98SVT - was 06GT]

The initial batch of 427 Cobras landed at Shelby American early in January of '65.

Did all 427s come by air? Did they have slave wheels on them when shipped? I've seen many pictures with them up on blocks - figured the wheels went back to the factory to be used for the next delivery.

[shelbydoug]

The initial batch of 427 Cobras landed at Shelby American early in January of '65.

Did all 427s come by air? Did they have slave wheels on them when shipped? I've seen many pictures with them up on blocks - figured the wheels went back to the factory to be used for the next delivery.

I don't remember that question ever being answered but I do remember a comment that there was a shortage of wheels.

The first picture clearly shows the cars freshly unloaded with wheels and tires on them next to the TWA plane.

That plane is huge. Is 30 Cobras the limit it could hold? Shipping cost must have been enormous. The 289's came by boat right?

There were stories of the longshoremen walking across the hoods of the cars on board.

[Cobra Ned]

While we know when the first 427 cars were billed out to SAI, as well as when the work orders for the cars were opened in CA, there is no paperwork to document the manner in which the cars were shipped, but the demand for them would make it likely they went by plane. An initial batch of 15 "coil spring race cars" is simply designated "Shelby, Los Angeles," with the notation "TW 581." That likely meant TWA Flight 581, but we don't know for certain. Later, there is a notation by each of the remaining 30xx cars saying "TWA." The last batch of "coil spring race cars" arrived in March of '65.

[shelbydoug]

While we know when the first 427 cars were billed out to SAI, as well as when the work orders for the cars were opened in CA, there is no paperwork to document the manner in which the cars were shipped, but the demand for them would make it likely they went by plane. An initial batch of 15 "coil spring race cars" is simply designated "Shelby, Los Angeles," with the notation "TW 581." That likely meant TWA Flight 581, but we don't know for certain. Later, there is a notation by each of the remaining 30xx cars saying "TWA." The last batch of "coil spring race cars" arrived in March of '65.

Were the street coil spring cars shipped by air as well?

TWA581 no longer comes up in a Google search. Maybe that was a Shelby special charter flight?

[Cobra Ned]

The street 427 cars have the names of the ships they were sent on in the AC Cars production log.

[Hov]

I don't think this will help much, but the third photo from the top was taken by my neighbor, Ron Peters, who drove his Corvette trailering a ski boat behind it from Seattle. What is good is that the date of the photo is known, within 6 days. Ron wanted to take a tour of Shelby American at LAX because he had seen the Corvettes being dominated by Cobras. He wanted to visit the factory for himself. As he was entering into L.A.. soon he was driving through a section where there were fires all around him and he soon realized the people there were of darker complexion. The Corvette roadster towing a ski boat kind of slightly stuck out. What Ron did not know was that he was driving through the middle of the Watts Riot. The riots were from August 11-17, 1965. I had dinner with Ron last month, with a 1965 calendar, we could probably narrow the photo down to within 2 days. When Ron arrived at Shelby American, the gates were locked, the plant was closed. I am not sure if this was a result from the riots or if it was on the weekend.  Luckily Ron, put the lens of his camera through the chain linked fence and took the photo you see.  Not sure why this photo is in black and white, the one I gave to Rick Kopec was in color.               

[Szabo]

I don't think this will help much, but the third photo from the top was taken by my neighbor, Ron Peters, who drove his Corvette trailering a ski boat behind it from Seattle. What is good is that the date of the photo is known, within 6 days. Ron wanted to take a tour of Shelby American at LAX because he had seen the Corvettes being dominated by Cobras. He wanted to visit the factory for himself. As he was entering into L.A.. soon he was driving through a section where there were fires all around him and he soon realized the people there were of darker complexion. The Corvette roadster towing a ski boat kind of slightly stuck out. What Ron did not know was that he was driving through the middle of the Watts Riot. The riots were from August 11-17, 1965. I had dinner with Ron last month, with a 1965 calendar, we could probably narrow the photo down to within 2 days. When Ron arrived at Shelby American, the gates were locked, the plant was closed. I am not sure if this was a result from the riots or if it was on the weekend.  Luckily Ron, put the lens of his camera through the chain linked fence and took the photo you see.  Not sure why this photo is in black and white, the one I gave to Rick Kopec was in color.               

Hello,

thank you very much, i love every answer and backround information...
seems that this point was of high interest, no matter when you see pure Racecars
i have a later one from End of 1966 from nearly the same spot but with different cars on it

from this shoot i have this one in colour
i would love to get a higher resolution or more of this pics,
maybe you can send me a PM and when you get a point in time also...

Coloured pics are always the salt in the soup

Thank you Stephan

[Szabo]

While we know when the first 427 cars were billed out to SAI, as well as when the work orders for the cars were opened in CA, there is no paperwork to document the manner in which the cars were shipped, but the demand for them would make it likely they went by plane. An initial batch of 15 "coil spring race cars" is simply designated "Shelby, Los Angeles," with the notation "TW 581." That likely meant TWA Flight 581, but we don't know for certain. Later, there is a notation by each of the remaining 30xx cars saying "TWA." The last batch of "coil spring race cars" arrived in March of '65.

Thank you all for your answers and the deeper look at it ...

So only the Racecars was flight from Januar to March, right ?

all the Street Cars from CSX31xx to end comes per Ship and then transported by transporters
to LAX and stand in the same row

Stephan

[Cobra Ned]

Now, surely we have learned that when it comes to Shelby American, there are no absolutes, right? The first three 427 "road cars" - 3118, 3120, and 3127 - were each sent to L.A. via TWA. It appears the balance of the street cars were sent via boat. But where most are listed as "Shelby / Los Angeles / SS (boat name)", roughly ten say "Shelby / Los Angeles / via New York." There is no mention of SS, hence it does not appear as if New York was a vessel. It remains a mystery.

[Hov]

Sorry, thought the angle was off a little on the black and white shot, the color photo above was the one taken by my neighbor, Ron Peters. I once looked through the Registry to determine which R models were under construction during the Watts riot. 

[Richstang]

Sorry, thought the angle was off a little on the black and white shot, the color photo above was the one taken by my neighbor, Ron Peters. I once looked through the Registry to determine which R models were under construction during the Watts riot.

No apologies needed. It might be a different photo but they sure do look like they were taken at the same time.
After all there were only so many R models built.

[Szabo]

Thats right

every pic, any thoughts bring me on in the journey to research
all is welcome

i will discuss this Cobra Row and the R theme in my LAX Thread
maybe you wanna look in

http://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=6549.msg136304#msg136304

Thanks a lot

Stephan