Shelby American; USA Transporters and Service Vehicles

[Tinface]

How about this...

[Richstang]

That looks like an interesting photo. It does look like LAX, but I'm not sure from that blurry photo.
What's the story there? Any ID's on the cars.

Now that you've shown us that photo, I do recall seeing a double axle trailer with a GT40 MKII at LAX recently. So much for moving on to the Tractor Trailer Transporters. I'll have to dig into these two between the nor'easter clean up tomorrow.

[Tinface]

Hey FREDSTANG,

A buddy of mine posted this gt350 pulling an open trailer with a Cobra on it on my time line on face book. It must be very low on pixel count to come out as blurry as that—yea—my analysis is amazing isn't it?

Sorry about the blur.

It was just nice to see guys really living the bigger dream than I dreamt and have thus far lived. No kidding. Gives me great pleasure to know they lived it hard and fast.

Looks like fun to me!

Tin

[Richstang]

I'll get back to the double axle trailers when more info surfaces.

Let's move on to the Tractor Trailer Transporters. The first one to show up is the all red transporter. I think the cab is a Ford N650. It only sticks around for the 1963 season, then disappears. The first sighting was at Sebring unloading the no16 red Cobra. Here are two color photos. The first at Lake Garnett, the second possibly at Bridgehampton

[Richstang]

Here's a few more at Bridgehampton in B&W and with the notes I've gathered for this transporter through the full season.

Cab #1 - '63 Ford N650 Super Duty, red - CA plate "6308 CC" (1963-3-23 Sebring, 63-7-6 Lake Garnett, 63-9-8 Road America, 63-9-15 Bridgehampton)
Transporter #1 - open trailer rounded side structure, red - CA plate "VH 4327" (1963-3-23 Sebring, see above)

[Richstang]

These next photos sent to me are very interesting. It's the first appearance of both the Ford HD1000 (COE Diesel) and the new (square structure) open trailer at Nassau in November 1963. The two King Cobras are still loaded in the trailer, but the top had to be unloaded to fit inside the cargo bay. The cargo vessel is the "TMT San Juan". With no color photos, we can only assume both cab and trailer are painted to match the team colors, light metallic blue. Curiously, there is a confederate flag license plate behind the windshield on the dashboard of the cab.

[Richstang]

At Daytona in February 1964, the Ford HD1000 cab arrives with a new box trailer (smooth sides).
The second photo here is unloading CSX2287 for qualifying.

[Richstang]

Then in early March at Augusta (USRRC) we get a glimpse of the pair in the light blue paint, way in the background.

[Richstang]

A better color view is found in the garage/hanger at Sebring. Now there is some visible damage to the front of the box trailer. A tarp is strapped over the top area to protect what's inside. My guess is an impact with a low overpass as the cab does not show signs of damage. Then again why is the cab tilted forward?

[shlby66]

  In reply, #82 ... Those look like, some well prepared, Cheetas.

                          Who were the owners/drivers and Team? 

[JD]

A better color view is found in the garage/hanger at Sebring. Now there is some visible damage to the front of the box trailer. A tarp is strapped over the top area to protect what’s inside. My guess is an impact with a low overpass as the cab does not show signs of damage. Then again why is the cab tilted forward?

to service the engine.

  In reply, #82 ... Those look like, some well prepared, Cheetahs.

                          Who were the owners/drivers and Team? 

Yes, don't see many images of them like that.  Did they finish the race?

[honker]

Richstang, thanks for the photo of those two Cheetahs in post # 82 at Augusta. they are # 46 driven by Budd Clusserath & # 25 Ralph Salyer, from what I have in my files both were a DNF, couldn't find any info on who they were entered by. they were cool looking cars !  but they were super hot to drive, your feet were pretty much between the headers and engine.

Mike

[honker]

Still with transporters, this is a little different  any one know the story behind this ? at the USRRC race at Kent, May 10th. '64. the Leslie Cobra, and the Joe Freitas Corvette in the Cobra team hauler.

(Tom Lebo pic, from the Mike Martin USRRC book)  don't know where I found the b&w photo, could be Dave Friedman ?

Mike

[honker]

Here's the second b&w image, to big to fit both in one post.

Mike

ps: I did some digging and  think I know the link ?  that is the Corvette from Bill Bader (later Crest) Chevrolet in Fontana. I believe Dave MacDonald (is it the same one who steered Cobras ?) drove it, or another  at one time ?

[Richstang]

Still with transporters, this is a little different  any one know the story behind this ? at the USRRC race at Kent, May 10th. '64. the Leslie Cobra, and the Joe Freitas Corvette in the Cobra team hauler.

(Tom Lebo pic, from the Mike Martin USRRC book)  don't know where I found the b&w photo, could be Dave Friedman ?

Mike

Nice color photo! The caption states they were hauling the Corvette to and from the track. My guess is they owed someone a favor.