Cobra Caravan pictures in NYC Dec 2, 1965

[Dan Case]

CSX2000 was painted two different yellows sequentially. The first was a pearlescent finish and was reported to have discolored in a splotchy darkening manner very quickly. It was repainted at Shelby American a very bright solid yellow to cover the discolored pearlescent finish. We believe, based on Steven Juliano's research, that CSX2427 was painted the same bright yellow.

The car stayed the second solid bright yellow past the point the first street rack and pinion steering cars were running in 1963. When the first street rack and pinion cars were in running condition CSX2000 and a latest greatest rack and pinion steering street model factory photo shoot session was done to compare them from multiple angles. There is a thread on this site with pictures from that comparison posted.

[Richstang]

Thanks for reminding us it was painted bright yellow after the pearl yellow.
This later photo of csx2000, in darker paint, is believed to be taken at LAX in 1965 by a Japanese photographer.
This was taken around the open house invitation to the press in June.
The fender emblem continues to appear in the higher mounted position. unlike that press photo in the lower placement.

The gas cap certainly match the left side placement of csx2000.

[Richstang]

Rich, in those photos you posted of the Cobras, are those taken at the Ford Design Centre ? That wall in the distance behind the

dark car looks like the one at the centre ?

Now this is very cool  has any ever seen one of these ? It was part of the John Atzbach collection, and made out of ceramics,

don't know what scale they would be ?

Mike

Mike,
There is no location noted with either of these Cobra press photos.
In my opinion, the darker car is not at the Ford R&E Center in Dearborn. The wall surrounding the R&E courtyard is about 7 feet tall. If someone were inside, they would not see any streets or cars parked on them.

Here's a slightly larger photo of this image and another from the opposite side.
It looks like California from the buildings architecture we see in the background.

[JD]

Rich, in those photos you posted of the Cobras, are those taken at the Ford Design Centre ? That wall in the distance behind the

dark car looks like the one at the centre ?

Now this is very cool  8) has any ever seen one of these ? It was part of the John Atzbach collection, and made out of ceramics,

don't know what scale they would be ?

Mike

Mike,
There is no location noted with either of these Cobra press photos.
In my opinion, the darker car is not at the Ford R&E Center in Dearborn. The wall surrounding the R&E courtyard is about 7 feet tall. If someone were inside, they would not see any streets or cars parked on them.

Here's a slightly larger photo of this image and another from the opposite side.
It looks like California from the buildings architecture we see in the background.

Seems it's the same image just "flopped" note the steering wheel and background cars are "mirrored".

Also, the spokes on that car don't seem the same as typical Cobra wheels??? The spacing and pattern seem different.  The vehicles in the background look more European?

OOOPS - I see Dan Case already covered this!

[sd427]

Thanks for reminding us it was painted bright yellow after the pearl yellow.
This later photo of csx2000, in darker paint, is believed to be taken at LAX in 1965 by a Japanese photographer.
This was taken around the open house invitation to the press in June.
The fender emblem continues to appear in the higher mounted position. unlike that press photo in the lower placement.

The gas cap certainly match the left side placement of csx2000.

If this is from 1965, seems odd the car would still have a pre-1963 black on yellow license plate, instead of a yellow on black plate.

[Dan Case]

Seems it's the same image just "flopped" note the steering wheel and background cars are "mirrored".

Either orientation of the photo the dark car is still an 1961 ACE RS2.6 (right hand drive) or ACE RSX2.6 (left hand drive) with rear drum brakes and no fender extensions in the wheel arches (a.k.a. squared off fender flares) CSX2000 received or the various production 'extensions' used CSX2001-CSX2589. To me the dark car picture was probably just one frame in a collection of pictures AC Cars produced to put in advertising material, which was aimed at England and Europe mostly. I do not have copies of AC's advertisements so I have to recall what they contained.

The front of the ACE body was redesigned to be less flat face before Cobras came along. Mr. Rudd had sold, serviced, modified, and raced ACEs for years already. CSX2000 is very much like a RSX2.6 with modifications to fit a Ford V8 instead of a Ford I6 and a significantly new rear drive system. The very early Cobra chassis got shipped to the USA with what looks like the almost same radiators the RS2.6s used. Ruddspeed did with the Ford I6 most of the things Shelby's works would do later including things like custom cast aluminum rocker arm covers with the RUDDSPEED logo cast in. If you are interested there is a Ruddspeed website and FaceBook page as well as coverage in other websites.

[Richstang]

JD,
Nice catch on the mirrored image!
You're correct, those are European cars in the background...I'm glad you were paying attention!


SD427,
The photo of csx2000 in the darker paint color was definitely taken at LAX in 1965.
Several photos were taken at that time by Kyoichi Yomaguchi when he was invited to LAX by the Shelby American PR director Don Rabitt.
The GT108 Roadster was present along with csx2488.
Another street Cobra was pictured wearing a company car MFG black/yellow license plate. It appears to be numbered as '1N  013".


Dan,
Thanks for reiterating the RHD AC Ace in the press photo.
The lack of fender flares you mentioned is the exterior detail that was throwing me off.
In my eyes it changes the appearance to a longer and sleeker design. I like it!

[Richstang]

Getting back to the Cobra Caravan...

The REVS Digital Library has a dozen plus photos of Patricia Mernone. These appear to be taken in NYC 5/17/1965 prior to the Caravan tour.
Several photos show her wearing a jacket with a CS patch and a Cobra patch on it while sitting in a white Cobra.
https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/single-image?id=630938&collection=p17257coll1
https://library.revsinstitute.org/digital/custom/results?search=pat+merone&collection=p17257coll1&CISOSEARCHALL=pat+merone


Here's two additional articles about her dated from 1964 in the links below.
https://www.nytimes.com/1964/07/05/archives/pat-mernone-races-at-thompson-today.html
https://vault.si.com/vault/1964/08/24/the-furious-fun-of-pinkie-and-pat


This letter shares more info telling us she not only a champion racer, but also a smart woman.

[honker]

Rich, thanks for the added info, and the links to Patricia Mernone,  here's a bit from  The Courier-News, Plainfield N.J., dated

Tuesday, December 14th. 1965, about the Cobra Caravan.

Mike

[Richstang]

Rich, thanks for the added info, and the links to Patricia Mernone,  here's a bit from  The Courier-News, Plainfield N.J., dated

Tuesday, December 14th. 1965, about the Cobra Caravan.

Mike

Interesting the Courier paper puts a dollar amount with the tour.
They only gave a one day notice of the display. Not much time to plan off a day to get there.

[Szabo]

Hello,

i am a little late for party but this is another thread that bring the spark for
Shelby stuff back...

I want to add 3 Pic from the Cobra Caravan ...

First one is the known from LAX befor the tour, but this is one with the most spare
around the Pic, so we can better see the Caravan stand on the Fence from LAX,
closley befor the airfield begin ...



second one is after the Tour and shows the Caravan on the the Daytona 24h Race 1966,
which was on 6 Feb. 1966



the third one is again back on LAX and in the backround, the GT40 shown is XGT-2
fresh finished from the Race Shop and closley befor Le Mans 1966, which was 18 & 19 June 1966



Next step can be the post of the Photos on the Press Pack when you have interest on this ?

Greets from Germany

Szabo

[Richstang]

Hello,

i am a little late for party but this is another thread that bring the spark for
Shelby stuff back...

I want to add 3 Pic from the Cobra Caravan ...

First one is the known from LAX befor the tour, but this is one with the most spare
around the Pic, so we can better see the Caravan stand on the Fence from LAX,
closley befor the airfield begin ...

second one is after the Tour and shows the Caravan on the the Daytona 24h Race 1966,
which was on 6 Feb. 1966



Next step can be the post of the Photos on the Press Pack when you have interest on this ?

Greets from Germany

Szabo

Hey Stephan, it been a few months since we've heard from you. I'm glad you're still checking in on us.


This color photo was in the Winter 2011 Shelby American issue. It only noted it was from 1966.
Did your source note a caption, stating it was for the 24 hour race in February? Any other info with it?
I only ask because the grandstands look empty and even practice might have had a few fans.

[Szabo]

Hey Rich,

yes i had a break, but in my heart are always burning love for Shelby stuff ...

the Pic was in a French Car Magazine from April 66 called "Sport Auto"
which i orginaly buy.

the Main Theme was the Daytona 24h Race

The description of the photo contains the following text translated from French:



en bas:

L'èchelle américaine : I'un des camions qui transportaient les Ford egagées par Shelby

below:

The American scale: one of the trucks that transported the Ford cleared by Shelby





better Pic from the Cobra Caravan

[Szabo]

i have an crappy newspaper articel in my archiv from 14 Dezember 1965
in a Moorestown Mall, New Jersey, again only for a 1 Day Stop ...



when i look on the backside of the Cobra Caravan i cant find the stop on the list

[Richstang]

Thanks Stephan for posting the magazine cover and inside article pages of the 'Cobra Caravan' transporter at Daytona Feb '66.
That's a neat color photo of the pit row with all the racers lined up ready to go.

This (Dec 14th, 1965) newspaper article was a bit of a stunner for me...and not because it was in between the tour dates noted on the back door of the trailer...but, because of the location at the Moorestown Mall in NJ.
I would eat lunch in that food court 1 or 2 time a week for many years with colleagues from work (This was 30 + years after the tour, I was not even born yet in 1965.) I'm guessing the newspaper could be the 'Courier Post' from that area.

Now we have to look at all the dates, between stops in the big cities! There may be a lot more stops we don't know about.
Great find! Thanks for sharing!