Cobra Caravan pictures in NYC Dec 2, 1965

[Tired Sheep]

Post 2 on this thread has the schedule

[68countrysedan]

Great SA historical thread.

Two observations:

Looking at the map, that's a lot of miles driven particularly considering that large interstate highway segments had yet to be completed.

Also the tractor appears to be a 64/65 H-series ( in 65, HT if the diesel was turbocharged). While there was a sleeper compartment, it's not like the units today. Presumably, they stopped each night to eat and rest.

Question: Any clue who the drivers were?

[Richstang]

Great SA historical thread.

Two observations:

Looking at the map, that's a lot of miles driven particularly considering that large interstate highway segments had yet to be completed.

Also the tractor appears to be a 64/65 H-series ( in 65, HT if the diesel was turbocharged). While there was a sleeper compartment, it's not like the units today. Presumably, they stopped each night to eat and rest.

Question: Any clue who the drivers were?

Good question on the Drivers name(s). I don't recall any ever noted.

Bob Wyatt Jr. was noted as a Diesel Driver in 1967.
Doug Dyer was another name mentioned as a driver, but maybe from 66-68
Joe Freitas was noted as a truck driver, but he was noted with the race teams in 63-65? The Caravan tour was off-season

I think the Tractors were leased for two or three years.

[Szabo]

Hey all,

i read the Atlanta newspaper again und make more words to match

There is no "Square Plaza" and "Lenox Square" like you see in the Pics...
when you better look, the 1st articel also says Lenox Square Plaza

the overlook is the right for Lenox Square Plaza

i will edit the post a little bit.


For today i want to come back to Detroit with 3 new pics, i found the full pics for some Close-Up Pics
in the first thread about Detroit spot.

old Close up pic


new pic in full glory


old pic from the video


new pic, same people, same positions in the Backround


the 3rd pic is totally new and dont compare to the other Pic seen
befor with the edge "Personal Car" Sticker on the Cobra windshield


and the Pic also gets new questions
- was the Cobra and GT350 "Transportation Cars" for the C.S. and Pat Merone for example
- what CSX was the 427 Street Cobra ?

i read a lot of all Cobra Caravan articel i can found and on a very old website there are two
therms, one is about Pat Merone drive the Cobra in town


the other about CSX3162 who later deliverd at Tasca Ford about the Caravan to the new owner


that story about "Cobra is deliverd thruw the Caravan" i read several times and even
the Mecum Site is pushing this info about the auction sale,

see the Link
https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0120-407845/1966-shelby-427-cobra-roadster/

at the other side we know that a red 427 Cobra was also often seen at LAX as a pre-production
or first 427 Street Cobra build

i am not so good in all the Cobra Things, maybe can help me a little bit for the CSX

See ya tomorrow

Stephan

[Rickmustang]

5R213 goes across the Mecum Indy block tomorrow!

[Richstang]

It appears the Atlanta stop was officially at the 'Lennox Square Plaza'.
It was also known as simply the 'Lennox Square' as we see in the Carroll Shelby book signing ad for 'Elson's book store'.

Thanks for showing us the NYC photos in both the small clips and full size shots.
Too bad we don't have better photos of those larger pictures. Those are the same photos I've seen, in the faded tint.

Besides the 4 displayed race cars, it appears there were the 2 street cars used for demonstration rides. This might be noted in the Caravan Press kit. Yes, Pat Mernone was the main driver of the street Cobra. That street Cobra might be csx3127, but nobody has confirmed that. CONFIRMED csx3127. It was displayed at the "BRENTANOS' book store in New York City where Carroll did a book signing. I suspect that was the day after the Caravan stop.
http://www.saacforum.com/index.php?topic=14480.msg119191#msg119191

I am confident they did not make any deliveries during the Cobra Caravan Tour. Providence, RI was the last stop of the tour, but we know the tour was over December 17th, 1965. The old forum post owner's son and Mecum have their facts off, or someone embellished the story to boost the selling price of that other Cobra. I don't believe the Cobra csx3162 mentioned was ever on the tour. Also, it is very unlikely the Super Snake Cobra was there. The blue Cobra on the tour is known to be csx3011. After the tour ended they continued to use the same painted tractor trailer for deliveries and transportation of race cars to the tracks. We've seen photo evidence of that. That is very likely when this other Cobra was delivered. Perhaps there were other race cars on the transporter, but not the cars mentioned. Shelby American would not be delivering Ford GT street or race cars.
(That other website is active site, but those are very old posts.)

The red street Cobra at LAX in the PR photos is said to be csx3101, not the same car as the other Cobra's discussed.

[Szabo]

Hi Rich,

Thank you for your explanations, also about the various Cobras CSX ...

I go on with the 9th Stop on

Young Ford in Charlotte, North Carolina

nothing new at the moment, but to proceed chronologically
just for right Moment

Young Ford make some big ads in the newspaper and gladfully
there is this Pic with CS and the Daytona





slightly different but only as bad screenshot



So, the next stop is more exitet, because it stands not on the regular List ...

Stay tuned, i am just doing a little research for some nice pics

Stephan

[Szabo]

Hello,

here is a new to me Stop

it was on the 11. Dec 1965 in Philadelphia at the
Cedarbrook Mall in Wyncote in
a "Mustang Shop" from WM. H. Wanamaker

it seems that this is Book signature Stop an not even a hole
CC Stop, so maybe only Carroll Shelby comes

i made a collage of the advertisment to better read it

with a full membership this would be more fun, but
i do what i can do and cant do a full membership to
the site.



for the Cedarbrook Mall i only found some Pics, but one
is with the "Wannamaker" Shop inside the Mall

any thought to that, Wanamaker seems not a "mechanical or Car Shop"
more a Cloth Shop or so

Edith: Outside look


Edith: Inside Look


Links for the Pic about Cedarbrook Mall: https://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/image_gallery.cfm/878245

Now a days Pics from Google Map, it seems the the
Cedarbrook Mall was not so large like the other Malls
from pre Stops





Next Stop was at Moorestown Mall in New Jersey, at 13 Dec 1965
here with the full Cobra Caravan Stop

The two Town, Wynconte and Moorestown, seems pretty close on Google Maps,
is that right ?

[Richstang]

This is a another surprise!

It does appear Carroll Shelby's December 11th stop at Cedarbrook Mall was exactly as Stephan mentioned
(a book signing at Wanamakers; department store).

While I am not familiar with the location it looks to be about 35-40 minutes northwest from the Moorestown Mall (NJ), across the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.

This discovery has me wondering what other places Carroll stops at for book signings along the Caravan Tour route.

This continues to be really interesting as it unfolds.

FYI, the B&W photo posted is Woolworth's not Wanamakers.
(for Stephan; Woolworth's was a smaller department store know as a 5&10 store. It sold less expensive everyday items.
Wanamaker's was a larger department store which I believe was more focused on clothing and more expensive items.)

EDIT:
Wm. H. Wanamaker's' in Cedarbrook Mall appears to be just a clothing store within the anchor stores. Stephan did mention that.

[68countrysedan]

Great where details continue. But do we know any whos?

As in who conceived the Cobra Caravan? Was it CS? Was it someone at Ford? Was it the Corbra Story publisher?

Who planned the route and display stops? Did dealers phone in saying they wanted a show date?

Finally, whose's pr budget(s) footed the travel costs?

[Richstang]

Great where details continue. But do we know any whos?

As in who conceived the Cobra Caravan? Was it CS? Was it someone at Ford? Was it the Corbra Story publisher?

Who planned the route and display stops? Did dealers phone in saying they wanted a show date?

Finally, whose's pr budget(s) footed the travel costs?

The Caravan press kit only discusses the cars and a few other details (Carroll's book and Pat Mernone, the demonstrator driver). 

I'd imagine Shelby American footed the bill for all travel and expenses.

The PR director at the time was D.Max Muhleman who is credited with the Caravan Tour.
     (He might have worked at SAI from '65-'67)

There's no documents that list any more details that I'm aware of. They would be interesting to see any if they existed.

[Szabo]

Thanks for the replys

i agree that there must be more than only the breadcumps

i really wonder that no other Pics are in the WWW or even Showed somewhere of that
cars or the Caravan...

i read about a "Geoff Daigle" who has made some Pics on Hi-Performance Motors but the
Pics are not seen anymore ... Maybe someone here has on his computer saved

i will go on in the Timeline with a little surprise when beginning the search

The Caravan shows for 13 Dec a Stop in Washington but there is nothing to find
anywhere for a real Stop in Washington

What i found was a perfect Match for 10th Stop at 13 Dec
the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey

The Book Signing at Wyncote (Cedarbrook Plaza) 11 Dec and the
Caravan Stop for 13 Dec at New Jersey (Moorestown Mall)
fit also very good with the famous "Francis by Fords" Pic
bespoken befor here at nearly the same time code,

all the 3 Points are at nearly the same Line befor New York City at 15 Dec

but let see some pics first

Articel where at Dec 9, 12 and 14 in several Newspaper
The Pic for the Daytona is from the Press Pac


a closer look for Pat Merone driving the Street 427 Cobra,
it seems that is a real Pic from the event and not a PR or Press Pack Pic


and here the Pic for Moorestown Mall in the foreground,
also huge place for visitors, a Caravan and 6 Cars,
build new in 1963, the highway 295 on the right side

[Szabo]

Thanks for the newspaper article source. The article is difficult to read. I'll have to check out that website.

Besides the December 14th stop at the Moorestown Mall in NJ...
They appear to have stopped earlier that day at the 'FRANCIS for FORDS' dealer in Harrisburg, PA.
5R213 is pictured, parked in front of the dealership, with other GT350s in this attached photo.
There's no sign of the other cars or the Transporter, but they might be parked next to the camera view point...
or
it was a quick stop for a photo opportunity with the R model. (less likely)

I was in high school in 1965 and lived about a half hours' walk from Francis For Fords. I often haunted the place on weekends, since they had the Shelby franchise and there were always interesting cars to look at.

I saw 5R213 purely by chance during one of these visits. It was on a Saturday and it was unceremoniously parked inside in the service department, which did not operate on weekends. I could hardly believe my eyes! Unfortunately, I was not carrying a camera, unlike the month previous when a friend and I trekked to FFF one weekday evening to see 6S101 in the showroom and shot photos of each other sitting in it (see attachment).

December 14, 1965 was a Tuesday, so my visit was likely on the previous Saturday, December 11th. Neither the transporter or any of the other cars were on site - believe me I would have noticed if they were! Given the note in reply #33 that the Caravan was at Young Ford in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 10th, the FFF photo was likely taken during the weekend that I saw it or on the following Monday. The distance from Harrisburg to its next reported stop in Moorestown, NJ is about 120 miles, so it would have taken the better part of a day to get to that destination and set the car up for display on the 14th.

I do not recall seeing any announcements or press coverage of the Caravan being in town, so I believe the Harrisburg stop may have been among several serendipitous visits it made along the tour. This could have been the result of some lobbying by the dealer, since as you can see from the photo, they had several GT350's in stock. And/or it could have been an opportunity to service the transporter at the dealer. Perhaps more details will emerge as we go along.

Like i sayed befor, the famous pic was not as 11 or 13 Dec,
but the location fits perfect in the Wyncote and New Jersay location...

i only want to ad a nicly Francis by Fords Dealer Card,
i really found nothing more about the building ( bird view ) or
some other materials...

@Bill Collins ... do you have any more Pics about the Dealer itself or even
have a oppotunity to contact one of the employees ?

[Richstang]

What i found was a perfect Match for 10th Stop at 13 Dec, the Moorestown Mall in New Jersey
and here the Pic for Moorestown Mall in the foreground, also huge place for visitors, a Caravan and 6 Cars,
build new in 1963, the highway 295 on the right side

Not that many people would care but...That aerial view looks really dated!
The entire wooded forest between RT295, on the right, and the mall is now a small road with an exit ramp.
The whole wooded area is filled with stores, restaurants, etc. (The photo is looking north)
RT 38 is to the left side of the mall and the NJ turnpike is just peeking in on the upper right.

[S7MS427]

Ah, Rich, you're really showing your Jersey roots now!