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Summer 1967 King Cobra chassis photo at LAX

Started by Richstang, August 28, 2018, 11:12:38 PM

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Richstang

It would be great to see a bigger photo of this one but at LAX, still this is a neat find that is on the display board of the Shelby no55.
I believe this is on the west side of the race hanger in the back corner...

1967 Shelby Research Group 

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1991-1993 SAAC MKI, MKII, & Snake Registrar

CSX2259

That is Mark Popov seated in the first photo.
I own the rear subframe to one of these chassis. The front and rear subframes are welded together assemblies that get riveted to the center tubs.

honker

Rich, not at LAX but here are some pics of the King Cobra, I think these are all at Riverside ? From what I read there was only one Chassis built ? I have not seen any other pics of the car with #45, only as #55 ?

(the colour shot is from Getty Images, the b&w no credit given) all from my files.

honker

#3
Here's one more, also Riverside I believe ? I seem to recognize those garages.

Quiz ? I.D. the Shelby employees visible in this photo, and who is standing by the car holding the helmet ? he has asignificant link to the Shelby American race program.

(photo: John Lacko)

Mike

Richstang

I have not seen too many of the King Cobra photos out there. Most of them were taken at Riverside October 29th, 1967 for the Grand Prix event.
The #45 appears to be different car, comparing the nose vents and also with that full width roll bar vs. the loop bar.

That might be Titus holding the helmet.
1967 Shelby Research Group 

www.1967ShelbyResearch.com
www.facebook.com/groups/1967shelbyresearch

1991-1993 SAAC MKI, MKII, & Snake Registrar

honker

#5
Rich, not Jerry Titus..think Le Mans   ;)

spotted the nose configuration, but I missed the different roll hoop..good eye ! I have a image of a board when the car was displayed somewhere, and it says  that only one chassis was built. The photo would debunk that theory, unless that is earlier, or later, and the car was reconfigured.
I'll dig through my paper stuff and see if I can find anything more.

ps: dig some digging, not done yet ! time for lunch ! that suggests that two cars were built (makes sense) and one was destroyed at Riverside.

honker

Here's a slightly larger scan of the 1st. photo that Rich posted here. the image is a bit compromised, didn't want to break the spine of the book. this is from the Dave Friedman book "Shelby American Racing History" my copy published 1997. What's interesting is that this photo is printed the wrong way round in the book  ???

The second photo is also from that book, I believe this is also outside the plant ?

(photo credit: Dave Friedman)

JJH

I'll say that's Bruce Mclaren holding the helmet.
SAAC member since 1981

69mach351w

Looks like a young David Macallum from "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."

honker

jjh is correct, that is Bruce McLaren, who won Le Mans 1966 with Chris Amon driving a Ford Mk. 11.

honker

I posted here earlier today with images, now I can't, I get this message, I posted a image no problem in another thread a few minutes ago   ???


honker

#12
and once more  ???

Ok ! I think the second image was to large, why didn't it tell me that  ???

So, moving right along  :)

Here are a couple of more photos of the King Cobra at the shop. Now that we figured out that there were two cars, In the first picture from Road & Track, Oct. '67 it looks as if it's just the body supported on saw horses, look in the background, looks like a couple of Grp.11 or Trans-Am notches. In the second photo from the Dave Friedman book "Shelby American Racing History" copy published 1997, the car looks complete, and is on what looks like a chassis plate. hard to say if these cars were side by side at the same time. The lead time for magazines is about three months, so the R&T shot could be June/July '67.
There are people here who know these buildings well, so can probably tell where these cars are ? Was the race shop in the same building as the production facility at that time ?

(photo credits) : Road & Track, October '67...most likely a Friedman pic
                      :Dave Friedman's Shelby Racing book.

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Richstang

Getty Images has a few photos of the construction phase in the race hanger, west building. The east building was always the production hanger. The photos were dated 7/24/67. Shelby only finished one car for the 4th race of the Can Am season in Riverside (October 29,). It may have raced at Las Vegas "Stardust" next and wrecked at the last race in Riverside. The parts were removed the second car was completed and sold off to Mike Koslosky.

More photos and details here;
https://www.conceptcarz.com/z23976/shelby-can-am-cobra.aspx
1967 Shelby Research Group 

www.1967ShelbyResearch.com
www.facebook.com/groups/1967shelbyresearch

1991-1993 SAAC MKI, MKII, & Snake Registrar