First 427 Cobra prototype, description

[strada5300]

Hello Cobra fans:
   I am making a painting of the first 427 Cobra when it was being tested at Silverstone in 1965. I have a pretty good reference photo, colour, front 3/4 angle, but can't tell what is happening with the bonnett. It looks like it has a sizable lump to cover  a carburetor but did it also have an opening at the windscreen end or was it just a lump? Also the car still has the smaller grille cavity of the 289 which I gather was on the first two 427 prototypes. The SAAC club in the US says CSX3001 never got a body but CSX3002 did and has been in So. California many years, still with the small grille cavity. So would history buffs agree this has to be CSX3002? The driver wore a red helmet, similar in shape to US football helmet, would that be Chris Amon? Anyone who wants to see the finished painting (which will be available as a print on watercolour paper or canvas) can write me at Photojournalistpro@hotmail.com

[A-Snake]

The Silverstone tests were in 1964. CSX3002 was shipped to Shelby in October '64. The test driver was Chris Amon. The car was in bare aluminum at Silverstone and it would not have had a hood scoop at the time. Scoop was added after it arrived at Shelby American.

[1984MkIV]

I´ll send you some pictures of CSX 3002 with the amazing Super Coupe in the background (have you been to Radford´s scrapyards in the meantime?)! If you take the pain to paint a car, the Flip Top CSX 2196 which was really the 427 prototype would act as a modell as well. From my point of view it´s the more exciting car! I´ll send you some pics as well!

[strada5300]

To 1984 Mk.IV
   I already painted the painting (I would post it but don't know how) I portrayed the hood "bump" in my fornt 3/4 view as one with no opening but there might have been one on the windscreen side. I will be happy to look at any pictures you send and once I have your postal address can send you an 8" x 10" print of the painting for you to post here and then will willingly accept brickbats if I have the car technically wrong in any detail. Fortunately I can correct the painting (now using acrylics instead of all too transparent watercolours).
   
   My address to send your prints to is: WW, 13038 Melon Ave. Chino,CA 91710
   
   Incidentally I have also seen pictures of the first raw aluminum finished Cobra 427 prototype rear 3/4 view and noted that it had a glovebox door when the Comp versions were not supposed to have that. Maybe it had a street 289 dashboard. The rear 3/4 view also shows that it had a horizontal decal above the side wastegates but I have never seen a photo of sufficient clarity to devine what this decal is--looks sort of Thunderbird emblem shaped but might have been a Holman & Moody decal as I suspect Shelby had to ask Holman & Moody for a race prepped 427 engine as they were well into developing that engine for the 7-liter Galaxie fastbacks racing in NASCAR.

[strada5300]

Mr. MkIV:
   
   After I finished the message I remembered that this Stateside website is running the image of my painting.
   
   http://www.csxinfo.net/web/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3
   or try just www.csxinfo.net
   
   But I can still send you the print anyhow.
   
   Cheers,
   ww

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by strada5300
   
After I finished the message I remembered that this Stateside website is running the image of my painting...
   http://www.csxinfo.net/web/modules/news/article.php?storyid=3
   ...Cheers,
   ww

   And here it is:
   
   
   Very Nice!!![8D]

[1984MkIV]

Really nice painting; it has lots of atmosphere! There are many painters, who make painings of cars and racing scenes, but it´s rare to find paintings or drawings, which are worth to be described as art. I like yours!
   Wallace, did you receive my e-mail? I guess your archive will be better than mine, but I will have a look, if I find period pictures of CSX 3002!
   
   Michael