Nazgul
Black Rider
Had a great time today! Alex (RedLightningSSF) decided to join us, so we had two Lightnings and one super truck (Jon Dunn's).
I had no idea this private museum was in our area until Jon told me about it. Wow. What a paradise for Shelby lovers! Lots & lots of REAL original Cobras, a Daytona Coupe replica (not a kit car, one that was built to original specs), several Mustangs, a Tiger prototype (said Alpine on the side), and lots of Shelby 'stuff.'
We were given a guided tour by a docent, who is an original Cobra owner. Jon & I met and talked to Drew, the owner of most of the cars on display.
All I can say is this awoke in me a feeling I have had for Shelbys for most of my life. A feeling hard to describe. I guess I would call it LUST. :drool::heart: I GOTTA sell that Mini woody....
From the outside the place looks like an ordinary concrete-tilt-up building. You walk into the lobby, and all you see are stairs or an elevator. You go upstairs, buy a ticket at the front desk, and then see this:
One of two Dragonsnake dragsters built:
A '66, '67, and '68 Shelby Mustang:
One of the last GT40's built:
A collection of the different wheels that came on Cobras over the years, and two cases full of stickers, patches, etc. related to Shelby:
Here is the line-up of engines available in the Cobra, from the 260 thru 289, to racing engines, and the 427s, including GT40 engines with Ford-designed and -built transaxles:
A collection of large and small tools used by Shelby American and others who worked on Cobras back in the day:
The little red wagon above had a sign explaining the 1/4" sheet of steel welded on the bottom: it was used to carry around BOSS 302 engines in the paddock!
Finally, this heartbreaker-turned-wall art:
If I got the story correct, the owner had just completed a deal to sell it, and decided to take it for one last ride. As he drove down a back street, a little old man came along driving a big Cadillac, going the wrong way!
You all should have been there. Even Margaret had a great time, taking pics with her phone and putting them on facebook as she went along! (If you're friends with her, check out her pics, too!) You can see by the photos that the place was almost empty. There were a few others there, including a couple from New Zealand, but it was almost like we got our own special tour! One of the facts our tour guide mentioned is the aluminum Cobra body weighs only 35 pounds! No wonder it was so much faster than the heavier Corvettes! And no wonder you could dent it with a fingertip!
Afterwards we drove into downtown Martinez and had lunch at the bbq place Jon found. Then looked and talked Lightning out by the trucks until it go too hot! :ashamed:
I will be going there again! (The Cobra Experience is hosting the 17th Shelby American Employee Reunion at the museum, open to the public on Nov. 7th, if you want a reason to go. Or, every third Sunday of the month.)
I had no idea this private museum was in our area until Jon told me about it. Wow. What a paradise for Shelby lovers! Lots & lots of REAL original Cobras, a Daytona Coupe replica (not a kit car, one that was built to original specs), several Mustangs, a Tiger prototype (said Alpine on the side), and lots of Shelby 'stuff.'
We were given a guided tour by a docent, who is an original Cobra owner. Jon & I met and talked to Drew, the owner of most of the cars on display.
All I can say is this awoke in me a feeling I have had for Shelbys for most of my life. A feeling hard to describe. I guess I would call it LUST. :drool::heart: I GOTTA sell that Mini woody....
From the outside the place looks like an ordinary concrete-tilt-up building. You walk into the lobby, and all you see are stairs or an elevator. You go upstairs, buy a ticket at the front desk, and then see this:
One of two Dragonsnake dragsters built:
A '66, '67, and '68 Shelby Mustang:
One of the last GT40's built:
A collection of the different wheels that came on Cobras over the years, and two cases full of stickers, patches, etc. related to Shelby:
Here is the line-up of engines available in the Cobra, from the 260 thru 289, to racing engines, and the 427s, including GT40 engines with Ford-designed and -built transaxles:
A collection of large and small tools used by Shelby American and others who worked on Cobras back in the day:
The little red wagon above had a sign explaining the 1/4" sheet of steel welded on the bottom: it was used to carry around BOSS 302 engines in the paddock!
Finally, this heartbreaker-turned-wall art:
If I got the story correct, the owner had just completed a deal to sell it, and decided to take it for one last ride. As he drove down a back street, a little old man came along driving a big Cadillac, going the wrong way!
You all should have been there. Even Margaret had a great time, taking pics with her phone and putting them on facebook as she went along! (If you're friends with her, check out her pics, too!) You can see by the photos that the place was almost empty. There were a few others there, including a couple from New Zealand, but it was almost like we got our own special tour! One of the facts our tour guide mentioned is the aluminum Cobra body weighs only 35 pounds! No wonder it was so much faster than the heavier Corvettes! And no wonder you could dent it with a fingertip!
Afterwards we drove into downtown Martinez and had lunch at the bbq place Jon found. Then looked and talked Lightning out by the trucks until it go too hot! :ashamed:
I will be going there again! (The Cobra Experience is hosting the 17th Shelby American Employee Reunion at the museum, open to the public on Nov. 7th, if you want a reason to go. Or, every third Sunday of the month.)
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