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Technical Tom Cobbs: Part 3

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Ryan, Aug 12, 2008.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  2. Old-Soul
    Joined: Jun 16, 2007
    Posts: 3,773

    Old-Soul
    Member

    Amazing, what a cool roadster and an even cooler story! thanks to all involved
     
  3. Bruce Lancaster
    Joined: Oct 9, 2001
    Posts: 21,681

    Bruce Lancaster
    Member Emeritus

    All is right in the world, now.
    I had been wondering if that car had survived by some miracle since I found the old magazine article on Cobbs!
    And what's more...new pictures to study, replacements for the tiny, grainy magazine shots. Thank you!
     
  4. Anderson
    Joined: Jan 27, 2003
    Posts: 7,155

    Anderson
    Member

    This might be the best Jalopy Journal entry I've ever read. Incredible piece of history.

    On that note...

    [​IMG]

    Noticed the keychain (and the registration paperwork, amazing!!) and recognized the name of the alignment shop. A cool local guy originally from So-Cal let me scan some of his old pics, this was among them.

    [​IMG]
     
    kidcampbell71 and skatermann like this.

  5. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,632

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    How friggin' cool is that?!?
     
  6. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    That car has a ton of little details that could be studied for hours. From the cool weathered copper tubing that wraps around the intake to the V8 in the deck lid handle. This car was not meant to carry the details like let say a show car, it's meant to carry the drivers ass to the finish line as fast as possible. But still, in being perhaps as meticulous about the performance of the roadster as Cobbs was probably led to all the cool "aesthetic" details that we notice. Function takes precedence over form here but it's the Function that develops the Form which is what a HOT ROD really is. Cool as a Cucumber Ryan.
     
  7. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    I need one of those Steering column registration holders. How about some Jalopy Journal / HAMB ones Ryan like the notepad?
     
  8. Malcolm
    Joined: Feb 9, 2006
    Posts: 8,032

    Malcolm
    Member
    from Nebraska

    Damn that is one helluva cool find! Any chances there's video of it running, to share with us? I'd love to hear it!
    Thanks for the story, Ryan.

    Malcolm
     
  9. TomH
    Joined: Oct 21, 2003
    Posts: 1,253

    TomH
    Member

    It's stuff like this, that makes the HAMB the best site on the web.

    THANKS Ryan!!!
     
  10. Amazing series. Much thanks for sharing.
     
  11. NoSurf
    Joined: Jul 26, 2002
    Posts: 4,461

    NoSurf
    Member

    Just to cool! Thanks so much to everyone involved.

    That last pic could be a Christmas card- the red roadster and green leaves.......
     
  12. Rolleiflex
    Joined: Oct 25, 2007
    Posts: 1,243

    Rolleiflex
    Member

    Ryan,

    Thanks so much for the time and effort you've put into this series it has been great to read! And I second Malcom's request for a video of the roadster running, the quote from Coby saying "Man, that is one pissed off flathead” makes me want to hear all that much more.
     
  13. meteor
    Joined: Mar 17, 2006
    Posts: 443

    meteor
    Member

    Wow. Great series Ryan (and those who contributed).
     
  14. mtlcutter
    Joined: Oct 6, 2007
    Posts: 364

    mtlcutter
    Member

    This series has been nothing short of amazing. I can only hope to ever see some of these legendary cars. some day soon when I get my rod on the road.
     
  15. Church
    Joined: Nov 15, 2002
    Posts: 2,839

    Church
    Member
    from South Bay

    I thank you as well Ryan. What a treat is was for me to go down and shoot that thing. I was waiting for Ralph to show when a car pulled up. Both he and Don f-ing Prudhomme got out. I almost shit. We went inside and chatted for about a half hour. Ralph and Don showed me the shop, the car, and decided to fire it up rather than roll it out to the parking lot. It looks like a cool little roadster, but commands mad respect when fired. Un f#$@ing real!!!!!!!!! I wish you could have seen Ralph's face. He was like a 5 year old kid with an ear to ear to grin. I immediately knew the car was in the right hands.

    They asked if I needed help with my camera equipment, then laughed when I pulled my digi out of my pocket. I don't think they were thrilled. The Snake has since referred to my camera as "chicken shit". Hahahaha, he rules. They went and ran errands for about 2 hours and left me alone with the car. I probably stared at if for 20 minutes until I took the first pic. Hell yea I sat in it an made all kinds of engine sounds!!! I may have even had my way with myself.....but I can't even remember.

    Prudhomme returns solo, as Ralph had to go. We rolled the car back in and shot the shit for another half hour. Discussed racing, the new 1000 ft deal, Scott Kalitta etc. What a fantastic day. Absolutely thrilled to be a part of it. Thanks again Ryan. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
     
    kidcampbell71 likes this.
  16. Moriarity
    Joined: Apr 11, 2001
    Posts: 30,755

    Moriarity
    SUPER MODERATOR
    Staff Member

    Ralph called me the day he bought this car and the rest of the parts and historic engines. He was stoked to say the least, an amazing find. The Americas car collection museum in Winnemucca is going to be an amazing place......
     
  17. El Jefe
    Joined: Dec 12, 2002
    Posts: 738

    El Jefe
    Alliance Member

    Great stuff. Thanks to everyone who contributed. Just amazing that car was still so intact, but as we all know, me included from personal experience, it happens. How about that shag carpet? Guess that was the equivalent of dynamat back then. I wish I would have known Whitmore's collection was in Winnemucca when I went thru a couple a years ago w/ The Orren Roadster(Waco Kid) on tour. I would have loved to seen his historically significant assembly of cars. Next time......it's on the way to Bonneville on Hwy 80. And there is a super cool little motor court called The Scott Shady Court where you can stay or at least get some great photo ops w/ your cars......killer neon and architecture at the Scott.
     
    Last edited: Aug 12, 2008
  18. Murocmaru
    Joined: Apr 5, 2006
    Posts: 386

    Murocmaru
    Member
    from Van Nuys

    wow what an incredible piece of history! and a great story!who knew that such an incredible find was sitting in a garage just miles from where ive grown up my whole life!
     
  19. @Ryan - You did not disappoint ... this third & final installment was definitely the "icing on the cake" ... IMHO this series is one of your best (have you ever considered writing professionally? ... hell, you might even consider starting a website / message board dedicated to spreading the gospel of traditional hot rods and customs to hoodlums world wide... :rolleyes:)

    I guess there's a trip to Winnemucca in my future! (how ironic that it's on a route to another place that many of us flock to in the late summer :))

    Thanks also to all the folks that contributed to this series ...

    @Church - Great stuff ... who sez you can't take great photos with a point & shoot digital! ... I know guys with $30K+ invested in Canon EOS 1D Mark III's that couldn't capture the essence of the Cobbs roadster as well as you did (plus they would spend hours in the "digital darkroom" getting their images "just right" :D)
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2015
  20. GEBHARD
    Joined: Nov 10, 2007
    Posts: 1,159

    GEBHARD
    Member
    from TX...

    frickin beautiful!
     
  21. Lost1
    Joined: Oct 26, 2006
    Posts: 121

    Lost1
    Member

    Loved the story and the pics. Thanks!
     
  22. Vance
    Joined: Jan 3, 2005
    Posts: 2,135

    Vance
    Member
    from N/A

    This guy Coby you speak of, he should really consider looking into camera work for a living; he's pretty good. ;-) Coby's work always amazes me and prolly everyone else.

    Seeing this car through his lens is like a gift to us. Thanks Ryan and Coby.

    Vance
     
  23. Cool as hell!!!! And that key chain! Miles Per Gallon how neat is that??? Hah>>>>.
     
  24. scottybaccus
    Joined: Mar 13, 2006
    Posts: 4,109

    scottybaccus
    Member

    Since noone beat me to it...

    THAT is America's Most Beautiful Roadster! Now and always.

    Ryan,

    It is articles, no Lessons, like these that truly spread the gospel and open a persons eyes to the fantastic realm of traditional hotrodding.

    There is no way to thank you and your pals enough.
     
  25. Von Franco
    Joined: Nov 26, 2001
    Posts: 1,285

    Von Franco
    Member

    Ryan everybody has said ,what I would have said.thanks and great job man.It`s this
    kinda stuff that keeps the H.A.M.B.the way it should be.....................
     
  26. Darkhorse
    Joined: Jun 26, 2007
    Posts: 156

    Darkhorse
    Member

    The photos are absolutely the best Road Apple-

    Ryan- I really like all the stories, this installment brought them all together.

    Do you know if the steel top was in the collection? In the Don Montgomery pics I have seen, the car had a steel top that Tom had fab'd and it was equally as cool. If I recall, he raced in both coupe and roadster classes with the top on and off, respectfully.

    Great work-
     
  27. Scrumpy
    Joined: May 31, 2006
    Posts: 85

    Scrumpy
    Member
    from NH93 Exit1

    I feel like I am still sitting in my seat at the movie theater after a great movie. I do not want to get up in case there is another part. That does not happen very often.Beyond cool.

    Scrump
     
  28. Ramblur
    Joined: Jun 15, 2005
    Posts: 2,101

    Ramblur
    Member

    Wow! I'm at a loss for words. It lives,and hopefully lives forever.
    Thanks for sharing,Winnemucca just made it on my bucket list.
     
  29. Deadender60
    Joined: Sep 3, 2004
    Posts: 980

    Deadender60
    Member

    "road apple ... great stuff ... who sez you can't take great photos with a point & shoot digital! ... I know guys with $30K+ invested in Canon EOS 1D Mark III's that couldn't capture the essence of the Cobbs roadster as well as you did (plus they would spend hours in the "digital darkroom" getting their images "just right" )"

    Yeah Coby can really capture "the essence" of a car... He makes me hate him more every time I see something he's involved with! haha..

    It doesn't hurt to have a beautiful roadster a sa subject either, great story! great photos!

    -Juan
     
  30. Kettleman
    Joined: Mar 28, 2006
    Posts: 149

    Kettleman
    Member

    Ryan,

    Great series, great pictures and a great car. Thanks

    Kettleman
     

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