So I wake up this morning all excited to head over to Hamilton, Montana to attend the gunshow there and do the gunshops north of there.
Its 130 miles each way and as I peek out my window I see its snowing!
Hard!
And it was just 80 degrees here two days ago.
Oh well.
I shift my gear from my high mileage car to my 4x4 VarmintMobile and head out at 9:30 A.M. and its now snowing harder.
65 miles later I arrive at the tiny town of Wisdom, Montana (elevation 6,000'+!) and its still snowing - and its cold.
This is all very welcome because there are 40 some wildfires in western Montana still active.
Anyway I am two blocks away from town central and the only gas station for over 65 miles in any direction comes in to view.
What do I see but 21 (twenty one!) Cobras - not the snake animals but the high performance race cars from the mid 1960's!
I am astounded - I mean how did they get there without four wheel drive, how many have been wrecked on their way to this remote, forlorn and now snowed in tiny corner of the world?
All the cars are either in line to gas up or just in front of the station aimed west (the direction I am headed).
All the Cobras have California license plates and all the Cobras but one have a man driving and a woman passenger!
The other Cobra only has a man in it and a cover over the passengers seat.
I am dumbfounded, maybe incredulous is a better description.
I wheel the VarmintMobile over to the curb and turn off my Cummins diesel engine.
I roll down my window and the sound coming from the eight or ten Cobras running and revving then was erotic, mesmerizing and amazing!
I still could not believe what I am seeing and exit the VarmintMobile to see what I can see up close.
Cobras are roaring and squealing tires and peeling out and jockeying for position at the tiny two pump gas station.
Many of the women are inside a small store buying coffee and warming their hands and faces.
If you are not familiar with Cobras (and I am NO expert!) they are convertibles - or should I say open cockpitted cars with NO roof capabilities - at least NONE of these Cobras had tops!
Its still snowing and I assume these folks are out for some kind of road trip/tour and things weather wise have gone wrong, REALLY WRONG!
There is no where in this tiny burg to get a Cobra under cover unless they drive to a barn or something like that.
I just can not imagine what these folks are gonna do in this snow storm?
I am on a time schedule to be in Hamilton for the show at 1:00 P.M. for the door opening so I must leave despite the amazing allure of nearly two dozen beautiful cars with engines making such a sublime and captivating roaring chorus - I just did not want to leave.
But alas I did and as I am loading up so it seems are most of the Cobras and their now bundled up to the max occupants!
I head out on the long west bound stretch of the Bighole Valley with visibility at no more than half a mile - when I get about 5 miles west of Wisdom I see in my rear view mirror a line of Cobras coming up behind me.
Wowsers I say, these folks are now heading for two high Rocky Mountain passes (one is 7,420 feet high!) in a snow storm, in convertible cars, without four wheel drive and they are doing so at about 70 miles per hour!
I decide to pull over and let them pass at a long pullout near the Bighole Battlefield - I also decide to renew my love of the sound of these cars by shutting down the diesel again and rolling down my window.
It was worth it - it was so cool!
15 (fifteen) Cobras pass me by and the sound was just mesmerizing!
I notice as I am counting them that 13 out of the 15 Cobras to pass me, at speed, have their hoods ajar (not fully closed at the rear but maybe two inches ajar)?
A sixteenth Cobra pulls in behind me and I watch the driver get out and close down the hood on his California plated Cobra (personalized plate "REAL 65").
I am watching him from two hundred yards distant and he jumps back into his ultra cool ride and on that perfectly flat stretch of highway covered with slush this fella puts the hammer down!
I mean his rig was squalling and he hit second gear just before he got to me and incredulously he power shifted into third gear with barely a fishtail as he went out of sight!
I started crying and coming at the same time - it was THE coolest thing I have seen in about 50 years - WOW.
Well I wait several minutes and no more Cobras come from the east to catch up with their friends heading west.
I decide to head out and on up to Chief Joseph Pass and watch for Cobra cars in the burrow pits and willows.
I am literally trembling from the excitement and the cold and watching all the way for distressed Californians - alas and thankfully I saw nary an off road sports car or driver.
Once over Chief Joseph pass and on down to Lost trail Pass I was getting control of myself and wondered which direction the now most certainly numb tourists may have gone - south to Salmon, Idaho and Sun Valley or North to Missoula.
If I would have come across them again I would have thanked each and every one of them for the show and wished them safe travels in their expensive rides.
WOW what a happening.
And me with NO camera along.
I will have some high performance dreams tonight I am sure.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Bullshit.

And, not even *good* bullshit.

That's a great story. That is really wild. Imagine those hot sports cars, highballing down the road in the snow with no tops. That is wild.
All my life I have heard of the Cobra, but have never seen one.

Here is the Cobra song from 1964, lots of great pics of Cobras:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oc6FmZCT0Zc

furbarsky: If you don't believe me call the only gas station in Wisdom, Montana and ask them if a big pack of Cobra cars showed up at 10:30 A.M. on September 15th 2,017!
I am certain they wont forget that sight!
I am calling your bluff and bluster - give'em a call.
He-he.
You are about to get egg on your face, again, but by now I am sure you are used to that.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Simonkenton7: That was a cool song - I always thought Jan & Dean sang that but I saw on your link it was by the Rip Chords.
Thanks for the memories.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Hold into your breath, while I google the number for a gas station in Montana, moron.

Pulled full throttle into third, in the snow, in a genuine Cobra, with barely a fishtail? Moron.

Legit Cobras, kickin it in the snow? Happens every day. Moron.

Simonkenton7: I got curious and looked up on Wikipedia the Shelby Cobra - seems some of them had Ford 427 cubic inch engines and some of the early originals had Ford 289 cubic inch engines.
I wonder which I saw - maybe some of each and apparently some one is making look alike Cobra cars (which are also VERY expensive it seems?).
I do know this, those folks had to travel a LONG way in very poor conditions to find shelter or safe streets to drive on.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Every so often a paragraph will make the story easier to read.

Wowsers!

fubarski: YOU are proving yourself to be the moron.
I'll look up the number for you!
By the way they close early in the evening there but open early as well.
Try "Bighole Petroleum" at 1-406-689-3225.
That is the only "gas" related business I find in the Wisdom phone book - if that's NOT the gas station then I am certain they will have the phone number for the station.
I will be expecting YOUR apology about 9:00 A.M. (M.S.T.) tomorrow (September 16th).
He-he.
A sad sack you most certainly must be.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Great story, VG.

Jaguartx: Yeah it was a hoot.
I just felt sorry for all those folks obviously expecting a nice fall day for their excursion into one of the highest and most beautiful valleys in Montana and with not much warning if any at all they find themselves in a near whiteout.
By the way if buttfubarski is reading this I called the Antlers Saloon there in Wisdom, Montana which is next to the gas station and they verified the phone number I gave buttfubarski as being the correct one for the gas station.
I am sure looking forward to old egg in the face buttfubarski getting ANOTHER comeupance!
By the way the vehicles in question today were (IIRC) all one of four colors, white, blue, red and I think black.
I wonder if they have heaters in them?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well, let's see.

Bullshit will out itself, wouldn't you agree?

21 Cobras, counted em? Amazing ability.

Astounded? I'm astounded you can count to 21.

They're in line to gas up. How long did that take? And you waited? Guess the gunshow can wait until midnight, no problem.

And the *all* got CA plates? You took the time to verify each plate? Anal retentive, but hey, I'll go with you so I can laugh harder, later.

ALL of em have a man driving, and a woman passenger, but one. You know this because they were all sitting in line to get gas, with a man driving, and a woman passenger.

Except that, many of the women are inside, a small store, apparently not the gas station, buying coffee and warming their hands and faces.

Which you observed, while watching Cobras roaring and squealing tires and jockeying for position at the gas pumps.

Remember, you're outside the cumshot bullshitmobile now, so you can see what you can see, up close (see how I added punctuation, there).

Later, after you've waited until they've all gassed up, you leave the gas station, even though the sound of the engines gives you an erection.

And, amazingly, they are all leaving at the same time as you.

And, amazingly, they're all occupied to the max occupancy, which turns out to be, amazingly, two.

Except for the one guy that couldn't get any pussy, remember him?

So you left, with your erection (in hand?), not to be late for a gunshow.

Then, with visibility at a half mile, in a snowstorm, you look in the rearview mirror of the cumshot bullshitmobile, and see rear-wheel-drive, convertible, sports cars catching up to you, at 70 miles per hour, in a blinding snowstorm, so you decide to pull over and let them pass.

Pardon me while I wipe the egg offa my face.

OK, I'm back.

Then, (and this is where it gets good, if it wasn't already), you let 13 of the "21" pass you on the road, in a snowstorm. Apparently, the other 8 didn't show you their tits.

Except for the guy that was alone, who also didn't show you his tits.

The sound apparently kept your dick hard, so you were able to focus on the "fact" that 13 had their hoods "ajar", whatever the fck that means.

Cobras didn't have hood springs like a regular car, but you knew that, so there's no fcking way the hoods would be propped open at speed if the latches weren't in place.

They lay flat.

Your keen powers of observation would have immediately alerted you of that fact. Normally. But, I'm willing to allow that your erection may have clouded that basic observation.

SO, the 16th guy, out of 21, remember, pulls in behind you 200 yards away, and you can read his license plate.

Through the rearview mirror that served you so well before, apparently.

Please refer me to your optometrist.

But, maybe the erection focused your eyesight. In which case the optometrist won't help, dangit.

And, you're able to observe that he pulls over, for the sole reason to "put the hood down", on a hood that couldn't be up?

Was that when you started "crying and coming at the same time"?

That hadda make a mess, especially if ol' sound-hardener was aimed at your face.

Good call to take a break at that point, get the juices together.

I'm sure if you would have come across them again, it would only be because you came across them the first time.

Hopin for wet dreams for you, just like the last time.

Happy I'm wipin egg offa my face, steada what the Cobra drivers were wipin offa theirs.

buttfubarski: I will happily pick you apart, again!
He-he!
And I am eagerly awaiting your polite apology early tomorrow A.M. - IF.. you are man enough to do so!
He-he!
Yes-sirree bob - I can, and did count to 21 and then counted the cars that passed me there on Highway 43 just west of Wisdom - can't YOU count?
I have no idea how Cobra cars hoods "latch" but it was quite obvious that most of the Cobras had their hoods unlatched at the rear and the one fella that pulled in behind me got out of his car and pushed down on his hood, got back in his car and "varoomed" on past me, his hood was closed as he passed - again that was one of THE coolest things I have seen in decades.
And remember there buttfubarski (if thats possible for you?) that I got out and walked amongst the gathered sports cars and sport car drivers and passengers there at the Wisdom gas station and read that license plate both in the town of Wisdom and again when that car passed me their at the Bighole National Battlefield, yeah I can read license plates!
Sheesh.
When I pulled over there on Highway 43 I turned the VarmintMobile a bit so I could see the approaching convoy of Cobras in all their purring glory, go by - that was my purpose for pulling over (as explained previously).
Don't make TO much of my dallying into erotic comparisons there buttfubarski - I was makin a funny!
I tend to think you ought to get out more there buttfubarski - if you can?
The egg is STILL on your face there buttfubarski and will be until you apologize to me and maybe a little longer after that.
He-he.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

My buddy's brother is one of the preeminent Cobra restoration and historian specialists. He's in Colorado and has a couple Shelby Cobras and restores a couple each year. Very cool cars and no doubt an unexpected sight on a snowy Montana backroad.

I hope the snow finds and quenches the fires.

Good story but unbelievable.

There ain't more than a couple dozen original Shelby Cobras in existence, all of them too valuable to drive on road trips.
Odds are great they were replicas, primarily based on the Mustang "fox" chassis of the late 80's and 90's, with second gen ford 302 motor, or chevy small blocks.
Google "Fast Five" replicars, one of biggest suppliers of Cobra kits.

Casey

^^^^

^^^

Funny thing as I happened to see a Cobra (only1 though) yesterday afternoon myself, First one I can recall seeing in many a year. Was waiting for a stop light to change to green and the Cobra was facing me on the opposite side waiting for it to change too. One male driving, and no passenger.

When the light changed to green I turned left, the Cobra turned to his left. Never saw what state the license plate was from. The car itself was painted either a flat black or a real dark grey primer and had a fairly large white circle and the number '55' inside the circle on the door of the side I could see as it was turning. No idea if it was a replica or an original. Weather here was mostly clear skies and around 80 degrees.

I haven't seen one in a while.

How did that SAME guy get there so quick? Surely there can't be 2 Cobra guys that can't get chicks....

If he would paint the thing blue instead of leaving it primered he'd have all kinds of chicks wanting a ride..............


Casey

Something wrong with a guy that has the $$$ to own a REAL Cobra, has a Cobra,
and cant get a woman.

When I mentioned a "couple dozen" I was thinking of the full race 427 equipped AC Cobras. Shelby made more street versions of 427,428,, and 289 Cobras. Still, originals are too valuable to drive on long road trips, they all start at $250K and the race versions go for a few mil when they go up for auction.

The AC Cobras are the most popular of high end replicas today. Shelby had a couple dozen chassis left over and he sold those a few years ago. They aren't saying how much each chassis sold for but it was speculated to be around $500k for a rolling chassis. The challenge was finding an original aluminum body.............

The 427/428 are the best looking because the chassis was wider than the 289 chassis. There was also three different body tweaks to the fenders and front end.

Casey

I always heard them old Cobra's were real fast.

Lots of small and big outdoor classic and custom car shows around here on weekends every summer.
My guess is that's were the Cobra I saw probably was headed.

Got to go to SilverStone Track and watch some of the AC Cobras Race
when I lived in Britain in my youth... a neighbor would take me and my brother.

Their family was friends with my family.. he was a sports reporter for one of the London
papers.... These were the British made Cobras.. I think they had Ford Engines...and right hand
drive.

The AC Cobra bodies were made in Bristol IIRC...in England.

I had a similar experience here in Missouri minus the snow. Was out around Owensville MO headed home from hunting out at a friends place with my younges son in tow. There were around a dozen of them and they were coming from the opposite direction. I see them coming and start yelling at my son, "look at all of them" and he thinks I see a flock of turkeys or something in the fields and starts looking all around. II yell at him and tells him to look forward and I say "listen to this". At which I turn down the radio and roll down the windows. He was floored by what he saw and then ask, "what where those beast dad" and I explain the whole Shelby thing to him. This happened last fall and I believe there is a Cobra club around there. VarmentGuy I'm with you, they made my day and then some. I also got to come out looking cool in the boys eye for knowing what they were but that lasted only a brief moment and then the rotten kid returned. Still it was a moment.

Last one i saw was 21/2 years ago while headed to Port A. Somewhere west of Marble Fall on a divided highway one had just lost control and gone into the median which was divided by those cables strung up between those little I-beam posts. It made quite an impression on me at the time but not nearly what it did to him. Iirc it was strung between the cables at a 45 degree tilt with the cables having cut up the car and driver pretty miserably.

Talk about going out in style.

There are a lot of replica Cobras on the highways.
Most of us have never seen a real one, on the highway.

The A/C bodies were made in England. "Hand hammered
by wino's in an alley" was how Carol Shelby described production.

Past GF'ds Father had an original 427 and I got to drive a replica a couple years back. Not a car to play with if you are not a player.

Impractical as hell, but what a ride....

I remember seeing Cobras race at Riverside International Raceway.
No one else seem to have a chance, It would be Cobra's one and two, Ferrari third and fourth, then everyone else.
Vets would try but were Behind by laps at races end.
This would have been 1960's
Friend has a Cobra 500HP kit car.

Buddy of mine owned a very hot 70's Arntz replica for a time in the 80's. Used to drag it at Kingdon here in NorKal. That's was the fastest car I ever rode in and can still picture the scenery flying by at 160+ a few times when we took it on a few road trips through some desolate stretches of Nevada's highways back in the late 80's.

I will take crap that never happened for $500

And at a Shelby Get Together at yellow springs one time......the quickest around the track was.......the Shelby Dodge Omni!!!!

Yup.....and Shelby wanted the Chevy engine. Couldn't get it.

Bill Cosby....200 mph......funny. Great

And there is an interesting story behind those "left over" chassis.....

You slam shift a Cobra with full pedal on a dry road, it is going to break loose. Do it on slush and bad things are going to happen.

Well 17 things can happen........none off them good.

Though with the original 260 it wasn't as bad.

A small museum I used to belong to.......maybe 200 members ........had a 427.

So you could go back and look at them all the time and they "exercised" ALL the cars. Including a Type 41.

Anyway. Don't know if it was original.... But some of the constant gauges were not mounted straight.

They were tilted so if the temp or oil pressure was right it was straight up.

You could look quick and check.

Anybody know more?

Some of the World War II aircraft had that done to the gauges, I've read.

Readin that chit gave me autism

Thanks. I'll do that on the next build. I never thought to ask when the museum was open.

Would have been a good Pot Luck Dinner topic.

And these folks would have known.

Dude! WTH? TMI!

Ken Howell used to say readability came from the white spaces, not the black parts.

That becomes apparent with a post like that.

Back in prehistoric times when we only had analog gauges, that was a common ploy to make gauges easier to read "at a glance". Drag racers frequently did the same thing when mounting tachometers. When the needle was straight up, shift...

I remember that. These were some of the stock gauges.

The car may be in Naples Florida. I may drive down this winter and see.

Just checked......it isn't there.

The Titanium headered Westlake 12 is there.

257x50: I got a PM this afternoon suggesting the cracked open hoods to the vehicles would allow hot air from the engine compartment to help clear/defrost/cleanse the small windshields for better vision of the driver?
I am still trying to get over the top speed of these cars made in the early 60's!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

The story goes.......the owner of Lamborghini America was cruising at 170 in Nevada (NO speed limit then ) when a car passed him at abut 30 miles an hour faster. It was Carrol Shelby in his coupe. From a magazine in my youth.

Yeah. They were crazy speeds. On those tire too!!!!

The Corvette GT (7 made?) were competitive........

people built cars then. They had more

Tag

Well, even if the story isn't told to your liking, it still rings true. This is the time of year many Cobra owners and clubs schedule long road trips because the weather is usually "predictable" . Once on the road, you pretty much have to deal with what the weather brings you- good or bad. Getting caught in a rainstorm (or snowstorm) isn't for the faint of heart, but it does happen and most Cobra drivers and their passengers (usually the spouse on these road trips) just deal with it and move along. What every Cobra driver learns is the rain and snow blow right over your head if you keep your speed up.
Doubtful all of these Cobras were originals, but very possible that some of them were. Unlike a lot of collector cars, Cobra owners tend to drive their cars- original and replica alike because they just are a lot more fun to be behind the wheel than to look at. There were just a bit over 1,000 Cobras of all types made and many of them are still on the road or in collections somewhere- certainly way more than a few dozen. Those guys who learn to drive their cars can do amazing things in them, including spin the tires in just about any gear an conditions. Others never really learn to drive these beasts and do somewhat amazing things- but not of the impressive variety.

I've only been driving my Cobra replica (not a kit) for a couple years since finishing it. I'm still learning to drive it, but the process is more fun than should be allowed with clothes on... 500+ hp in a car that weighs in around 2,000 lbs can get your attention real quick. And the sound, well, it just can't be described unless you are next to one listening to the side pipes and lumpy cams. Some of the youtube videos almost capture the sound, but just not quite. The look of car guys next to me at a light as they roll their window down to hear the car and actually wave their arms to capture the unburned gas fumes in the exhaust, they thumbs up and hollers from street side as I go by, the fart can ricers wanting to race me, tells me these cars still have a following. Heck, I could probably open a business letting people listen to or ride in my car if I was so inclined.....

Just to correct one poster above- the top seller of kit cobras is "Factory Five". No, they aren't build on a Fox body mustang chassis. You take the engine, drive train, radiator, fuel tank, and other usable parts and junk the rest of the car and put them in the Factory Five supplied chassis. However, now their kits support the Fox body and all modern mustang parts, multiple engine and drivetrain platforms, and all new parts if you prefer to go that way. And that is only one of literally dozens of kit manufacturers.

Interesting thread for a hunting forum, but probably not as much as some of the other threads posted in the throes of cabin fever or hunting season anxiety onset....

Bob

LOL........you gotta admit though......VarmintGal never disappoints....

Did anyone call the gas station?

Sheister: Thanks for the insight on the Cobra sporting cars.
Did the original Cobras have heaters and/or defrosters.
I wish I had gotten the name of the car club these folks are from - i assume its something like California Cobra Car Club.
I think I will Google that.
500 horsepower for 2,000 pounds of car - wow again.
I hope they have good disc brakes - those little cars can really get rollin (164 M.P.H. is what wiki-pedia declares - maybe the new models are even faster?).
I saw them race at Seattle International Raceways (S.I.R.) when I was young - impressive then - even more impressive nowadays.
I agree with you the sound is just indescribable!
Thanks again for the input - by the way did the fellow who P/M'ed me have a point about the warm air flow from the engine compartment helping to clear/warm the windshield?
Drive careful!
By the way here in my neck of the woods the "Goins" brothers were building Cobras about 8 years ago - they sold some.
One of my Gopher Hunting buddies was interested in their replica cars and he looked them over carefully and continued saving money to get one but these fellas went out of business or moved I am not sure which.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

700LH: Call'em yourself if you doubt me.
Va-roooom.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

And then there was the "Billet" Cobra made in Europe on a CNC.

One off

For the guy that founded Oracle.

257 x 50: I googled California Cobra Collectors Car Clubs and this is just ONE of them that popped up.
I think I will spend some time reading about the cars and their meets and travels (they are the Orange County California Cobra Club).

Cool site - I have linked to it: https://cocoaoc.org/

Dinner bell - more later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Heaters/ defrosters were optional on the early Cobras but I've found mine to be helpful on cold mornings when the windshield fogs up. I hear stories about Cobras going speeds that I would doubt, but some guys have bigger balls than others, so who knows? I know the basic Cobras are "aerodynamically challenged" due to their shape and don't do well over about 140 or so. The Cobra Coupes were built to overcome this shortcoming and did very well- winning everything in sight the couple years they were available until the GT40 came out and Ford dropped their sponsorship of the Cobra racing program.
Yes, the heat from the small engine compartment is legendary and is always a factor to deal with when driving one of these cars. Opening the hood to keep the windshield clear and defrosted is an old Cobra owners' trick, since they hinge in the front and open in the rear. Personally, I try not to drive when the temps indicate snow, ice, or other severe weather. No top does have it's drawbacks. Our club had to cancel our long distance trip this summer when the temps were forecast to hit 108 for most of the trip duration. About the only thing worse in a Cobra than getting rained/snowed on, is getting cooked by the sun while driving.
Lots of very good Replica manufacturers available right now and probably one that will fit just about any budget, aesthetic, or need for originality the buyer is searching for. Check out Clubcobra.com and ffcars.com for info and loyal followings for the different models available. Along with 24hourcampfire style arguments, questions, and characters...

Bob

Doubting you was not the thought

Actually, the billet Cobra was produced by Kirkham Motorsports and Cobras in Utah. They actually made two of them- one sold to the owner of Oracle and I don't recall what happened to the second one. A truly remarkable and structurally strong piece of engineering. The Kirkhams put out a book on the production of the car which shows almost all of the pieces as produced and the assembled product and structural results. Worth a read if you have any interest in these cars..

Bob

Didn't know about the second one. Thanks.

Practical Machinist had a big thread on it.

I posted in it. Didn't remember that. 2009.

One addition of the book was $4500?? Something crazy.

The covers were machined aluminum

And Kirkham did post in that thread.

VarmitGuy: I liked your story and never doubted its veracity. I was puzzled why some called bullsh*t, so I called the number of the gas station you posted and spoke with Greg. He confirmed your story and said they were headed to Sun Valley (I believe. There was some background noise.)

Those cars are amazing even if they aren't originals. We have a group of folks in my town that have some and I see them out occasionally. Whoever said that the people who own them drive them is correct. While my reaction isn't as visceral as yours, it is fun to see and hear a group of them. Thanks for the good story. -tnscouter

There... Suck It!

Didja ask the grease monkey about the "blizzard" that the National Weather Service somehow managed to miss completely?

Cause the NWS don't show *any* snow, at all, in Wisdom, MT on Friday.

Bullshit story.

VROOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!

Closest I found easy was Dillon,
Events, 09/15/2017, fog, rain, snow.

https://www.wunderground.com/histor...qdb.zip=&reqdb.magic=&reqdb.wmo=

He poster the $4500 book on line so folks could see the work. Kool idea.

From LH's link:

Snow
Snow 0.00 in - - ()
Snow Depth 0.00 in

Wisdom data says the same thing.

You're correct, my bad. I have an acquaintance who builds Cobras for clients from Factory Five kits, I should've remembered they supply a tube chassis.

Csey

speaking of....remember those battery vroom motors you could put on your bike?

According to this LINK, conditions at Dillon at around 10.30 am were snow and fog, visibility about 800 m (1/2 mile). By 11.24 conditions were heavy snow, visibility down to 400 m (1/4 mile).

Fubarski: Where I come from it's up to the person calling bullsh*t to debunk a story. But your vitriolic responses and the coolness of the story, coupled with my doing nothing but watching college football, going through some papers, and perusing the fire led me to call. Once it was confirmed that the cars were there you then shifted to calling bs on the weather. Maybe you have history with VarmintGuy and that's what is driving your responses, but I felt a little derision in your question of me so I decided to find out what the weather was in Wisdom.

I called Greg (the fellow you call "grease monkey") back at Big Hole Petroleum but the phone just rang so I decided to call a business that should be open at night. I called the Nez Perce Motel in Wisdom and spoke with a gentleman named Blake whose wife Brenda owns the motel. He confirmed that the weather had gone from the eighties / seventies during the week and that everyone was caught off guard by the weather the other day. He said the temp was in the mid-twenties and the high hit 32 later in the day. He said they had a few inches of snow which was very wet, heavy, and thick in the air. Apparently VarmintGuy's story is not so outlandish after all.

Written communications are difficult because nuances are absent and it is easy to misinterpret intent. I'm sure you meant nothing my way and I mean nothing yours. In fact I'm glad you asked the question because it led me to speaking with Blake for about fifteen minutes. My father was born and raised in Wolf Point so I've always had a fascination with Montana and hope to visit that area and learn more about him and his past. Blake's stories and kindness increased that fascination and reminded me of the basic goodness in people, so for that I thank you.

Anything else in VarmintGuy's story that might be suspect I will chalk up to literary license which led to a cool story about some really cool cars, and for that I thank him. -tnscouter

Heavy snow, but no snow?

Here's Wisdom, MT's results. Too warm and no snow:

Weather History for Wisdom, MT [KMTWISDO2]
View Next Previous
Summary
September 15, 2017
High Low Average
Temperature 38.7 °F 33.1 °F 35.9 °F
Dew Point 38.5 °F 29.8 °F 36.5 °F
Humidity 99% 97% 98%
Precipitation 0.11 in -- --
High Low Average
Wind Speed 21 mph -- 3 mph
Wind Gust 22 mph -- --
Wind Direction -- -- SSW
Pressure 30.03 in 29.88 in --
Graphs Table

But at least we know Bullshitguy's name, and that he works at a convenience store, so there is that.

https://www.wunderground.com/person...ISDO2#history/s20170915/e20170915/mdaily

My nuance, is that he's full of [bleep].

Back in the 80s a kid here in small town Nebraska lost his father in a plane crash and received a very large sum of money plus a bunch of farm ground...his dad was a ford guy and had a real Shelby mustang....since my buddy was a mustang guy we thought we would check it out and see if it could be bought...when we got there this kid .....17 years old was building a cobra kit car...not a real big deal but the amazing thing is he had found and bought a genuine 427 Side oiler for it.....as I understand it was the motor used for the racing version cobra.....don't remember what he said he paid for it for sure but was more money than the kit car...can you imagine a 17 year old kid with that .....I don't know that it ever got finished as I have never seen it on the road....

BTW....I rode a motorcycle through that very stretch of HW in August 2005.....forecast said clear and sunny...we had snow and slush all the way to Misoula....just sayin....

What time did you start drinking that AM?

BOOK IT!!!

Odd that there's so many news and other reports, road safety warnings and photographs of the snow in that part of Montana that day. It seems to have attracted a bit of attention, especially by reason of its effect on various fires.

Here's Montana.gov, for example:



Plenty of snow according to the National Weather Service Missoula Facebook page too.

Maybe they are all lying?

VarmintGuy: I'm not familiar with the area. Did you drive by Big Hole Pass? -tnscouter

Tnscouter: Pardon my slow reply I have been busy doing gun shows and had to head up into the high country to re-supply an archery Elk Hunting camp.
Yes "I" did cross over Bighole Pass (elevation exactly 7,400'!) to get to Wisdom.
I am not sure how the Cobra drivers made their way to Wisdom, Montana they may have come from the east like I did or just one of two other approaches to Wisdom.
I went over four mountain passes (in 130 miles) on MY way from Dillon, Montana to Hamilton, Montana (via Wisdom) - the passes names and elevations are (east to west) Badger Pass 6,760', Bighole Pass 7,400', Chief Joseph Pass 7,264' and Lost Trail Pass at 7,014'.
Bighole Pass is about 25 miles south of Wisdom.
I have haunted this area since the late 1960's and I never tire of Hunting, fishing and sightseeing in the Bighole Valley.
I just received (just this hour) an unsolicited text message from an unidentified person who was inquiring if I was the person that posted regarding the "Cobras" in the snowstorm in Wisdom, Montana on the 15th!
How this person got my cell phone number is beyond me (I have posted it several times on this forum in the past though)?
Anyway in his text message to me he relayed how indeed some of the Cobras in that batch of cars were "original" Cobras and he was driving one of them!
Sadly I am not very text savy so I will have to wait for the VarmintWife to get home from work to reply to his kindly text.
In his text he also did not explain how he came to become aware of my documentation of that Cobra sighting and about the few doubting buttfarski's that questioned their existence!
Anyway Bighole Pass is indeed a beautiful stretch of road and I have seen MANY Elk from the pavement there along with countless Antelope and two Bears - beautiful country if you haven't been there with a STUNNING view of the upper Bighole Valley and mountain range that divides Montana from Idaho (Beaverhead Mountains).
By the way buttfurski I Have not yet received a P/M with YOUR apology!
When can I expect same?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Just got off the phone with one of the participants in the recent Cobra Club trip through Wisdom and he will be forwarding pictures from the event (who's destination was Sun Valley, Idaho by the way) to my E-mail account.
Hopefully I will get them posted here soon.
Anyway I was much relieved to hear in talking to him that no damage was incurred by any of the Cobra Club participants cars (or their persons) so I am grateful for that.
I was so excited to hear from this Cobra owner who was along on the run/rally/trip that I forgot to ask him if Cobra cars had heaters or defrosters in them - I kind of doubt that as those accessories are heavy and bulky.
The Cobra owner did relay to me that the trip that day was extending from Butte, Montana to Sun valley thus they did not have to negotiate either Badger Pass or Bighole Pass.
I am just sad that the weather had turned so inclement thus depriving the members of the group the sensational views of the Bighole, the Anaconda/Pintlar Wilderness and the Pintlar Range.
Usually in mid-September the weather thereabouts is warmish and the skies clear.
The Cobra driver/owner stated to me he tried to sign-up/log-in to enter his first hand account of the day but was unable to?
More later.
Come on buttfubarski - man up!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Interested Parties: Wait til you see the pictures that were just sent to me by one of the participants in last Fridays Cobra Club trip!
Amazing!
I will try to find a volunteer to post them for me as i am not savy enough to do so.
The letter from the Cobra event participant (who i will keep confidential) wrote a interesting and much appreciated explanation of the days events.
I will quote it in full copy form here:

"A mix of original 1960s Cobras and 427 Cobras (a co-operative effort by AC Cars, Carroll Shelby, and Ford Motor Company 1962-1967), twenty six (26) cars in all, were on a 1,000+ mile driving tour during the second week of September 2017. (We put 1,166 miles on our car during the tour.) The tour started and stopped in Sun Valley Idaho. Most of the route was rural but we did pass through, stop for fuel, stop for food, or spend the night in several communities including Wisdom.



If a fuel stop had more than one station available the group normally split refueling locations up so stops were not so long. The only place we split up for lunch was during our stop in Ennis, which did not have one venue large enough to deal with 51 people suddenly showing up together.



One fellow was driving alone as his wife was at home recovering from an illness. She probably would not have enjoyed the trip as their RV towing the car trailer broke down in Idaho Falls. The poor fellow drove his early Cobra from Idaho Falls to Sun Valley arriving late the first night. After the tour he took off driving late at night back to Idaho Falls in the Cobra. His “tour” was considerably longer than everybody else’s.



Some women were drivers. My wife drove quite a bit. One man’s daughter (a serious gear head old cars or new) drove his Cobra most of the tour.



Cars on street legal race tires, and several cars were, had a real hard time on the snow and slush covered road over a mountain pass. Cars on relatively narrow aggressive treaded Michelin® and Blockley® radials had no trouble at all. Some of the 427 Cobras were on BFG® tires with aggressive tread patterns and they did okay. There was some slipping and sliding but no crashes or off road adventures. (Off road would have been bad because in most places the terrain dropped off quickly after the pavement stopped.



A few car owners decided not to attempt the snow covered two lane road rural mountain pass and rerouted down the Interstate and caught up with the main group that night at the hotel.



Several of the owners in the tour have been driving original Cobras since the 1960s. They have slightly propped open their hoods during cold wet driving for decades to let warm air escaping the engine bay warm there windshields. It works and no the hoods will not blow open, at least not up to 80 mph they won’t.



Cars/car owners from Alaska, Montana, Maine, Ohio, Missouri, California, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Kansas, Alberta (Canada), and Michigan were represented. Worm and sector skinny tires on CSX20xx cars through giant frog squasher tires racers and CSX33xx cars participated.



It was a lot of fun despite the weather"

End of quote

Pictures to follow ASAP.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy.

This thread should be a sticky.

Rick?

Add: First try at photos.



"My wife Martha took this picture over the windshield. All the cars did have their hoods propped slightly open so engine heat would melt the snow on the windshields






To: '[email protected]' <[email protected]>
Subject: I tried to register and kept getting error messages on any name I tried to use



I wanted to respond to a thread I found.





https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...0/3/cobras-in-a-blizzard-only-in-montana



There were in fact twenty six (26) original 1960s cars, a mix of Cobras and 427 Cobras street and race, stopped in Wisdom. In fact we stopped there twice, once on our way north and once on our way south. Our round trip was over 1,000 miles from Sun Valley Idaho.



We were in our original Cobra on the tour and yes we got caught in snow going over some passes".


Dang my copy and paste attempt captured only the text of the E-mail from the Cobra Club participant to me and not the picture of the Cobras traveling in the snow!
I will try again later.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: Just got another text from the Cobra Club participant who clarified for me that INDEED when new the Cobras had both heaters and defrosters but most got removed for performance (racing) enhancement!

Tag

Has there been an apology yet?

No dog in this fight other than to support VG's weather report. I was camped southwest of Wisdom Thursday night preparing for the moose opener on Friday morning. Got lucky first thing on Friday morning about 5 miles southwest of Wisdom and report over 8" of snow. If I knew how to post a picture, one can see both the moose and the snow.

Toolek: I saw a dandy Bull Moose in Yankee Swamp a few years back - maybe that was a little further west than where you got yours?
Congratulations on the Moose harvest - good for you!
By the way I am getting closer to absolute "proof" of my veracity (for anyone who needs it!) here are some photos from one of the Cobra Club participants on the recent tour:

www.clubcobra.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/88363][img]


Please copy and paste to go to the photos.

Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: If you heard a distant roar about 10;30 A.M. on Friday while you were cleaning your Moose that was the main flight of Cobras hightailing it for lower elevation down Idaho way.

Mac84: Not as yet and I checked my P/M's just now!
I will give the main miscreant ONE more day then I will P/M him telling him exactly what a small man and coward he is - and then post it publicaly 24 hours later her.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

(SF-on) I'm sure that will really help the civility, comradeship and information we all get from here. (SF-off)

I hate to say "it's the internet" and yes some people continue to poke each other but do you really think that will make a difference to you, him or anyone else? Some of the finest people I've ever met face to face, and not met face to face yet, are here. When they post it is obvious that they are interested in teaching, learning, laughing and grimacing over what we read and post here. I have certainly had my low points but strive to behave similarly.

Learned a bit about Cobras on this thread. Also learned some more about some people's character.

I am quite sure all I heard at 10:30 Friday morning was the chattering of my teeth. My archery gear is not well suited to blizzard conditions. I admit to having both ears open as there have been several Grizzly bear sightings in the area. I had visions of making the Wisdom Dispatch....of course my mauling would have been on the second page (the photos of the Cobras would have grabbed the front page).

Toolelk: Indeed ANOTHER Montana archery Hunter was mauled yesterday (September 18th) - or so says the headline of a daily paper for sale here in Dillon read.
I have never purchased a newspaper in my life (a fact of which I am EXTREMELY proud!) so can't give you any more particulars - an archery Elk Hunting friend of mine said this latest Grizzly mauling took place in the Gravelly Mountains (again!).
I don't know - I am seeing more and more Grizzly's and Grizzly tracks in areas I Hunt - I may even start carrying my S&W 629 in the future on my archery Hunts?
I think it is time to start teaching the more and more prevalent Griz to respect/fear/avoid humans.
Again congratulations on the Moose venture - do you know where Yankee Swamp is?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Pugs: I agree with you 100%!
buttfubarski for no reason what so ever became inexplicably "uncivil" and "uncomrade" like for no reason what so ever.
Shameful that.
I have also learned much about the legendary Cobra vehicles and the adventurous get off your butts and go enjoy life people who own them and drove them through the heart of the Rocky Mountains last Friday from this thread and sites I have gone to from here.
Good for that.
And indeed I have hosted at least 20 folks I have met through the internet (most from the Campfire!) and traded lodging, guns and goods with them no end.
Virtually all of them are A-one class folks.
Sadly the buttfubarski's of the world interject themselves now and then and interrupt the "civil" flow of experiences and knowledge hereabouts.
Don't let the buttfubarskis of the world disillusion you - but also don't let them get away with the perversion of this site.
I know "I" won't let him get away with it.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

the feelgood thread of the year.

Best callout thread since the exposure of safarcee man.


mike r

I don't think there were any issues with the original brakes. IIRC, at the time that it was introduced, the Shelby Cobra had the fastest 0 to 100 to 0 time of any production car. Per links below, somewhere in the 11 to 14 second range. For comparison, the Bugatti Veyron with 1000-1200bhp holds the current record at 9.9 seconds. The Cobras did pretty well running 1960's technology and half the horsepower...

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/1965-shelby-cobra-427-road-test

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=1071933

http://newatlas.com/go/5805/

0-100-0 while the top Ferrari was still getting to 100

I'm waiting to see you on Nightline.

This should be proof enough

And Cobras don't even have a heater/defroster..............I wonder if those Californians remembered to bring their snowmobile suits...........


Casey

ASnake: Thank goodness all those Cobra enthusiasts made it home safely!
That is an amazing picture you took/posted.
Wow!
I could not believe my eyes when I saw that group there in the tiny burg of Wisdom, Montana (population 98 - elevation 6,050') in that heavy snow (not quite a blizzard).
Great photo and thank you very much for posting that photo to further prove I was not just having a wet dream up there in high country.
Maybe its gonna be a long winter?
Thanks again.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

All: I received ANOTHER verification letter from another one of the Cobra attendees who has offered to send me more photos of the Cobra enthusiasts outing through Wisdom, Montana, the text of his E-mail to me follows:

"Hello, VarmintGuy.

I was driving one of the Cobras that you mentioned in your post... well, I wasn't actually the one doing the driving; my 24 year-old daughter was driving the Cobra -- I was in the passenger seat!

If you shoot me an email at [email protected], I will send you a few photos.

By the way, there were 26 Cobras on the tour, and each of them is an original Cobra built by Carroll Shelby in the mid-sixties. There were no replicas or continuation Cobras on the tour.

Cheers,
??? ????"

I edited out his contact info to protect this helpful fellows identity and am sending off for more photos from him.
Still no word (apology!) from buttfubarski!
He has been notified by P/M on this forum of my wishes and future intentions should he NOT apologize like a real man would do!
More to follow.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Alpinecrick: Way back in this thread one of Cobra car enthusiasts explained to me that early on the Cobra cars originally came with heaters and defrosters but most folks removed them to enhance performance (reduce weight?) of their Cobra cars.
When the flock of Cobra cars past me near the Bighole Battlefield I noticed all the folks were bundled up pretty well and when I left Wisdom ten minutes before that I saw all the folks bundling up with neck scarfs and gloves and eyewear.
Watching them flow by me at the Battlefield I simply put two and two together and came up with 4 1/2 guessing that indeed Cobras did not have heaters/defrosters as their hoods were almost all ajar and I thought the warm air flow from the engine compartment was coming up onto their tiny windshields.
I was somewhat correct in that assumption.
I also just received an informative E-mail from another Cobra enthusiast who contends that some of the earliest Cobra cars had souped up 260 cubic inch Ford V-8 engines in them!
That was quite a transition then from a 260 cubic inch engine to the herky Ford 427 engine - wow!
More later
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Well then, I was entirely wrong about original Cobra owners not driving their cars on trips. I'm surprised they did that. That's probably close to 10 mil worth of cars that trip.

Casey

Yes, the original small block Cobras did start production with 260ci motors. Even then they are so light those early cars hauled azz.


Casey

I'd say you're a little low. You will need to multiple by at least 2 1/2+

Love to see folks out using stuff as it was intended despite it's value. Although this may not be exactly "as intended" The Laguna Seca corkscrew it ain't.

An even bigger transition from the original 2.0 litre straight six (100 bhp).

Those are some very cool photos from Asnake too (literally). Thanks!

Did you get a PM, like ol' buttfubarski did? Did you delete it before reading it?

i still think you're lying

That is a kick-ass photo!

Looks like somebody's in their manic phase.

Your story was FOS at the beginning, and there's been nothing posted to change that.

From the bullshit OBSP: "I arrive at the tiny town of Wisdom, Montana (elevation 6,000'+!) and its still snowing - and its cold."

We've been through this. The National Weather Service data shows no snow in Wisdom that day, and no precipitation at all during the time you claim this happened.

There was no precipitation until 2:45 p.m., and that was rain.

Bullshit.

Back to the OBSP: "Cobras are roaring and squealing tires and peeling out and jockeying for position at the tiny two pump gas station."

JFC, do I even need to address this? If there's a blizzard, they ain't gonna be able to squeal tires and peel out. And there ain't no way a group of Cobras is gonna jockey for position when they all know each other, and they're all leavin at the same time anyway.

Bullshit.

OBSP: "Its still snowing". No, it wasn't.

Bullshit. Even your own anonymous "sources" say the snow was in a "mountain pass", not the town.

The pictures don't show any gas pumps, nor cars jockeying for position, cause they wasn't taken in Wisdom.

Bullshit.

OBSP: "Wowsers I say, these folks are now heading for two high Rocky Mountain passes (one is 7,420 feet high!) in a snow storm, in convertible cars, without four wheel drive and they are doing so at about 70 miles per hour!"

Maybe your picture posters can chime in on this one, because really it's the biggest load a BS in the entire thread.

Followin a road grader at 70 mph? Draftin each other? In the snow? And that one dude runnin beside his car at 70 mph?

OBSP: "on that perfectly flat stretch of highway covered with slush this fella puts the hammer down!
I mean his rig was squalling and he hit second gear just before he got to me and incredulously he power shifted into third gear with barely a fishtail as he went out of sight!"

Again, this is completely moronic. Ain't nobody gonna chirp tires in the slush. Sit and spin, maybe.

Bullshit.

OP: "I started crying and coming at the same time."

This, I believe.

Face it, loser, ya saw some cobras at a gas station, pulled over and jerked off.

Then ya got on the fire and tried to dress it up, poorly.

The only interesting part of the post is your apparent compulsion to put in the homoerotic part about the orgasm.

Now, you hadda know that is a little bit TMI for a forum.

But, you couldn't resist the voices in your head tellin you to post it.

Kinda like Dahmer got the munchies, and Gacy rearranged his basement, time to time.

And, then, you call BS on the only believable part of your own thread, claimin you was only jokin about that part.

So, let's put this in order (I was gonna post "let me get this straight", but that would be a foreign concept for you:

1- You post what you admit was BS.

2- I call BS on the post.

3- You get all upset cause I pointed out what you later admitted was BS.

4- *You* call BS on what *you* posted: "Don't make TO much of my dallying into erotic comparisons there buttfubarski - I was makin a funny!"

Looks like one o' your personalities need to have a firm talk with the one that checked in a little later.

Even your brown-noser buddy, tnpoofter, admits you obviously used "artistic license", which is pronounced: "bullshit".

And it's OK when *you* call BS on your post, but you get all butthurt when somebody else does.

Pics of cars at a standstill higher up on a mountain somewhere don't mean jack in regards to your OBSP.

You'd a been better off postin bout that 70mph road grader that's keepin up with the cobras.

But hey, keep swingin. Maybe if you stand on a chair, you'll have a higher IQ.

Good news is, after your jerkoff brag, you got dates waitin in tn and lv. That's who you should be pm'n.

And for me, good news you ain't anywhere near me.

Or I'd have poop all over my lawn every day.

Well damn... flat amazing the lengths guys will try to slander on the 'net.....

Anyways turns out there's was a "Mile Hi Cobra Club: 14th Annual Colorado Cruise" that got up into Montana 6/18 - 6/24/17.

If that ain't them there's another group of old guys freezing their a$$es off somewhere.

With any luck, one of 'em will be called Hatchet Jack.

Nice Photoshop "ASnake".

Hahaha Some guys are hard to convince!

I'd say fubuttsky has a corn cob up his ass but it sounds like he's moved on to bigger and better things.

Here's the thing,why make up this particular series of events? The story rings true to me,it's too crazy to be a fabrication.

I enjoyed the story. Obviously VarmintGuy used some artistic embellishment in the story, but those are usually the best stories.

And maybe VarmintGuy is F.O.S., it is possible, I see no harm in telling this story. Fubarski obviously dislikes VarmintGuy and used this opportunity to attack him.

Maybe he should be wiser in picking his battles?

How did people become so sensitive? Good grief.

I enjoy a good story myself, even with a little exaggeration.

I had a TR2 and drove it in blizzards. It had 90 hp from a converted tractor 4 banger 2 liter.

Good photo shopping of all the Cobras in a snowstorm.

I have driven into snow in Colorado in every month, and if there wasn't a TV crew there it didn't happen.

It was the best of times




it was the worst of times.






My hood is cracked.......
What?

That escalated quickly. VG is still gay for cock it seems.

Book it!!!

this thread has birth an abortion!

The first vehicle I ever drove, when I was about 10 or 11 (the little grey Ferguson TEA 20, not a TR2). The same engine for both, but IIRC it was originally for the Standard Vanguard.

YOU, my friend are in serious jeopardy of being the focus of a Varmitgay call out thread......
Watch it, Mister.

How long have you had the cobra?

I'm not a fan of VarmintGAY, but I'm a man of principles, and my brother was in the upper Big Hole hunting elk during this same time. He didn't see the Cobras because he was in the wood hunting elk. But he did say the area received snow that day, FWIW.

I don't think the "weather theory" to disprove this story holds water, so to speak.

About a week.....

Varmintguy gave me a sweet deal.

take care,
Martha

Oh man.

Have to admit the picture of the cobras passing the grader on the road made me literally laugh out loud after having read all the crap being thrown about in this thread.

I absolutely believe the roads were slush covered just outside of Wisdom. I travel and work in that country regularly. It's called the land of 10,000 haystacks and that's not because they like raising hay, but because there are years that they feed 8-9 months out of the year because of how wintery it gets.

Buddy was applying for a job there. Think it was with one of the Hirschys, he was asked if he liked winter or could handle winter. He replied, yeah, he was ok with winter weather. Rancher replied, if you want to live here, you have to love winter because there's so much of it there.

Interesting thread. A couple of weeks ago there was a group of Cobras in Belle Fourche SD. They were parked at the museum. I drove past them in the lot where they were parked end to end. None were originals from what I could tell. I have ridden in two originals, a 289 and a 427 SC but it was a long time back in 1965 and 1967. Originals have crept up in price again and street versions in good shape can bring over $500K. If it is a race car or one owned by somebody that is or was a celebrity the price can get stupid.

I didn't count the cars, 12 or 13 I think. From a lot of different states, saw one Missouri plate. I assume they were out on a late summer drive. This area has a few car groups each year. Corvettes in Spearfish and Mustangs in Sturgis. Never seen the Cobras in this area before.

Here is a link to a museum in Colorado that is geared toward Shelby's cars. Cobra and Mustang versions.

https://shelbyamericancollection.org/

It is worth a visit if these cars appeal to you.

Tarkio: Thats a good one "you have to LOVE winter to work here"!
Heres some more info/evidence regarding the Cobra event on September 15th in the Bighole - its a letter from an official of the Cobra Collectors Club - it was sent to me via unsolicited E-mail from her:

"Hello!

I only know you as VarmitGuy from your posting, and you are a HUGE hit amongst our cobra group! My name is Emily, and I am the one that organizes the tour and sent them through the area. Now if I had control of the weather, clearly I would have made a slight adjustment. This was the 27th year for that tour, and we have been through Wisdom, Anaconda, Butte, Missoula, Seeley Lake etc. area about 7 or 8 times. Great folks, roads and scenery! This is the first year we have had such exciting weather in Montana. Colorado treated us to a bit a few years back also. Not quite as bad though.

I wanted to reach out to you to invite you to come and visit with us if you can in November. We have an annual event - Fundraiser (a.k.a. party) for the museum that we run that puts on the tour - and many of the folk from the gas station will attend! I know it is a bit of a journey for you, but figured I would reach out now in case it's possible. I can also help you find accommodations should you need it. I can also promise (watch, I will shoot myself in the foot) warmer weather here in Northern California than Montana will have. We don't get snow!

We run a 25,000 sf museum that is dedicated to the Cars of 62-70 built by Carroll Shelby. So we have a menagerie of original Cobras (none that you saw in the gas station!), shelby mustangs, tigers, a gt40, daytona coupe, and some other random things! You can get a glimpse at www.cobraexperience.org.

Anyway, now that I filled you full of completely random information, please let me know your thoughts, it is a fun event!

Cheers to wind in the face!

Emily
Emily Lambert
Managing Director
The Cobra Experience
916.873.4283 cell
visit us at www.cobraexperience.org"

End of E-mail.

Still have not heard a peep from lying fubarski.
Obviously he has shamed himself to such an extent he dare not show his face (make a posting!) here.
Sad that he got himself so botched up.
You made your bed "lying fubarski" now sleep in it!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

We've moved on.

There is no such thing as 'moving on', when you are such a 'Huge hit' calling out the lying Lebowski.....

Well VarmitGuy posted my email above, so I can definitely confirm that those were all real cobras doing an annual tour called The Cobra 1000. This was the 27th year of doing the tour, and we have been in the Wisdom neck of the woods several times over the years. I will make sure and post next time we come to town so that all the non-believers can actually see the cars for themselves!

Cheers to wind in the face and successful hunting seasons!

Here is the video of them leaving on Day 1 from Sun Valley, when the weather was nice.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqQ1iDZgcNI&feature=youtu.be[/video]

...and not a one of them came around sideways?
Cobraemily, are you Seahawks fan by chance?

Welcome to the Fire and thanks for posting the video!

[video:yahoo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFhHvqdK6D4[/video]

Here is a recap video of the week of touring in the Cobra 1000 East meets West 2017.

I think the scenery will look familiar to many of you. Enjoy!

About 30 years ago, a fellow I knew had a Cobra totally refurbished -- it was a bright, red 289, a '63 or '64 I believe. He got into a difficulty with the refurbisher in CA and it turned into a lawsuit. The suit was settled (I remember he put over $60K into the Cobra) and he got it to Bend, OR where he lived at the time.

He later left Bend and moved to a ranch out of Darby MT on 200 acres. On a whim, he sent me the keys to the Cobra, as I was living in Bend, and asked me to drive it to Darby. I thought he was nuts. It was Summer and road construction season. I offered to get him a truck and trailer but he said "Drive it up here -- have some fun".

Well, drive it I did. I was too tall to drive with the top up -- it stored in the trunk. Everywhere I stopped people gathered --- always asking "Is it a kit?" It wasn't. It was a bit squirrelly being so light but cornered great. Around Challis, a pickup load of guys started following me and made me nervous. Turned out they were just curious. I made darn sure that I did the whole trip in one day.

I delivered it to Darby, mud-spattered and dusty. He later sold it (to a Californian) but lost quite a bit of $$ on the project. I was glad that road trip was over.

Happy New Year

WTF is the purpose of adding your New Years greeting to a 5 year old thread?

Happy Kwanzaa

I'm just spitballin' here, but I think it's varmintgal’s annual reminder that he might consider a phone with photo-taking capabilities.

Since I wasn't around then, I appreciated this thread being brought back from the dead. Too bad that the pictures ASnake posted are not showing up..

Interesting read, and am always a fan, when a know-it-all gets their àss handed to them.

Great story VG!

Dynasty baby!!!!!!

How was your Winter, VerminGuy?