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Re: [Tigers] One of a kind Cobra

To: <drmayf@mayfco.com>
Subject: Re: [Tigers] One of a kind Cobra
From: "Buck Trippel" <BuckTrippel@Verizon.net>
Date: Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:59:47 -0700
The Kirkham cars started out as exact replicas of the Shelby American 427 
Cobra. I spent nearly a week at Kirkam's plant in Poland and looked at the 
entire operation so I have some idea about what I'm talking about.

They were very correct. Perhaps their quailty was too good. It was certainly 
better than many original Cobras. (Some never crashed Shelby Cobras had the 
fender that was welded on "after lunch" over an inch in front of the one 
attached "before lunch". True (except for the lunch part). ;-)

My "quality" comments were not meant to include the quality of the painting 
at the Poland facility which at that time was non-existent.

However as time passed, Dave has diverged from this originality. I'd guess 
it was market driven. His 289's never had tranverse leafs. In fact when 
George Boskoff toured Kirkham's facility near Provo during SUNY 4, one of 
his first first questions was "Don't you have any leaf spring suspensions?". 
(The answer was, "No.")

I'm sure Dave can still provide exact replica 427s to those who want them, 
just as he provides modified versions for those who want to make sure that 
some silly Tiger doesn't blow them away. ;-)

Buck Trippel


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "drmayf" <drmayf@mayfco.com>
To: "Arden Bedell" <sixtysixtiger@hotmail.com>
Cc: <tigers@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, October 03, 2009 8:26 AM
Subject: Re: [Tigers] One of a kind Cobra


> Very interesting car, for sure.  And expensive, lol. But it begs a couple 
> of questions for the list.  Is it a clone? Is it a replica? What defines 
> those terms?  Does a clone mimic a car already in existence down to the 
> last rivet? Does a replica mean something identical to a vehicle that 
> rolled off  the assembly line? Or is it just the outer skin, for looks? 
> To me, a clone would be to pay homage to a praticlular car, not marque, 
> but a particular vehicle, while a replica would be exactly like an 
> assembly  line of cars rolled off thefactory floor.
>
> Any discussion for a Saturday morning, just for fun?
> mayf
> Arden Bedell wrote:
>
>>http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/book_aoe/
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