Brian Schindler
History does repeat itself
By Brian Schindler
Jan 16, 2006 - 7:31:56 PM

In my younger years, diecast cars played an important role in my life. Store bought, and fueled by imagination, the Matchbox and Hot Wheels models went straight from retail to racing, as they did for most young boys of the time. As we’d run our impromptu speed contests, my pals and I would take on real life personas. One of my friends was always Richard Petty, another A.J. Foyt.

I was Carroll Shelby.

Shelby changed the face of American Motorsports. A chicken farmer turned racecar driver, Shelby’s accomplished history in Motorsports could rival the length of Route 66.

Fate stepped in when a heart ailment forced Shelby off the track for good. Though he knew he’d never again turn a wheel in anger, his determination to keep his hand in the racing game sparked a new desire: to field a car of his own design. This time, fate dealt a kinder hand.

In 1961 England’s AC Motorcars, manufacturers of the AC “Ace” and “Bristol”, lost the source for the 6 cylinder engines used in those models. Seeing an opportunity, Shelby contacted them about putting a small block Ford engine into the roadsters.

By early 1962, the fastest production car was completed for the times with a 0 – 60 mph in 3.9 seconds with a small block Ford engine. In 1964, Shelby and AC Cars along with Ford design engineers started work developing the big block Cobra.

By early 1965, Shelby unveiled the coiled spring chassis, tubular frame, aluminum bodied 427 Cobra and the face of racing was forever changed once again.

My love for the Cobra had been reborn on 2 separate occasions in my life. Long gone are the Matchbox and Hotwheels cars I played with in the dirt. It was much later in my life when diecast cars would soon reach resurgence as a favorite hobby in both the 1/24th and 1/18th scales. I soon found myself following even deeper the ever aging but timeless modern marvel the Cobra represents today.

History repeated itself for me once when I actually got to drive a 427 Cobra (this fueled my desire even higher to actually own one!) and then the second when The Franklin Mint released its extremely well done version of the #98 427 racing Cobra, chassis # CSX3056. Truly for me, history had repeated itself.

The first thing to hit you when you open the box is the amazing manner in which the body is finished. This car not only looks like a brushed aluminum body but it really is brushed aluminum! Most diecast cars available to collectors today are made of “Zamak, a mix of zinc, aluminum and magnesium, which is molten and forced into a tempered mold by Die Cast injection.

George Bojaciuk, the Cobra’s Design Project Manager for The Franklin Mint at the time related the chain of events that took place in trying to replicate the brushed aluminum finish. “The original image specification called for an actual aluminum body in 1/24th scale. The characteristics of aluminum made this image somewhat of a challenge. Aluminum can oxidize easily in the right conditions and it expands and contracts differently than the usual Zamak metal brew. One sample was sent painted with clear lacquer. Lacquer does have a tendency to yellow over time and it is a fragile coating, especially if applied to an aluminum surface without any adhesion promoters. Production models retained the brushed aluminum body, the appropriate tampos were applied and then the finish was protected using a durable clear coat compatible with aluminum that would not yellow with age. The clear coat would withstand expansion and contraction of the metal and not be prone to experience cracking or chipping over time. The coating also preserved the finish from handling damage or oxidation.”

The fit and finish of the body is unbelievable for a diecast car. The shut lines are tight and true and the movement of the hood, trunk and doors is flawless. The rivets on the hood and the scoop are correct in number and placement.

The windshield is correct in size and rake with relation to the body. Interesting to note is the moveable wing windows that actually were a benefit in the aerodynamics for racing. The gas cap is correct for a racing model with it’s flip up design where the latch is enlarged to release the cap easier in race situations for faster fill ups.

Looking under the hood, you get a sense of how tightly the 427 is finessed into place on the real Cobra. The engine bay is simply breathtaking with its attention to detail. Everything is beautifully replicated and detailed right down to the proper colored spark plug wires.

The interior is immaculate and every bit as functional in appearance as the real car. The seat belts are made of leather and even the dash plaque has the correct chassis number emblazoned on it. The aircraft batteries are wired but my example shows one long battery where it should have been 2 batteries sitting side by side lengthwise.

Moving underneath, aside from the amount of detail that jumps out at you, if you look at the frame, the weld beads for the intersecting sections of the tubular frame are present. I don’t think I have ever seen another diecast with this detail. The suspension is fully functional expertly recreated. The wheels are equally detailed with the correct sized tires and the “Good Year” markings are clear and trace the diameter of the tire perfectly.

So “Does history really repeat itself?” Carroll Shelby made automotive history when the 427 Cobra hit the racetracks and in my opinion, The Franklin Mint recreated it beautifully. If you can find this model, you will not regret it!

© Copyright 2006 by The Diecast Pub