Daytona coupè

I LOVE GT40- Paolo · 01-06-08, 06:56 AM

during my research of a cool pic to complete the registration in Cobra forum, I've found this cool article:

The Missing Daytona Coupe Mystery « Jim’s Garage

Am I wrong or the Daytona was drawn in Italy?

DON S. · 01-06-08, 07:15 AM

The Cobra Daytona Coupe was designed by Shelby employee Pete Brock in California. The first one (which later became the "Missing" Daytona) was constructed at the Shelby plant in California. Five additional Daytonas were then built in Italy.

I LOVE GT40- Paolo · 01-06-08, 09:32 AM

Don,..wasnt maybe Carrozzeria Scaglietti doing the 5 italian ones?

Rick Muck- Mark IV · 01-06-08, 11:03 AM

Built at Carrozzeria Gran Sport in Modena, Italy (Ferrari’s back yard). I don't think Scaglietti would have ever taken the job, it would have meant crtain loss of all his Ferrari business!

Rick

Colin Artus · 01-07-08, 01:06 PM

This car is now owned by Fred Simeone (that 'east coast collector').
Craig's Picture of the Day

Keith Hardy · 01-07-08, 06:12 PM

Well I personally took this picture of one of them in 1985 I think, at a Classic Gt race at Brands Hatch UK. I was racing the car in the third pic.....

Nowadays I just bench race - but I don't even do that much any more.

(PS in the background of the 3rd shot, you can just make out the "old" Paddock Bend....best corner in the world bar none (before they sanitised it just like the Bus Stop

)

In those days, we never got covered "pits" in the Paddock either...and we certainly weren't allowed near the hallowed "Grand Prix" garages!

Jac Mac · 01-07-08, 06:33 PM

Thats the Williment Coupe Keith, not one of the 'original six' but a car built from a buck made by John Ohlsen ( Kiwi ) who had played a major part in the fabrication of the first coupe.

I LOVE GT40- Paolo · 01-07-08, 06:37 PM

yep, the body looks quite different.
Was alluminium?

Jac Mac · 01-07-08, 06:51 PM

Yes ,still all alloy body- Single exh each side-Rear hatch with alloy surround as opposed to tube frame & plexi, Flip front from above radiator inlet, W/screen & Door shape were most obvious differences. John ( Now deceased ) also built a couple of FIA Roadsters & one coupe in NZ with Shelbys blessing as a continuation car in the late 80's/90's.

Mike Trusty · 01-08-08, 08:38 AM

I restored the Willment Coupe in the late eighties. It is a right hand drive car. That is the car that Bob Olthoff(Dennis' father) and Jack Sears had many victories in South Africa and Europe. It is now stored in the Shelby Museum in Bolder, Colorado. It made it to Goodwood last year.

Mike Trusty · 01-08-08, 08:46 AM

Here is a very poor scanned picture of the car just as I was completing the interior and about to button it up.

Yes the car was aluminum. When I stripped the body I found probably 50 lbs of bondo in the rear panel of the car. Kept taking it off expecting to find a lot of covered up damage. There was none. Hum, maybe a different way of placing weight where it is needed.

I LOVE GT40- Paolo · 01-08-08, 08:52 AM

Mike,
The Willment u made is impressive (comparing 1985 Keith "in action" pictures

).
Dont u have some more pictures of it?

Mike Trusty · 01-08-08, 09:59 AM

Paolo:

Yes, I have many pictures during the process. They are photos and will need to scanned in. As you can see they are pretty bad quality photos.

I'll try and put some more on this thread if there is interest.

Mike Trusty · 01-08-08, 10:38 AM

ps:

The picture that I posted of the Coupe was scanned from a slide and it is backwards. I just noticed because my uplostery room is backwards in the background.