Cobra

Subject:
Essex Wire Cobra
Kit Used: Monogram 1/24

Review & model by:
Mark Huhtala
Pictures: R. Forys

History: In the 1960s, the Ford Motor Company was not a serious racing contender compared to Ferrari and Porsche. Henry Ford wanted to win races badly and was not happy with the way European race fans laughed at their efforts. He was also well aware of how Corvette racing victories led to Chevrolet sales. It even got to a point where Ford made an offer to purchase Ferrari. However the deal fell through, and Ford ended up in a deal with Carl Shelby on the GT 40 project.

[The biggest deficit of the kit was that the decals were a little thick.]

In 1965 the Essex Corporation was involved in two major racing sponsorships and Ford was Essex Wire's biggest customer. Shelby was already winning races with the Cobras, so it was only natural that Essex sponsor a Ford powered Cobra. At the time, Shelby's newest weapon was the big block Cobra. The small blocks were very successful, but Shelby thought the European courses needed more horsepower. The Essex Wire Cobra was one of these new 427 Cobras.

The drivers of the Essex Cobras were Dick Thompson, known as Dr. Thompson because he was a practicing dentist in the Washington D.C. area, and Ed Lowther who actually owned a construction company in Pittsburgh. That year, the Essex team placed fourth on the national circuit, which was good for a first year team.

[The kit was built out of the box with the only exception the addition of spark plug wires.]

The next year, Essex moved on to the International Grand Prix circuit racing the GT 40, and the Cobra was sold to Ed Lowther. He went on to win at Riverside and Daytona, and earned a national championship with the car, which was known as "Ollie the Dragon" because of the fire that occasionally came out of the carb through the hoodscoop. This car won more races than any other Cobra.

Currently, the location of the original car is unknown. The Essex Group in Fort Wayne, IN has reproduced the car with the help of Carl Shelby, and it is now on display at the National Automotive & Truck Museum of the United States in Auburn, Indiana.

[A reproduction of the car is now on display in Indiana.]

The Kit: The trusty Monogram kit is a fine basic car kit with a good fit and accurate shape. The quality and instructions are good and it is not hard to assemble. The biggest deficit of the kit was that the decals were a little thick. Basically, the kit was built out of the box with the only exception the addition of spark plug wires.

The kit was painted Tamiya pure white and gloss black. The decals all came from the kit except the "76" insignia on the quarter panel. The kit is displayed "pre-race" and was not weathered.

References:
Cobra: The Shelby American Original Archives,
Dave Friedman, Morotbooks International, 2002

[This car won more races than any other Cobra.]