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Mercer Cobra, (289 with Italian made body) re Joe Bortz finding it back in the '70s

Discussion in 'Shelby Cobra' started by bitzman, Feb 7, 2014.

  1. bitzman

    bitzman Well-Known Member

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    This car is a beautiful kind of art deco retro prewar style on a postwar car. There is only one, designed by a former Chrysler designer who was more or less King of the tailfin.
    Chassis CSX2451 was purchased by concept-car collector Joe Bortz in the early 1970s . I was wondering if it had been languishing for years --the Copper Development people who paid for it almost forgetting about it, when he found it? Later owners were a collectors Jim Southard, Al Wright and Tom Barrett. The lst named is famous for starting the Barrett Jackson auction but I couldn't find what he sold it for if he ran it through his own auction (today that wouldn't be the best auction at Monterey for that car)It was later owned by the Lyon family sfor over 20 years. In 2012 it fetched $660K at the RM auction at Monterey but I don't know if it was sold by a later owner than the Lyons. Has anyone seen this car on the road? A look under the hood shows a 289 with wiring etc. but I have never seen it driving around.

    This page shows the engine
    http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/...-mercer-cobra-to-cross-the-block-in-monterey/

    I can see that the valve covers look lightly brass plated, but I was disappointed they didn't have Webers and do the whole copper or brass treatment on those.
     

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