| The first rep???????
Some time ago I posted how I brought in Steve Arntz kits via my old buddy Keith Harvie of Performance Automotive Wholesale.
This was late 70's.
However, this wasn't my first foray into Cob reps.
Some years previously I managed a Company called "Deals on Wheels" and opened a branch in Birmingham - followed a year later with my own US Speedshop "Muscle City".
We specialised in US muscle cars and "Hot Rods". Soon we were importing speed equipment [ from Keith naturally ] as well as complete Muscle cars [ oh yes and Custom Vans! ].
We were approached in mid '76 by some guys in Birmingham who made waste oil heaters [?] to produce a chassis for a "body" they had.
When we went along to see what they had to offer, we were shown the front and rear sections of a 427 Cob! Front and rear half - hmmmm, where have we heard that one before?
Anyway - long story short. I designed a chassis based on their body parts and we went into prototype mode based on a mutually advantagious deal.
They then got cold feet [ should have stood nearer to their waste oil heaters ha,ha,ha. ] and pulled out of the deal.
That's when I contacted Keith to ask him to find out about the Arntz kits as we were getting nowhere with our Brummie mates.
So that's what basically got the whole idea off the ground - the rest is History.
I have to say that after 30 + years of involvement with Cob Reps. I was getting a bit jaded. I know, hard to believe isn't it?
However that was up until last year. After 3 years of not too brilliant health, I found myself finally fit [ 'ish] and looking for a new challenge.
That's when I got together with the present BMW Trophy project and my enthusiasm was rekindled.
The trouble is with traditional Cob reps that when you've been involved with them for so long they become almost "normal". There's only SO much you can do with a traditional rep to make it stand out. Any well designed , well made rep is pretty much the same as any other - Gerry's 289's being a refreshing and quality option.
So when I was acquainted with the new Trophy I was at once intrigued and strangely - excited!
I HAD been involved in the original Bardahl Trophy Race Series, and after that ran it's course, the Trophy design went into mothballs. But like any good idea, it kept "bubbling up" in conversation as a "what if" scenario.
Well, you know how it goes, "what ifs" soon become "if we's" and before you know it, you've started off on the redesign and gathering the relevant parts.
Before you know it there's a rolling chassis sitting on the floor and a pile of BMW donors out in the compound!
So - where's it at? Chassis developed with new BMW components, engine and manual box developed and fitted. Body refitted and - surprise surprise - the Beemer fits in with hardly any changes being required. and now about 8 weeks away from the pre-production car being finished.
That's the LONGEST gestation for any car - full circle from 1976 - with a fair few hundred kits and cars in between [ make that well in excess of 1000 ] - a one make Race Series, an endorsement - and now a new and totally revamped beginning for an old concept.
Yep, the good ole hot rodders are at it again - throw the rule book away and re-write your own version.
Beachcomber  |