Hoping a Shelby Cobra historian can definitively say whether Bob Bondurant's CSX2345 car that he raced in the 1964 Spa Grand Prix was missing the #3 on the pax side door.
Story goes that Bondurant's crew couldn't get the #3 painted on the pax side door in time before the race began. Bondurant went on to win his GT class at the Spa Grand Prix. Being the superstitious type, Bondurant didn't want the #3 painted on his pax side door for any races thereafter.
I have a pic of the #3 car supposedly from the 1964 Spa race that shows no #3 on the pax side door. But I also found a YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7ElVVkOpgA) supposedly of the same 1964 Spa race that shows a #3 on the pax side door.
So what's the truth?
I'm curious because I have ordered a tribute car and want to be period correct as possible. Thanks!
I can only say it would not have been Bob's choice. The rules say how big and where the numbers must be. If he ran without them and someone protested he'd get a DQ. If he got a DQ the 2nd place car would move up. If it was another Cobra there'd be no reason to protest unless you could get your car into the points.
The FIA were sticklers - they DQed a Mini rally win because it had the wrong part number on a parking light. The big guys didn't like being beaten and fronted the cash for a total tear down. Since Mini got the DQ they got their $ back.
Thank you