In the stars with cars section I posted a shot of Paul Petersen - from the Donna Reed Show. He was the first president of COCOA. I had never seen a membership list. There was mention of the other club officers.
I couldn't find anything on VP Buzz Matson - maybe with his real first name something will turn up.
Dr Al Ettinger the treasurer was a Corvette racer - 57 RPO 684 Corvette - In 1957, Jerry Austin drove the car for C.S. Mead Chevrolet, Pasadena CA. Burt Ruttman drove the car to victory at Pomona in 1958. Bob Bondurant bought the car in late 1958 and went on to win 18 of 20 races and was West Coast BP Champion in 1959. Bob sold the car to Gary Pickens who sold the car to Dr. Albert Ettinger. Bart Martin bought the car from Doc Ettinger in 1961. I purchased the car from Bart in 1962 and raced it in the SF Region/SCCA from 1962 thru 1966.
The car was wrecked during a 4-hour endurance race at Cotati Raceway at the end of 1966.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipNLe5xULR4wiKWnFZo9f29yJuD94gWFBNwplt9_KlWl_9MxiUyI13NlbfW72D91CA?pli=1&key=ZG1WYl8xam9ZZ1k3Z1ZfVW5BZHhzRGRtRHFuVDJR
The secretary Jay Smith is probably Dr George "Jay" Smith who did drive racecars. This picture was sold on Wellpoint from his collection. It says Laguna Seca but the background isn't right. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1960s-photograph-california-4873479400
COCOA still exists. Lynn Park is the caretaker and it holds two meetings per year at Willow Springs. One chapter still exists in Orange County CA, It was chartered by COCOA about a year before SAAC started and also still exists. It was started by Jim & Cheryl Wallace. It met at the Pacific Stereo warehouse in Anaheim. Jim managed their Pasadena store and Cheryl was the bookkeeper at the Covina store.
I purchased the Cobra photo (and a couple more) you posted on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I will post some better photos without the Rockabilly stamp when I get some time.
Quote from: silverton_ford on June 19, 2025, 05:04:24 PMI purchased the Cobra photo (and a couple more) you posted on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I will post some better photos without the Rockabilly stamp when I get some time.
I started going to the races late 64. I can remember that Jag. It was running against the GT350 by that time. I couldn't believe that little 6 hanging on and passing bigger V8s. It also ran Monterey later.
In all probability, the XKE was driven by Merle Brennan and prepared by Joe Huffaker for Kjell Qvale, the west coast British car distributor. Brennan was an outstanding driver and Huffaker's shop prepared successful cars in SCCA, Trans Am and Indy Car.
Quote from: csxsfm on June 19, 2025, 08:24:36 PMIn all probability, the XKE was driven by Merle Brennan and prepared by Joe Huffaker for Kjell Qvale, the west coast British car distributor. Brennan was an outstanding driver and Huffaker's shop prepared successful cars in SCCA, Trans Am and Indy Car.
I thought they ran a early roadster not the coupe. I'm pretty sure the white coupe that ran in SoCal was a privateer. The engine in my GT1 is a Huffaker 311" TransAm one. Motorsport 351 NASCAR pillow block, Motorsport A3 aluminum heads, dry sump, crank fire ignition, triple clutch, 650 hp.
The Brennan/Huffaker XKE was a coupe.
I'm pretty sure that Jag is the one that Jack Schroll who owned Mostly Mustangs In Oakland used to race against with his 66 GT350 at Sears Point when I was crewing for him. We were always amazed at how fast it was. It was always a dog fight between them.
Roy
Quote from: TA Coupe on June 19, 2025, 10:44:14 PMI'm pretty sure that Jag is the one that Jack Schroll who owned Mostly Mustangs In Oakland used to race against with his 66 GT350 at Sears Point when I was crewing for him. We were always amazed at how fast it was. It was always a dog fight between them.
Roy
You most likely knew this but for others reading Jack's 66 GT350 that he raced was SFM6S001.
Quote from: silverton_ford on June 19, 2025, 05:04:24 PMI purchased the Cobra photo (and a couple more) you posted on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I will post some better photos without the Rockabilly stamp when I get some time.
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-200625103024.jpeg)
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-200625103121.jpeg)
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-200625103154.jpeg)
Quote from: silverton_ford on June 20, 2025, 10:32:14 AMQuote from: silverton_ford on June 19, 2025, 05:04:24 PMI purchased the Cobra photo (and a couple more) you posted on ebay a couple of weeks ago. I will post some better photos without the Rockabilly stamp when I get some time.
Great picture of the Cobra with the 904. Hov wants the Jag, little drool there Mark?
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-200625103024.jpeg)
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-200625103121.jpeg)
(https://www.saac.com/forum/gallery/44-200625103154.jpeg)
Ernie Kessling Cobra, Merle Brennan Jag, Jim Adams Tiger, 904 probably Don Wester.
Quote from: Bob Gaines on June 19, 2025, 11:54:27 PMQuote from: TA Coupe on June 19, 2025, 10:44:14 PMI'm pretty sure that Jag is the one that Jack Schroll who owned Mostly Mustangs In Oakland used to race against with his 66 GT350 at Sears Point when I was crewing for him. We were always amazed at how fast it was. It was always a dog fight between them.
Roy
You most likely knew this but for others reading Jack's 66 GT350 that he raced was SFM6S001.
Sorry Bob, but this time you are wrong. 6S001 was still a shell when he started racing and when I talked to Jack at Bill Maier's funeral about a year and a half ago he said he still has the race car.
Roy
Most don't understand how long COCOA has been around. Their initial clubhouse was one of the upper rooms at Hi-Performance Motors and the club was very much a factory adjacent entity. I believe the earliest date I've seen on a COCOA document was 1964. My memory is a little fuzzy on that though admittedly. Point being, the connection between COCOA and SAI is much closer than most people generally think today as I think we perceive COCOA's "early days" being in the mid 70s... which is not the case.
Some might remember a time or two.. team jackets and shirts have come out of the wood work from COCOA members. Collectors for a while sort of distinguished those as a later reproduction of the original shirts and jackets (which some were)... but not all were. Members of COCOA could purchase team jackets and shirts from the factory in the mid 60s. Ive bought multiple examples which originated from early members.
Vern
I know I went to a meeting late '70 early '71.
Quote from: Vernon Estes on June 21, 2025, 09:57:19 AMMost don't understand how long COCOA has been around. Their initial clubhouse was one of the upper rooms at Hi-Performance Motors and the club was very much a factory adjacent entity.
They were the Team Shelby of the day. The CA Corp non-profit records show it as suspended. The incorporation date was 11-3-1965. They did not file their annually required statement by 11-30-1967 and were suspended by the state 5 years later.
I had thought it started earlier. But Paul Peterson was 19 and born in 1945 so your 1964 date is probably correct. With Shelby no longer building Cobras and Mustangs after mid 67 I can see them just letting the corporation die.
A Brian Wilson, Paul Peterson Cobra song? https://www.courierpress.com/story/life/columnists/2017/03/16/mr-music-peterson-clears-up-questions-she-rides-me/99207106/
I've still got a couple of the original water slide decals.
Thanks John, but no drool for the XKE when there is USRRC Cobra in the same photo. Ernie also ran this car at Kent as I have a photo of him spinning the car. Yes, that is Merle Brennan's XKE which won his division in the Western SCCA in 1964. He ran the same car in 1965 but was in the same BP grouping as the new GT350's and we all know what happened that year. When we were compiling photos of 5R002,5S003 (and 5R001) I mention to John Atzbach to track down the current owner of the Brennan XKE since whenever it seemed the XKE was photographed, so was 5R002. I don't think he ever followed through on this idea. They seemed to be very competitive when at the same race. One of the downfalls for the XKE was that they could not easily increase the width of their tires. Don Wester's Porsche dealership had a yellow 904 and later a yellow 906, which a friend of mine bought from him and continued its success in the Pacific Northwest, it is currently owned by a winery in Napa, California.
Quote from: Hov on June 21, 2025, 03:27:03 PMThanks John, but no drool for the XKE when there is USRRC Cobra in the same photo. Ernie also ran this car at Kent as I have a photo of him spinning the car. Yes, that is Merle Brennan's XKE which won his division in the Western SCCA in 1964. He ran the same car in 1965 but was in the same BP grouping as the new GT350's and we all know what happened that year.
Rick Titus related to me that his dad said the Jag was one of his toughest competitors.
Quote from: Hov on June 21, 2025, 03:27:03 PMThanks John, but no drool for the XKE when there is USRRC Cobra in the same photo. Ernie also ran this car at Kent as I have a photo of him spinning the car. Yes, that is Merle Brennan's XKE which won his division in the Western SCCA in 1964. He ran the same car in 1965 but was in the same BP grouping as the new GT350's and we all know what happened that year. When we were compiling photos of 5R002,5S003 (and 5R001) I mention to John Atzbach to track down the current owner of the Brennan XKE since whenever it seemed the XKE was photographed, so was 5R002. I don't think he ever followed through on this idea. They seemed to be very competitive when at the same race. One of the downfalls for the XKE was that they could not easily increase the width of their tires. Don Wester's Porsche dealership had a yellow 904 and later a yellow 906, which a friend of mine bought from him and continued its success in the Pacific Northwest, it is currently owned by a winery in Napa, California.
Yes, but adding the Merle Brennan XKE to your garage would be a hoot....unless you could come up with his M8-D.....you know because cost is not a concern.
COCOA sticker still standing on my Hertz from prior ownership all those years ago. I told Peter Klutt of Legendary back in 1994 to keep the sticker intact during the restoration. The car still yearns for California, being so far from home.
Quote from: deathsled on June 21, 2025, 09:40:56 PMCOCOA sticker still standing on my Hertz from prior ownership all those years ago. I told Peter Klutt of Legendary back in 1994 to keep the sticker intact during the restoration. The car still yearns for California, being so far from home.
You got those when you joined. There were 2 of those and 1 like this on the sheet. Dave Pelsu (spelling?) designed them. He also did this SAAC design and a couple others.
You can see the decal on 843 at one of the Concours de Nice shows while it was in primer.
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on June 19, 2025, 04:42:52 PM...The secretary Jay Smith is probably Dr George "Jay" Smith who did drive racecars. This picture was sold on Wellpoint from his collection. It says Laguna Seca but the background isn't right. https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1960s-photograph-california-4873479400
I'm sure Kranky would know exactly where/when those Cobra race photos were taken, but my best guess would be the SCCA Nationals at the Port of Stockton in June 1965. Can anyone confirm?
Quote from: 98SVT - was 06GT on June 22, 2025, 12:44:49 AMQuote from: deathsled on June 21, 2025, 09:40:56 PMCOCOA sticker still standing on my Hertz from prior ownership all those years ago. I told Peter Klutt of Legendary back in 1994 to keep the sticker intact during the restoration. The car still yearns for California, being so far from home.
You got those when you joined. There were 2 of those and 1 like this on the sheet. Dave Pelsu (spelling?) designed them. He also did this SAAC design and a couple others.
You can see the decal on 843 at one of the Concours de Nice shows while it was in primer.
It looked super cool on the car so it stayed. A holdover of its past. Thanks for the supplemental info!
Sundude is correct on the venue (Stockton) and the month (June 1965)....Don Wester recovered from an early spin in the Porsche 904 and slowly clawed his way back to win the race overall by a minute. Kesling in the Cobra and Adams in the Tiger stayed together for the whole race with Adams in the Tiger taking second with a last second inside pass on the last turn to the final straight with fading brakes (seemed to be an issue with most of the cars this weekend). Merle Brennan in the Jaguar also had issues with fading brakes and ended up fourth overall and 2nd in Bp. Jerry Titus in the GT350 had throttle issues throughout the race and had to run down the escape road when it stuck wide open....with the problem fixed, Titus continued on in the race but finishing well on down the leader board at the end.