Fliptop Cobra CSX 2196 - Bondo is my friend

[Gramps46]

Here is another old timer model built in 1/24th scale decades ago.  The Fliptop  (a reference to cigarette packs at the time) Cobra was a leaf spring Cobra chassis with a widened body and an aluminum 390 Ford engine.  No kit or resin casting was available then so I used a vacuum formed slot body and back filled it with Bondo to make my version of the Flip Top, also fondly know around the Princeton Ave shop by another term not socially acceptable.   Unfortunately the model fell victim to a display cabinet shelf collapse and the Bondo body broke into pieces.

[Rich Chernosky]

Very nice model Gary, and great photography. Sorry about the loss though. Do you happen to know where that period photo was taken. Interesting to see the "poor man's Cobra" in the background, also known as the Sunbeam Tiger. 

[Gramps46]

The photo of CSX 2196 was taken at Nassau in 1964.

[vamach1]

I think Gramps has given Cobraman an idea for this next project after the Bordinat Concept is done.  Either that or JC (AFX) and Bradford (HRM) can team up an make a resin body.   If that happens I would get in line to buy one.

[MININORTHFORDMAN]

Thats Awesome Absulutely Awesome!

[Gramps46]

I am pretty certain this is the slot body I started with and layered in Bondo.  Photo from eBay.

[afx]

Great build Gary.

Rich Wilson another MAMA member did a build of the Flip-Top based on the Revellogram 427 body.  Turned out nice from what I recall.  I urged him to cast the body but not sure if he did.

Surprised Shelby didn't choose the 390 in lieu of the heavier 427 for the big block project based on this car's performance at Nassau. 

Edited May 14, 2020 by afx

[Gramps46]

The late Cobra modeler Bob Peeples had visited and photographed the Flip Tom at then owner Rich Mason's shop and was working on a detailed model of CSX 2196 when he passed away.  Bob shared with me his photographs if anyone needs reference.

Here is Bob's work on his model.

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by Gramps46

[65slotcar]

15 minutes ago, Gramps46 said:

The late Cobra modeler Bob Peebles had visited and photographed the Flip Tom at then owner Rich Mason's shop and was working on a detailed model of CSX 2196 when he passed away.  Bob shared with me his photographs if anyone needs reference.

Here is Bob's work on his model.

 

this is   very cool !    Gary ,was this  kit or body ever available   for purchase ?

[cobraman]

I would be in for a resin body !

[Dave B]

Gary, that is great.  I haven't been brave enough to tackle this car although I do have all the bits in a box downstairs including a very dilapidated slot car body. This post just might inspire me!!

Dave B

[Bill J]

9 hours ago, afx said:

Great build Gary.

Rich Wilson another MAMA member did a build of the Flip-Top based on the Revellogram 427 body.  Turned out nice from what I recall.  I urged him to cast the body but not sure if he did.

Surprised Shelby didn't choose the 390 in lieu of the heavier 427 for the big block project based on this car's performance at Nassau. 

Curious why you would say a 390 was lighter than a 427. The 390 in the flip top Cobra was an aluminum engine, likely sold as an inboard engine. A standard 390 would have matched a 427 in weight. There was an aluminum 427 also made for marine use though. 

[Gramps46]

1 hour ago, 65slotcar said:

this is   very cool !    Gary ,was this  kit or body ever available   for purchase ?

To my knowledge this body and parts were never completed by anyone after Bob's passing.

[slusher]

Looks awesome!

[afx]

10 hours ago, Bill J said:

Curious why you would say a 390 was lighter than a 427. The 390 in the flip top Cobra was an aluminum engine, likely sold as an inboard engine. A standard 390 would have matched a 427 in weight. There was an aluminum 427 also made for marine use though. 

According to this information:

https://www.fordfe.com/engine-weights-t997.html

• Ford 390/428 block - 185 lbs
• Ford 427 side oiler block - 200 lbs 

Haven't yet found the weight of the complete engines.

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by afx

[Gramps46]

12 hours ago, Gramps46 said:

The late Cobra modeler Bob Peebles had visited and photographed the Flip Tom at then owner Rich Mason's shop and was working on a detailed model of CSX 2196 when he passed away.  Bob shared with me his photographs if anyone needs reference.

Here is Bob's work on his model.

 

 

I made a mistake in the above post.  It was Bob Peeples not Peebles.

[afx]

7 minutes ago, Gramps46 said:

I made a mistake in the above post.  It was Bob Peeples not Peebles.

Bob's unfinished project is in the International Model Car Builders' Museum as I understand it.

[Gramps46]

9 minutes ago, afx said:

Bob's unfinished project is in the International Model Car Builders' Museum as I understand it.

 

Thank you JC for finding and posting the picture of Bob's Fliptop model.

[vamach1]

12 minutes ago, Gramps46 said:

Thank you JC for finding and posting the picture of Bob's Fliptop model.

That surely would have been exquisite when finished.

[Bill J]

2 hours ago, afx said:

Bob's unfinished project is in the International Model Car Builders' Museum as I understand it.

I once saw all of Bob Peeple's Cobra models just before our club took his work to the museum. I also had the opportunity to page through his notes and photo reference which he had compiled over the years. There was measurements, and photos of every aspect of some very important Shelby cars, including everything about the Daytona Coupe. He had full access to one at one time, as well as many other historical racing Cobras.

That very valuable reference book compiled by Bob was also donated to the museum and was fully expected to be displayed with Bob's model projects. Ii would like to know what the status of that large notebook is today. It seems to have vanished  with all the valuable reference material. All have claimed no knowledge as to it's fate. 

[afx]

22 minutes ago, Bill J said:

I once saw all of Bob Peeple's Cobra models just before our club took his work to the museum. I also had the opportunity to page through his notes and photo reference which he had compiled over the years. There was measurements, and photos of every aspect of some very important Shelby cars, including everything about the Daytona Coupe. He had full access to one at one time, as well as many other historical racing Cobras.

That very valuable reference book compiled by Bob was also donated to the museum and was fully expected to be displayed with Bob's model projects. Ii would like to know what the status of that large notebook is today. It seems to have vanished  with all the valuable reference material. All have claimed no knowledge as to it's fate. 

It would be a great service to the model building community if that notebook/measurements/information where made available. 

[Bill J]

1 hour ago, afx said:

It would be a great service to the model building community if that notebook/measurements/information where made available. 

Absolutely!! To have put that into a .pdf file or print copies for sale or something. We all lost a very valuable and nearly irreplaceable resource. Someone knows where that notebook is and likely has it on a shelf somewhere. Very disappointed in the handling of the notebook and all of Bob's excellent work. 

[vamach1]

4 hours ago, Bill J said:

Absolutely!! To have put that into a .pdf file or print copies for sale or something. We all lost a very valuable and nearly irreplaceable resource. Someone knows where that notebook is and likely has it on a shelf somewhere. Very disappointed in the handling of the notebook and all of Bob's excellent work. 

I wonder if the body and parts ould be scanned and a 3D mold made so someone could cast them.  It's seems a shame all this work will just sit there and his legacy will only be shared via some pictures on this forum and a few other places.

[Bill J]

1 hour ago, vamach1 said:

I wonder if the body and parts ould be scanned and a 3D mold made so someone could cast them.  It's seems a shame all this work will just sit there and his legacy will only be shared via some pictures on this forum and a few other places.

Myself, I always thought it was a huge waste to put his work into the museum. Bob was trying to duplicate every aspect of these cars, each part, each structure and accurately in dimensions. Which is why that notebook is so important, he had taken all the measurements and photographed everything on, in and under the cars.

Today, with laser scanning and 3D printing it should be possible to make such accurate parts and/or kits available. The last I heard that museum was shutdown, is that still the case??

I would have liked to have those Cobra projects finished my some good modelers than to be displayed at a museum, especially if the museum wasn't financially sound. I always think about all the models that people made for the Atlanta speedway, many were difficult builds and often hand lettered too, all replicas of Atlanta winners. One day the speedway decided to reallocate the space and basically threw the models away. At least that was my understanding. Very sad to see all that effort by all those modelers just treated like a used napkin. 

[65slotcar]

13 hours ago, afx said:

Bob's unfinished project is in the International Model Car Builders' Museum as I understand it.

that is a work of art and belongs in a museum !