Phildaupho Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 This will the 6th year in a row that I have made an April Fools Day post although this time the joke was sort of on me. A friend was ordering some kits from Hobby Link Japan when he noticed the availability of a new Cobra kit described as 1/25 American Sports Car Willow Springs Cobra from GTM Models. Knowing that I am a big fan of 289 Cobras, he asked if I was interested in getting the kit. Out of curiosity how could I refuse. When his order arrived, he gave me a call. I asked him what it looked like. He told me it appears to have a broken windscreen and a deformed resin trunk lid. That got me even more curious so I rushed over to pick it up. What I got was a kit that was supposed build up as a model of the white 289 Cobra seen in the movie Ford vs Ferrari - specifically in the scene at Willows Spring Raceway where Ken Miles throws a wrench at the car and breaks the wind screen and also takes a hammer to the trunk lid. This car was inspired by the car Ken Miles finished second at Riverside in February of 1963. The reality is that the movie car of which there was likely more than one is different from the 1963 race car in a number of ways and the model kit Cobra is different from both the 1963 and the movie car. The kit is based on the Academy 289 Cobra which has a 427-style body. To correct that short coming I have replaced the body with one from the AMT 289 kit with a non-scoop hood. The GTM kit does come with some neat parts like the broken windscreen which I narrowed, the dented trunk lid and photo-etched jacking brackets. There is also a photo-etched grill mess which I was able to adapt to 289 grill surround. A few modifications were required to the AMT body - molded on emblems were removed, the windshield mount recesses were filled, openings were cut for the body side vents and the trunk opening had to be altered to accommodate the smaller 427 dented trunk lid. Because the engine was not a focal point of this car, I decided to build the model as a curbside with a sealed hood. I could not however resist incorporating the Ken Miles and Carroll Shelby pre-painted figures which came in a Revell 427 Cobra issue. Please note the hammer and wrench on the seat beside Ken Miles. 6 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vamach1 Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 Awesome job with combining parts from multiple kits. I also bought one of the GTM kits so I this is no joke. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim B Posted April 1 Share Posted April 1 Great looking Cobra. Very well done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1hobby1 Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 This is a great build. Well done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinacar Posted April 2 Share Posted April 2 Fun story behind this movie car. Nice build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 2 Author Share Posted April 2 (edited) 18 hours ago, vamach1 said: Awesome job with combining parts from multiple kits. I also bought one of the GTM kits so I this is no joke. 18 hours ago, Jim B said: Great looking Cobra. Very well done. 15 hours ago, 1hobby1 said: This is a great build. Well done! 13 hours ago, Chinacar said: Fun story behind this movie car. Nice build. Thanks everyone. It was definitely a fun build. I had to cut open the foot box so Ken Miles feet would fit !! The AMT 289 Cobra is one of my all-time favourite kits. It was one of the last kits I started before giving up car modelling after I got my driver’s licence. I had big plans for that Cobra. I was going to mount it on a battery box and have working lights and also a functioning radio speaker made from an airphone. This current Cobra is my 4th completed 289 although I started and then gave away a racing hardtop version and also built a rolling chassis to go under a Fiat Topolino. The other three 289 Cobras are- 1964 Dan Gurney/Jerry Grant Targa Florio FIA Cobra with body adapted from Academy kit Alan Grant Executor Cobra with livery by George Lucas Edited April 2 by Phildaupho 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PappyD340 Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave B Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Looks the part Phil. Like you I'm a Cobra fan, if I have 1 must have 10. Dave B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre Rivard Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Great build Phil and I love the story that came with it. I too have once put a figurine in the driver seat... and had to amputate the legs above the feet. It's a tight fit but figurines add so much interest when done right, just like your's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 3 Author Share Posted April 3 Thanks guys. It was fun revisiting the movie which I found very entertaining 15 hours ago, PappyD340 said: Very cool! 13 hours ago, Dave B said: Looks the part Phil. Like you I'm a Cobra fan, if I have 1 must have 10. Dave B 3 hours ago, Pierre Rivard said: Great build Phil and I love the story that came with it. I too have once put a figurine in the driver seat... and had to amputate the legs above the feet. It's a tight fit but figurines add so much interest when done right, just like your's. Thanks. It was fun re-watching the movie which I found very entertaining,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyK Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Nice job on the model and those figures really complete the scene. Enjoyed your story and details about your work. I built this kit and spent WAY too much time looking at pictures and trying to make the model what it's supposed to be. I recall the finished model was a compromise before I went crazy making it exactly right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldcarfan Posted April 3 Share Posted April 3 Great build and interesting story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrworden Posted April 7 Share Posted April 7 FWIW and reference. This 1964 289 Snake belonged to a close fiend. I was fortunate enough to be able to put more than a few miles on it. Reaching a destination in it was never the goal. Driving it was the goal. When it was time to shut it down, the reward was the smell of leather upholstery, hot Castrol, and tink, tink of cooling headers. It was modified with a Crane cam and Mondello heads while in his possession. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phildaupho Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 On 4/3/2024 at 1:42 PM, TonyK said: Nice job on the model and those figures really complete the scene. Enjoyed your story and details about your work. I built this kit and spent WAY too much time looking at pictures and trying to make the model what it's supposed to be. I recall the finished model was a compromise before I went crazy making it exactly right. Thanks Tony - I wonder if anybody else bought this kit other than you and me !!?? On 4/3/2024 at 4:29 PM, oldcarfan said: Great build and interesting story! Thanks Garry - It is always fun learning the story behind a replica On 4/6/2024 at 5:37 PM, jrworden said: FWIW and reference. This 1964 289 Snake belonged to a close fiend. I was fortunate enough to be able to put more than a few miles on it. Reaching a destination in it was never the goal. Driving it was the goal. When it was time to shut it down, the reward was the smell of leather upholstery, hot Castrol, and tink, tink of cooling headers. It was modified with a Crane cam and Mondello heads while in his possession.  John - I am very envious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencer1984 Posted April 16 Share Posted April 16 Great build and story to go with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rattlecan Dan Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 They all look great. Nice job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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