289 Cobra white flared nose stripe grill opening decal 1/25

[grandsport3]

Afternoon Fellows, Lots of water under the bridge and a sunken boat. That's behind me, now for some legal action. In the meantime I've had some health issues it took six months to heal up from. Meantime no model car action. Just now dragged out my Cobra's and decided to resume making a 1966 American Road Race of Champions Central Division B Production 289 Cobra USRRC as raced by Mack Yates of St. Louis, MO. Mack bought this new from Shelby and was a Shelby dealer. It was originally white w/black stripes and number 71 (Macks number, or 7 later) (see attachment with Bob Bondurant at Yates-Stevens Ford, St. Louis, Mo with Playboy Bunnies). Mack soon painted it black with number 7 soon after and later metallic blue with narrow white stripes flaring over the nose (2nd attachment). He only ran a single Holley on the 289 but it was enough to trounce the Sting Rays. It ran in A production until 1966 when the 427 Cobras came out. I'm building both versions of the car for the Wentzville, MO historical Museum which has some of my other completed kits of sports cars that raced at Mid America Raceway MAR. I'm building two Mack Yates Cobras the black one A production and blue and white B production. I need a white flared stripe(s) that covers the nose with the roundel in the lower center in 1/24 or 1/25 scale AND a set of Four number roundels that have a white ring around the circle. Anyone have a set they are willing to part with? Name your price and shipping costs. Thanx, John

[grandsport3]

Good Afternoon Fellows, After 6 months inactivity I starting working the Mack Yates Museum project. I have 5 junk and new AMT 289 chassis I sprayed gloss black and the underside of floor and body underside aluminum. Thankfully I have my photos of various vintage USRRC and FIA 289s to verify BUT this also opens a can of worms because no 2 USRRC or FIA are alike. Some have inner fender wells are bare aluminum, some flat black, some pebble finish and some have a combination. Shocks are red (Konis) but also yellow, anyone know what the yellow shocks are? Don't have any photos of the floor and my memory fails me. The Daytona coupes were definitely bare aluminum but some roadsters appear bare but the transmission tunnels on most still have carpet (black). Inner front fender panels are aluminum but body is black and top of foot wells are white (VHT or Asbestos sheet). Nit picky? Maybe so but since I'm building it might as well try to be accurate if possible. I've also got some 427 snakes in the fire. A Revell "Flip Top", a Shark or Stormer "Flip Top" (horribly wrong but I like it), Monogram "Super Coupe" and an almost completed 289 Daytona Coupe with "Backbone" Chassis (attached). Thanx, for viewing, John

[grandsport3]

Good Afternoon Fellows, You would think after building the same model (AMT 289 Cobra) since 1965 I would have it down by now. But NO, I never learn. What I have learned by much frustration and finger glue prints all over everything is:

1. Don't remove the parts from the tree's.

2. READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!!!

3. Check your references: Manufactures make mistake too, the Cobra brake calipers are backwards and the tie rods reversed, should be fwd instead of behind.

4. Never paint anything until you trial fit adjust, modify to fit and then glue assemblies and chassis and bottom of interior pieces. Lower front A-arms need the chassis inner fender corners notched or ground to allow A-arm pins to sit flush into locating brackets on chassis and pressed in with needle nose.

5. Don't use too much glue, I've melted axle assemblies because I used small butterfly clips that squashed the assembled parts,

5. Leave the body and interior until last, but test fit onto the assembled chassis.

I've got three 289 Cobra chassis I am working on simultaneously that are glue bombs/paint disasters or missing parts that I picked up to rescue and am rushing things a little. Just discovered I'm missing some parts or dropped on the floor which I'll step on a month from now, so I just ordered off of EBay, got to contact the buyer for a shipping discount.

Last but not Least, keep your laptop away from bottles of paint. I've replaced Three keyboards that I glued or stuck together!

Think I'll go to the American Legion and watch a little Baseball. Got to take the truck and have a growing ticking sounds that will probably be expensive. Thanx for Listening, John

[Jack]

I'm curious if you ever finished the Mack Yates model. I grew up at MAR with my dad working on Mack's Cobra

[grandsport3]

Jack, Yes I did, it is in the Wentzville Historical Society museum, along with the Dick Durant Special, Jack Hurts 427 "Elvis" Cobra, John Martins 63 Stingray coupe, 64 B/Production National Champion roadster. I'm attaching photos of the Dick Durant Special, entirely scratch built and it came out pretty good. Sorry my Photobucket account has  expired I'm trying to update. Thanx, John