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Did Carroll Shelby bought the rights to the Cobra name from Crosley for $1?


shelbyeuropa
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A good Friend in the Corporate Lawyer office knew I was interested in Automobiles she found something and called. I asked Her to email the website. I would of brush it off but The article is from Hemmings and Wikipedia. I knew that CS sold the "COBRA" name to FORD for $1 back in I think around 1966-67 but the Crosley Insignia looks sooo... familiar.

 

http://blog.hemmings...-crosley-for-1/

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crosley

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I really don’t understand Why there are individuals which think everything is a joke I Thought this is a forum I guess just like school there are Bullies that think they know it all. I brought out a subject that has not been discussed in this forum before whether it is controversial or not there are many great website and articles on this internet which is very educational including this website. Every since I was a kid I am a long believer of Carroll H. Shelby and now his legacy and I will never in my life time sell any of my now existing SHELBYs. I have made bad judgment in my past when I thought it was time to part with my other vehicles including many of CS vehicles. I like many here have little amount of Photos of those great days; how I met my wife my kids growing up with the ones I sold or wrecked.

 

If you read the article this is a “TRADEMARK… In the United States, trademark law is covered by the Lanham Act of 1946, which limits trademark terms to 10 years (renewable) and requires that the trademark stay in use to remain valid.” “Shelby would have certainly been in the clear to call his car the Cobra by 1962”

 

The name COBRA was later sold to FORD in which FORD still own to this time CS sold the name to FORD for $1 USD which history will show that CS was very greatful to FORD (Lee Iacocca) in believing in him to loan $25K USD and engines to start the COBRAs in 1961. CS did not make any money from the Trademark including paying back all the money he borrowed.

 

And to some of those non-believers, On CS FIRST attempt CS had THREE Chevrolet Corvettes chassis from Ed Cole before CS meet with FORD.

 

If anyone would like facts: The Carroll Shelby Story, The Cobra Story, 2012 AUTOWEEK, DEC. 1997 MOTORTREND…..etc..etc..etc…..

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Yes, CS did try Chevy first and GM realized that this would be competition for the Corvette. So CS "went down the street" to Ford and said he could offer a Corvette beater for minimum R&D. And he delivered.

 

Europa, I have one request of you. Could you please switch to a larger font as my old eyes can barely read the tiny print.

 

Thank you

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There is no evidence nor does the Arthur suggest that the name was stolen but just may be a possible correlation because of the Death of Mr Crosley and CS Dream. Yes I do understand that the Arthur is somewhat bias and I’m not trying to defend the Arthur but if CS would not comment during the write up of this article may tend to weigh in one direction. I don’t know when this was written and if you look at the spelling the Crosley engine was due to the combination of the word COpper and BRAzed with a generic Pic of a snake. The word COBRA was not patented, Copyrighted or Trademarked “Ford had its legal department research the issue and give the go-ahead to use the name.” I just wanted to bring the subject up since this is the first I’ve ever heard of this and I don’t see any Mustang/Shelby website even have this controversy during my searches. I’m sure if this was reverse SHELBY COBRA owners would like to bring attention to anyone that own CROSLEY COpper BRAzed engines that CS had the name COBRA first. I disagree that the word COBRA is consider a conjecture since there is plenty of evidence to prove this engine was made and named by Mr. Crosley in 1946. Now whether or not CS knew about and name his Dream car after Mr. Crosley would definitely be conjecture. When I mention about the LOGO look familiar is I believe I've seen that logo before just not sure where? Is possible when I was in the military since in the 60s the military would keep their vehicles and aircraft over 10+years.

 

http://crosleyautocl...Eng_Tree-1.html

 

The COBRA name itself is so generic but after CS trademarked the name that if anyone mentions COBRA they see a little CS A.C. 2 seater or a FORD vehicle. FORD has used the name since 1968 to present the name COBRA JET and SUPER COBRA JET is also own by FORD. I’m not sure about KR since this was used in April 1967 on a BOB TUSCA Mustang KR8 as mention in MM March 2010 article it could be the combination of the Logo GT500 plus KR . SuperSnake is trademarked by CS from a 1966 AC427 vehicle. GT350 and GT500 is also trademarked by CS.

 

07SGT I know how it is since that was the first thing that Goes, I use to be able to thread a 1mil (0.001”) gold wire into a 1.3mil (0.0013”) hole in the back of one of the wire bonders now I have double vision and could barely see a Round About, Yield or Stop Sign at 10Meter.

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Thanks Europa! Again, if this is true then I am sure the contract is on file somewhere. It may have been a case where CS's attorneys told CS to have Crosley sign it over to him for 1.00 so as to avoid litigation later. Who knows. It is an interesting read. Now it would be up to the researchers at SAI or others to do the research. I would think one of Shel's first attorneys would have information. Again, interesting, and not unreasonable.

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