History Tom Cobbs: Dry Lakes No. 21

Dig that Halibrand IRS!

 

I love the rubber rake on the go cart!

 

I do not remember hearing his name before. He must have been a well-kept secret on the west coast. In 1958 I started getting my Hot Rod subscription. Then I bought Honk, Car Craft and most any car magazine the news stand carried.
I bought my first 32 five window coupe when I was 13. I thought I knew most of the car guys back then. Must be my old memory might not be so good these days. Sure, have been enjoying your articles though. Must be a hoot to go through this stuff you brought home. Looking forward to more.

 

Fantastic as always!

 

pure gold

 

Thank you @Ryan! These pics are absolute treasures.
It's been mentioned by several others: Somewhere down the road we would love to see a well-curated printed volume make an appearance. What say you?

 

"We Did it for Love" (to borrow a phrase from that drag history website)
is all of could think of as I looked through the pictures.

No big trailers, sponsorships, and adulating crowds just the raw pursuit of speed for the pure exhilaration!

 

Excellent!! Thank you for sharing!

 

The front mounted HC mag on the sbc! That is a set up I would like to have.

 

Most excellent. The headers/exhaust on the SBC are SICK!!!
Dan

 

Some of those shots are so crisp it feels like I can walk right into them... really cool!

 

If only we could....

 

Even if a photo book never happens, being able to easily find all of these post in one place would be a cool way to look back through the complete archive once they are all posted. I was talking with a friend this past weekend about the first Bonneville post with Mickey Thompson and Challenger I and forgot it's just titled "Trip No. 3" when trying to just search Tom Cobbs.

I'd rather dig for these photos than never have seen them, but just throwing out ideas. Keep the archive coming Ryan, it doesn't go unappreciated.

 

I’m glad to see your comments on Tom Cobbs, @Ryan , I’ve been wondering just what the man looked like. IDK if I’ve even seen a photo including him and also I keep looking at this photo-
Is the gentleman on the right Don Francisco one of the great former tech editors in the early days of HRM?

 

Same Cobbs time Same Cobbs channel…
Just like when I was 5 waiting on the next Batman!
Dan

 

More great stuff!

 

AWESOME!!!

 

There are some 1958 cars in the photos. I'm wagering El Mirage for the lakes shots and the back straight drag strip at Riverside Raceway - opened 1957. No runways have berms beside them and the area around March is very flat.
article on the runs:
https://www.hotrod.com/features/world-record-for-rodders-april-1958-982-524-16-1

 

Umm, wow! Tell us how you really feel

only reason I slapped watermarks on images was because when I first started sharing photos without watermarks other people started offering prints of those images on ebay. Definitely should have built a '32 instead of wasting money on photos and period literature.

That out of the way Thank You for sharing the treasure trove of photos that is the Tom Cobbs Archive, they are amazing! So again Thank you!

Great to see so many photos of the Freudiger Spl. T roadster

Guy with Tom in the Dyno photos is Don Francisco, Don wrote one of the first 'How To' books on the SBC "HOW TO MODIFY CHEVY V8 ENGINES" I recently purchased a copy and just waiting to receive

425D is the Summer Bros. record setting T rear modified roadster, another car where very few good photos exists. So is awesome to see it & in colour

 

Tom had a lot of help from big names in racing. Stu Hilborn was one of the main contributors to the fuel distribution dept. Jack Engle was responsible for designing Tom’s blower cams. Claude Hampson was the sheet metal guru from Kurtis Kraft. The nose on the Freudiger Special is from the Kurtis Novi buck. Tom made everything. I have boxes of his manuals, tool catalogs, spring supply companies from all over so he could get the size and tension for his blow off plates. Tom needs to be studied and examined by all of us. Tom was part of the So Cal Speed Division. Fox - Cobbs - Sturdy - Batchelor - Xydias

 

The missing pieces of So Cal Speed Shop. The Pierson Coupe and So Cal double duty coupe. The archive is mind blowing! Thanks again Ryan!

 

I know, been somewhat sarcastic . The irony is I agree with what you say but perspective and experience have us on opposite poles, I wish I hadn't had to watermark the photos, negatives, slides in my possession but for a few fuckwits it became necessary, it sucks balls, these days I quite frankly don't give a fuck, a large part why I am no longer actively seeking out vintage photos.


Mate, if you don't do a book on Tom I will be fk'n pissed, you have the ability and Tom's story should be celebrated and TOLD! I want to be able to grab that book off my bookcase like Isky, Chrisman, Harry Miller, So-Cal, Kurtis, Harrell, Riley books, don't doubt, it has an audience. These images are a large part of the story and you are right don't need explanation, just basic where, when.