Ryan submitted a new blog post: A Copy Of Tom Cobbs' Russetta Program Continue reading the Original Blog Post
I'm really struggling with Tom's handwriting... Maybe some of you guys can make more meaning of this, but here's what I got so far: Image enhanced a bit:
Man, more treasures from the gold mine! Since many of us will never get our hands on a program like this, just reading through it is a treat. Reading the names... and then, those notes. Yeah, the handwriting is hard to read for me too. I thought about playing with that page in Photoshop but doubt I would do any better than you already have. Think of how many of those programs got tossed in the trash at some point. One cool thing I noticed is the photo of the****mings overhead valve conversion on page 12. According to articles I've read on past Antique Nationals meets, Mark****mings and his son were still running that same engine (and car?) in the early 70s. I bet it's still around. How cool is that? Again, thanks beyond words for digging into the Tom Cobbs archive the way you have. Awesome stuff.
In the archive, there are probably close to 50 or 60 programs in all. This was just the first that I opened... It's seemingly endless and featuring them all might get a bit boring for you guys, but I will certainly feature the most interesting as I stumble on to them.
Minutes of previous meeting read and approved. Roll calls. Keep beer etc out of sight. Don't drink a lot of stuff at lakes. Motion made that director (looks like directory) of****n. be allowed to take any question necessary to get good publicity for the****n. Blower job allowed to run B roadster for rest of year. (1??'s-name) car lost protest will have to run C roadster. He loses points and trophies. Motion made that any (2???) driving on lake will cause (3???) to forfeit all points and trophies for that month. second and passed. Edits: (1??'s-name) - Wiend's (misspell for Weiand's) car lost protest will have to run C roadster. He loses points and trophies. (2???) - Reckless per @NealinCA
Hit me because it’s not traditional but I bet an A I pass of the hand written notes would be hilarious
Love it, thanks for sharing. I find these sort of things fascinating, it gives an insite into the man & the era.
Boss, I don't know where do start, but first thnx for putting this out for all of us that care about our rich Hot-Rod history Racers like Robert Pierson "A" coupe, of course Tom Cobb in "B" Coupe, Phill Weiand Parts guru in an "A" Roadster, Don Montgomery ( Author ?) in an "A" Coupe, Customizer Gil Alaya in an "B" coupe...was this his chopped customized Merc ?? Alfred Stewart "C" Coup, Is this Ed "Axel" Stewat of Dropped Axel fame 27 Car clubs participated wowzers. And what about the "Barris" ad on page 12 ?? was Florence Ave. the first George Barris shop ?? Who's Hector and John in the ad ??
My favorite angle of this whole thing is the Vic & Fran versus Cobbs dynamic. We know for a fact the Goleta drag race happened because those three were talking wild*****. No myth, no mystery... just a bunch of young hoods running their mouths about who was faster. God, I love that. Pure, unfiltered rivalry before PR polish and nostalgia got in the way. But time does what it does. Everyone got older, wiser, richer maybe, and started telling the story like it was all good fun... a friendly competition that ended in mutual respect and handshakes all around. That’s the kind of thing people say once they start wearing slacks by choice. I’ve never bought it. Not for a second. You can bet your last quart of nitro that Vic and Fran felt a little smug satisfaction after Goleta... and that Cobbs took it personally. He didn’t forget. He brooded. So when I found those notes in his Russetta program... the ones tracking Fran’s C-Coupe times... I knew exactly what I was looking at. That wasn’t idle curiosity. That was obsession. Cobbs was still chasing them, still looking for an edge, still working angles to get back at them. And honestly? I love him for it. Every scribble, every number, every line of that notebook just pulls me closer. I swear, I’m starting to know Tom Cobbs.
Wild. The haunting of the HAMB. Cobbs haunted by Fran and Vic. The Boss haunted by Cobbs. Where will it stop?
I just opened a directory within the Russetta directory****led, "The Beginning". Holy hell man... I'll. post tomorrow.
The Jalopy Journal
