Ryan submitted a new blog post: Tom Cobbs: The Freudiger Spl. Continue reading the Original Blog Post
A lot to take in in those old shop photos, (for a second) I thought that was a small block Chevy with a front sump oil pan but with these old eyes, guessing it's a Y-block.
Yeah, that's El Mirage. Back in the days when you could choose your route onto the lakebed. Been there, done that.
I really dig the way they angle cut the cowl on that car, never seen that before, or never noticed it anyway.
I’m struggling with my internet connection this morning, but I’m pretty sure this car is STILL a race car and STILL raced by the same family. I remember talking to the family at Bonneville in 2009 or 2010 and shortly after one of the grandkids joined the hamb. Phil’s son, Will, is certainly a name to recon with in land speed circles…
Yeah, the one on the floor might be the special engine, with the front blower mount. The stand is not SBC, front cover with fuel pump on left not right block location, oil pan, oil fill and valve cover bolts are wrong. The one to the right is SBC, but with a shallow road racing (?) side pockets pan. Under the shelf, far left flathead? Looks like valve pockets above the bores.
One more thing worth noting… Remember that deep dive we took trying to figure out who owned the ’40 Ford Tom rolled down to Mexico with? This one, right here. Well, based on the scribbles on the back of this roll—the barely-legible breadcrumbs from 1957—there’s a damn good chance it was Bill Saderup and his ’40 coupe. The timeline lines up, the name’s in the notes, and the dots start to connect. Might not be conclusive yet… but it’s starting to smell like confirmation.
Excellent!! Yes these are the photos!! I am very proud to say I own Tom’s lathe as pictured and his Bonneville pit tool box.
I’m stoked that you are keeping Tom and the players relevant. Tom was so advanced and extremely humble. Some great guys worked under one roof to bring us technology, records and some badass lake ordinance to blow some doors off of the competition. Three amigos! Tom Cobbs, Stu Hilborn and Jack Engle was the main group and they also had Buddy for Gears. Associated Gears. I have some other neat pieces of Tom’s. As soon as I get my shop set up I’ll have a nice display for Tom.
It’s always struck me as strange that Tom Cobbs isn’t a bigger name in our world. Only the true obsessives seem to even know who he was. But the guy wasn’t just there for the history, he made it. He built the motors. He raced the cars. He set records… Hell, he ran his mouth to Vic Edelbrock and ended up in the first organized drag race in history because of it. That’s not just folklore—that’s boots-on-the-ground hero shit. But Tom never slapped his name on a product and sold it to the masses—he just did the work… I guess because of that, he never really became the household name he deserves to be.
Note the twirly stand that the Y block is perched on has side mounts originally intended for a flathead. I have a similar ancient stand, but mine has a flatty in it.
Fantastic. I am curious what the circles on the deck lid are? If they were just painted on I doubt the louvers would have skipped over them. Are the just holes to let pressure out?
Thanks, fantastic stuff. Since these are Kodachrome (a.k.a. slides/positive transparencies) do you have a lab do the scanning or do you do that yourself? If you do them yourself, would you care to divulge specifics? The image quality is outstanding and the subject matter is just off-the-charts cool..
Reading your posts in reverse, but it still works, Definitely agree that Tom Cobbs should more well known considering his involvement in early rodding! That drill press in one of the pictures is special, I just saw one for sale locally. Thanks for these posts!
This was posted today on the FB Page of the American Hot Rod Foundation https://www.facebook.com/AmericanHotRodFoundation PHOTO OF THE DAY , , Tom Cobbs ran this Comp Coupe and Sedan in class C and D at Bonneville in 1954, but his Supercharged Merc flatties couldn't cut the mustard against the new Chrysler overheads. In 1954, the existing C record was 172.749 mph. Tom only ran 148.72 for a 6th in class while the Chrisman Brothers & Duncan team bumped the record to 180.08 mph with DeSoto power. The existing D record in '54 was 160.852 mph and Tom only ran 155.70 mph for another 6th in class while Don Bishop upped the record to 171.57 mph with Chrysler power. In 1955, Cobbs came back with the same ride but this time it was powered by the new Chevy V-8 … fitted with the same crank driven supercharger setup we see in our photo. The flathead was officially pronounced dead as a record setting engine and it would be decades before the vintage revival would bring it back into the spotlight. ©AHRF/Clif Wheeler Collection. (CWC_168) See more from this collection: https://ahrf.com/historical-library/photo-archives/clif-wheeler-collection/
Not to take away from your story, but what an excellent way to spend a weekend afternoon. I’m not sure what in today’s world might compare. Thanks for the share.
The Jalopy Journal
