“The annual concourse event goes back over 30 years and it is always been central to raising the standard of our cars here in South Africa,” says Cobra Club chairman, Paul de Klerk. “We have had resurgence in interest in the past two years, which is remarkable, given that the economic climate has been difficult. I think it proves the adage that, when the going gets tough, the Cobra Club gets going.”
The Red Roman shed is a funky, old-school structure at the Palace, ideally suited to the retro mood inspired by 100 Cobras, boasting a collective horsepower total of close to 500,000.
“We are going to make that place rock or at least rumble. A highlight of the day’s programme will be at 12 noon, when we will have a mass start-up of all the cars present, and I guess those corrugated iron walls of the Red Roman Shed will be put to a serious test for structural strength.”
The Cobras in South Africa are replicas of the famous original AC Cobra created by Carrol Shelby in 1962, when he fitted a small-block Ford V8 into an English AC Ace sports car, which was already considered outdated at the dawn of the 1960s.
The result of this happy confluence was a car that shook General Motors to its roots as it instantly out-paced the then-all-conquering Chevrolet Corvettes in American SCCA racing. Soon 289 cubic-inch and then 427 cubic inch (seven-litre) versions were introduced and a Daytona Coupe version Cobra ended up winning its category in the 1965 World Sports Car Championship, beating Ferrari.
“In honour of that event, we are inviting owners of Daytona Coupes, as built here in South Africa by Hi-Tech Industries, to also take part in this year’s Cobra Club Concours, as well as Ford GT40 replicas.
Visitors to the Emperors Palace complex will have to pay the nominal fee to gain entry to the car park on Sunday 20 August but entry to the Cobra Club Concourse is free of charge. Refreshments will be on sale at The Red Roman Shed. The event will run from 10am - 4pm. For more information, go to www.cobraclub.co.za.
