Product Details
The Cobra in the Barn: Great Stories of Automotive Archaeology

The Cobra in the Barn: Great Stories of Automotive Archaeology
By Tom Cotter

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Product Description

It’s the fantasy of every car enthusiast: Pull a tarp off a pile in a barn, or hear a farmer say "there’s an old car out back" and discover a classic collectible such as a Hemi ‘Cuda, a rare Porsche, or a Jaguar E-Type racer. Many such tales told during enthusiasts’ bench racing sessions are urban myths. But this book is full of true tales of rare gems pulled out of haystacks or junkyards—and there are before and after photos to prove it!

Author Tom Cotter uses his engaging writing style in telling the tales of found Cobras, a rare Delehaye found disassembled in Czechoslovakia that eventually won Best in Show at Pebble Beach, a Ferrari racer found in a California woodchip pile, and several more. Cotter traces the early histories of the cars, how they were discovered, and where they are today.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #63174 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-11-10
  • Format: Illustrated
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 256 pages

Features

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Tom Cotter tells fascinating tales of dream cars discovered everywhere...the stuff of every enthusiast's fantasy." -- Road & Track, December 2005

Review

Car and Driver, September 2006

“Whether you’re a serious collector or somebody who simply digs old cars, Tom Cotter’s book will delight you for hours.”

Philadelphia Inquirer, May 11, 2006
“Many of us have watched the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction with envy. Out rolls a mint-condition copy of the 1972 Plymouth Duster two-door hardtop where we stole our first kiss. Or the 1952 MG TD roadster that we always wanted. Then the bidding starts and these cars sell for $30,000 or more, well out of our price range for a weekend ‘fun car.’
 
“Thanks to The Cobra in the Barn, we now know there's another way to get that historic car of our dreams without breaking the bank. North Carolina auto writer Tom Cotter has spent his life driving down dead-end dirt roads, peeking through smudged barn windows, and nosing around his old Long Island neighborhood. These cars are out there, just waiting to be rescued and restored.”


SpeedTV.com, Jan. 24, 2006,
“These suggestions alone are worth the price of this book, but we’re still only in the introduction – the hors d’oeuvres. The ‘meat’ of the book is the stories. There are over 50 of them, don’t be a glutton. You don’t have to devour them all in one sitting. Snack – a story or two with your morning coffee. Take a Cobra to lunch. Dine with a Delahaye from Czechoslovakia. Savor the flavor."

About the Author
Tom Cotter is a regular contributor to Road & Track and has a deep-seated love for automotive rescue. He is also co-author of a book detailing the award-winning history of Holman-Moody, a legendary racing team that enjoyed its greatest success in stock car racing. Holman-Moody won the 2003 International Automotive Media Award for motorsports history. Cotter has built one of the most successful PR agencies in NASCAR racing, with a client list that includeS Lowe's, McDonalds, Mercedes-Benz, Ford, Dodge, Pontiac, BMW, John Deere, UPS, General Foods, Sears, and SPEED Channel. Cotter lives in Davidson, North Carolina, with his family and a garage full of collector cars.

Customer Reviews

A fun, light read for a car guy like me4
I have scouted, searched, and on occasion bought an old car that has been sitting somewhere without a "for sale" sign on it. This book reads like the journal I'd like to write. The cars and their circumstances are mostly unique situations, and the lost/found and long term pursuit angles are the best. For the most part the buyers have a genuine interest, if not a personal one, in the cars they seek. Thankfully, the megabucks trophy collectors and hoarders who fill their warehouses (and ruin it for most everyone else) don't dominate the book.
If you are looking for high end writing and extensive stories, or if you only like certain cars, this book may not be as much fun for you. It is not Peter Egan's "Side Glances." Some accounts are better than others, but overall it is an enjoyable and entertaining book.

A great book for an old car romantic!5
Cotter has done a wonderful job of assembling short stories about finding old, desirable cars. The stories are different enough that they do not become repetitive and they don't get bogged down in the detail. The pictures are well done and add interest to the book. I enjoyed this easy to read book probably because it is as much about the people as it is about the cars they find. Very well done.

Good stuff5
I bought this great book along with Egans Leanings 2. Both books are great for a quick 'shot in the arm' of gearhead wonderland. Cotter has compiled this wonderful selection of stories and presented it in a very tasteful package. High quality paper and equally good photographs make for a satisfing read. Well recommended for any automotive enthusiast.