1956 Chris Craft Cobra Boat Lucky Beer Sign On Ebay!
If you are a Cobra fan, today you just got Lucky! On ebay that is, this is a nice little jewel for ya. Now, several things stand out about this little back lit sign. One, it’s..well…little. This aint no epic sign that hangs over your bar. Look at the plug size as a reference.
The Cobra in the shot is thought to be Cobra 001, and has some sort of strange thing over the fin. But if we look back into our time machine, we actualy happen to have a photo on 001, and the registration number is different, so we can not confirm
If you want to read about this boat click HERE.
001 is slated to be at lake Dora in March. Note the light. Just like the beer ad.
Now, the most obvious issue is the price. Momma mia that’s some high price.. I mean Essential guide price! $1,495… Yikes! For a sign 3 times the size sure. But, then again, where are you going to find another one…. for sale?
This photo from Katzs Marina shows the size as reference. This is actually a different one. Not for sale just as reference next to a built model.
The good thing is that its an excuse to talk about Cobras being celebrated at this years lake Dora show, that just so happens to be in 56 Days. Wait, its a 1956 and 56 days. It’s Karma. Ya ya, officially its 57 days, but we will be down in 55 days, and Woodystock is on the 56th day, so there. Anyway, HERE is the link on ebay! Enjoy.
Okay, I’ll lead off with a guess here that the contraption on the stern over the fin is some kind of ski tow “pylon”. Or maybe that was to attach it to a davit since Richie Rich obviously would have had a Cobra as a launch for his yatch.
Eight will get you ten Terry Fiest knows all about the boat and the sign
The light on the recent picture is in back of the siren on the deck and in the ad, it is directly in back of the bow light.
I think Terry should do a follow up story tomorrow. Than it will be 55 days till Dora and of course all the Cobras are 1955’s so it only makes sense.
The cost of that sign is cheap if you look at the cost per foot of a Cobra.
I believe this is Cobra 18-008, which was delivered to San Francisco, then to Tahoe, but has since disappeared. Also the sign can’t be any earlier than 1960 or so because CF numbers did not replace government numbers until then.
It is not 18-001 which has its siren and spotlight in different places than the sign.
I think Terry Fiest has one of those signs hanging in his garage as well.
I am always amazed how we can find out what the specific boat used in an ad over 50 years ago is! It’s at estimate that our classic boats are each a work of art!
When a “picker” paid over $3500 for this Harley Davidson oil can c. 1908, that $1495 price almost seems worthy.
I have two of these signs one is nice the other has a couple of cracks. I better make room in the safe at these prices.
Cobra update: I travelled to Dallas this past weekend and was the Dinner Speaker at the WBA. The WBA is the Wood Boat Association and they are a great group of people who have their own Work Shop and help each other work on boats. I gave them a historical power point presentation on the evolution of the Cobra. This is the same presentation that I will give at the ACBS Symposium at the Cobra 60th celebration in March at the Sunnyland Show. Brian and I have talked about the sign and agree its hull 18-008. Hull 18-001 is in a Museum in Sarasota, Florida and he is bringing it to the show. We are currently working on the Art work for the show and Paul Bailey has drafted some stunning pictures for the poster. Certainly look forward to seeing everyone in Florida for the event.