As our regular readers know, there was a bit of a kaffuffle (is that a word?) raised when the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame announced that Carroll Shelby would be inducted into a new International category. Out of that induction has come some great conversations about the history of Shelby American and their involvement with the Canadian Comstock team. While any secrecy of deals should be long gone, the mists of time are making some of the details a bit cloudy.
The great photo above, shot by Hans Gulde and provided by Colin King shows the two Comstock Cobras exiting Mosport’s Moss Corner in a rather interesting sandwich during the 1963 Players Grand Prix.
The details of the Comstock cars and Shelby seem to be coming together thanks to 3 members of the CMSHG group on Yahoo.
Erik Zurbriggen:
The Eppie Weitzes and Ken Miles Cobras are 289’s (CSX2002 and CSX2129). Eppie Wietzes’ Cobra was the original/first race Cobra (CSX2002) that was originally equipped with a 260 but was changed to a 289 by the time of the 12-Hours of Sebring in 1963.
CSX2129 was driven by Ken Miles at the Mosport Canadian GP for one event only and was painted in the Comstock Team colors (the stripes may have been red instead of green though). After the race the Ken Miles Cobra was returned back to the States and sold to Graham Shaw (Tombstone) for the 1964 season.
The Comstock Team Notchback Mustang was the 1964 Tour de France winner brought back to the States after its class victory in September of 1964. Skip Scott drove the Mustang at the end of 1964 at the Nassau Speed Weeks (Nov. 24-Dec. 6, 1964). Skip also raced the TDF Mustang at the 1965 Daytona 2000km in February before Comstock took delivery of the Mustang.
The George Eaton Cobra was a 427 Cobra (CSX3017) that the Comstock Team serviced, they never owned the Cobra.
The deal between Comstock, Ford and Shelby, as I understand it was one of a “lease option” where Shelby supplied the cars, parts, engines and technical support and Ford of Canada provided some of the financial backing and cars the rest was up to the Comstock Team. Shelby provided the (2) Shelby GT350’s, (2) Cooper King Cobras, (1) Cobra, and I’m guessing that Ford provided the TDF Notchback Mustang, TDF Rally Falcon, Lotus Cortina and the (2) Ford GT40’s. The Team was able to keep and sell what ever cars they wanted at season’s end to cover their costs….
Eppie wiped out one of the King Cobras at their debute event at Westwood in ’63 and he was not to race again until ’64.
Colin King:
The GT40’s were provided by Ford. P1000 was a Ford Mule and originally painted dark blue with (I think) orange stripes. P1037 was a LeMans car that was originally a powder, or light blue. The car today still bears the original colour in the engine bay, at least it did at Watkin’s Glen in 2007. The car was restored (again) in 2008 and was supposed to spend the 2009 season in Europe. My understanding was it was going to be restored to the Comstock livery, not as it ran at LeMans so the engine bay may now be white as is the rest of the car.
P1037 was not sold by Comstock. It languished at Ford in Oakville up until about 1970. It was sold, so the story goes, for around $1,500.00.
The Comstock rally Lotus Cortina ended up in the hands of a fellow by the name of Gord Archibald. Gord stripped the car to it’s last nut and bolt and completely rebuilt it. Later it was sold to Hugh MacGregor who I believe repainted it in the original white and green Lotus colours. It was then passed to Hugh’s son and I think he sold it in the late 90’s or early 2000’s.
Jeremy Sale:
I believe the following to be correct, it’s from a story I did some time ago and sent to Paul Cooke for corrections.
Eaton’s car was indeed his, run out of Comstock, it was a 427. The Ford GT40’s which went to Sebring were prepared with the help of Shelby ’s people.
Rathgeb made a five year deal with Jack Still of Ford Canada to supply cars for his team to race. During the following five years they acquired a Lola FJ, a Lotus Cortina, two Ford Cobras and two Cooper Ford “King Cobrasâ€Â. Later there was a 384 bhp Comstock Mustang, followed by two Shelby GT350 Mustangs.
Below are some period photos of the Mustangs discussed above and of GT40 1037 in the original Le Mans livery. I have a feeling that more photos will surface and I’ll post them as they arrive.
[nggallery id=147]
Editor’s note: The GT40 in the gallery is in fact 1017 (EPR 525D), which began its racing career in Europe during 1966. 1037, currently the only drivable Comstock GT40 is owned by Tom Mabey and is on display at the Miller Museum at Miller Motorsport Park in Tooele, Utah.
Gary,
I remember going to St.Jovite on several occasions in the early 60’s and seeing Comstock (which is still a construction company) race various Ford products, from Cortina, Falcon, Mustang, Cobra, King Cobra. The cars were white, Comstock always had some sort of transporter which was rare at the time.
It was very obvious that Comstock was well connected with Ford at the time.
At one point Comstock completely evaporated from the racing scene, whatever deals and understandings were in plce must have run their course. While it lasted, its was always a sight to see the Comstock cars, transporters, it was a show at the time.
Excellent post.
great article in 1976 i saw amutang conv in Burlington ontario which I subsquently bought for $900.00..it turned out to be a comstock car and this was verified by herman smith the ford historian..had weber carbs and assorted scoopsk engine special 24 hour of lemans logos…guess what I still have the car…been working on i t sporadically for 20 years..love to hear from anyone who can help with a few details david balfour
Very cool David! Our readers would love to see photos!
I hate to split hairs after such an entertaining piece, but when I went to RacingSportsCars.com to identify the cars in the photo, I found the #3 GTO (and the others) under the "Pepsi-Cola Canadian Grand Prix" race at Mosport in 1963, not the "Players GP" race. A picky detail, granted, but the "Players" ID led me to the wrong race for car info, the "Players 200".
A friend owns CSX 2129 – looking for vintage photos, All the best, great blog – Thanks FdeC
If anyone can produce them, our readers are the group!
I just had a look at your blog – the Golden Gate post is very cool!
In 1962 Norm Namero in the '18 Corvette was the standard bearer for Canada vs. the world as with '61. Eppie was in a Roots Group's red Alpine #14 in '62 to battle with Dennis Coad in a similar alpine #200 in US Navy Grey. Dennis in sticking his nose under Eppie contacted Eppie's right front fender at the apex of corner 10. This sending Eppie 200 feet down the pit straight in a controled slid only to recover and win the race one lap later. George Commachio in a Fiat Abart with trunk propped open chassed the lads for a sound 3rd in Amalamated C,D,E,and F Production prelim to the '62 Players 200.
The only other Abarth car to do really well was Comstock's Paul Cooke in a 1959 Simca Abarth in the 1962 season. In '63 Paul moved up to an A Sedan Pontiac Laurentian with a 389 in it. He bashed around with All Pease and Grant Brown in Minis all year and seemed to be having fun.. Masteon Gregory gave lessons in both GP and 200 in '62.
Look to the grass in the train at 5B. It is long and summer dried. In the Players 200 in 1963 Comstock fielded two cars. #54 the 289 Cobra with Eppie on board and a 289 shoe horned into the Comstock Experimental #55 with John Cannon at the helm. John Cannon did an end over having a big moment at the crest of the back straight hill on Friday morning practice for the '63 Spring Trophy Race.
The Comstock Experimental was rebuilt in time for John to DNF in the '63 Players 200. This is the exact place where Lud Sr in his RS61 did an end over on the same crest on the straight while Thursday hot lapping for the '62 Indian Summer Trophy Race. Heimrath was and with Cannon shaken not stirred with bandages only. FYI the light coloured car in the photo was a ghastly yellow 411 put together by Dave Greenblatt and manned for the GP by John Cannon. Peter Lerch drove the Dailu Mk II (Bat Mobile in red livery with Dave's 411 in the '63 Players 200). John Cannon led the GP in a Canadian made car for about 5 laps till a gremlin popped up. Alister Cameron-Smith in a "D" Jag did the big moment in the Players 200 qualifying on Friday into the gully beyond turn 6.
Chuck Daigh won both of Mosports FIA races that year in the ex #96 Gurney Lotus 19 with Faded red livery and a #5 of Arciero Bros stable. In the spring trophy races at Mosport in early may of '63 two journeymen Comstock drivers piloted the infamous #54 Cobra. Jerry Polifka at Mosport and then Fred Hayes at Harewood 2 weeks later to soundly thrash Dave Billes in his black Corvette #57 split window coupe. Jean Oulette of Rimouski PQ bought the car from Comstock and painted it ,………gold (Ghastly). In his hands it finished second to the Bill Adam 289 Tiger from California in the '64 A production pre Players 200 race. My dad and fellow gear head John Hawkin both members of BEMC both in yellow TR3-A's would meet monthly on the third Thursday night through the season the North side of Eglinton in the rec room of the old pool that was there. I tagged along till Dad bought from Paul Bowen in Aurora the Ex-Walt MacKay's Lotus 18. Chuck Rathgeb rarely showed up but Paul Cooke was a regular and it was an houour for a 15 year old lad to talk to such a great.
Paul Matthews
111 Colborne Street East,
Oshawa, Ontario.
There is a correction to the first post: the Comstock Notchback Mustang was actually the 1964 Shell rally car that was wrecked and then rebuilt by Paul Cooke and Eppie Weitzes in too a terror on the road circuit in the sedan class driven by Paul, Eppie, Fisher….to many victories. Now the mystery still remains as to what happened to the 1964 TDF winning Mustang and where it is now-a-days and the same could be said as to what happened to the Comstock Notchback after the 1967 season?
Erik Z.
well a friend tracked down some pics of the 1966 Players 200 (can am) and i see my Mustang was the pace car,same color same interior same hood stripe and same lucas lites and Le Mans insignia insted of the usual GT lites..proof? i have pictures of my car (front end) taken in the early 80s long before any pic could be posted on the internet, and they are identical,also it was a Comstock car and they helped sponsor the race (along with Players cigs) and had a gt 40 in the race..oh I still have pieces of the car showing the green Comstock stripe…so not a pace car clone but the real deal..Mosport hosted the 3rd eve can am and i was there..little di I know I would buy the pace car 10 years later…oh it is sitting in my driveway inN>C> waiting for the floor pan/frame rail part to come from Taiwan?? so it can be restored…too many Canadian winters/salt
The car leading that group in the photo is a 1962 Witton Chev Special. My uncle Len Witton designed and built it. 283 small block with 6 pack carbs. Jacques Couture driving. It still exists and has run at the Monterey Historics.
I was doing a search on Comstock Race Team today. (Feb 5th 2018) The reason being is my father (Frank Lamphier) was the plant manager for the Comstock Sheet Metal Plant in Scarborough Ont. I am in the midst of going through all of my fathers picture slides. When I came across a few pictures taken of the racing cars while they were at plant. If you like my to send you a copies just drop me a line
Regards,
Peter Lamphier
Thanks Peter, I’ll shoot you an email.