Introduction... King Kobra - Boss 429 - KK1303 - Auto Racing Memories

KingKobra · 08-22-2012, 10:55 PM

I was the third owner of KK1303. The car was originally purchased new in Denver by Bob Joffer of Joffer Auto Body who did all the beautiful body work and Candy Apple Red paint. He campaigned her as Candy Cobra in SS/A. When Bob decided to build a Pro Stocker he had Ed Pink rework the 429 engine for his Show Grabber Maverick.

The car w/o the engine was purchased by Don Arkulari, a 428 Cobra Jet racer who also acquired a SOHC427 engine from Holman-Moody. I purchased KK1303 from Don and had his crew install the SOHC427 with special headers designed by JR. With the SOHC aboard she became KingKobra.

Some serious family matters distracted me from getting her running so she sat in my garage for several years until my wife and I moved to CA. We wanted to buy a very nice house in an exclusive neighborhood following our move from Colorado Springs. In order to bridge the difference from the sale of our CSprgs home and the Silicon Valley home I decided to sell KK1303. She was purchased by Bob Barnett, then the owner of Ferrari of Los Gatos. Bob's business had problems and I heard that the car was sold but I lost track of her until she was featured in Mustang Monthly as CAR 54. The exact odometer reading she had when I sold her...

webby · 08-23-2012, 07:24 AM

Wow... that is a gorgeous piece of muscle (and history). What kind of times could the King Kobra get?

Dago Red · 08-23-2012, 02:55 PM

Sorry friend, there is no way this car ran SS/A. The NHRA classification system(at the time this car would have raced) used factory HP ratings. The Boss 429 was rated at 375 hp which was them divided into the factory shipping weight, which various Mustang sources have between 2775# up to 3220#. Even using the lightest numbers 2775/375 places this car no higher than SS/C (7.0 to 7.49 lbs per hp). More than likely with the big block, its shipping weight would have placed it into SS/D (7.5 to 7.99 lbs per hp). I've never seen a big block Mustang higher than SS/E and that was a 71 Boss 429.

All said, I think your car is a monster! Dropping the clutch on that beast has got to be akin to being shot out of a cannon.

08-22-2012, 10:55 PM	#1
KingKobra One Post Wonder Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Silicon Valley, CA Posts: 1	King Kobra - Boss 429 - KK1303 I was the third owner of KK1303. The car was originally purchased new in Denver by Bob Joffer of Joffer Auto Body who did all the beautiful body work and Candy Apple Red paint. He campaigned her as Candy Cobra in SS/A. When Bob decided to build a Pro Stocker he had Ed Pink rework the 429 engine for his Show Grabber Maverick. The car w/o the engine was purchased by Don Arkulari, a 428 Cobra Jet racer who also acquired a SOHC427 engine from Holman-Moody. I purchased KK1303 from Don and had his crew install the SOHC427 with special headers designed by JR. With the SOHC aboard she became KingKobra. Some serious family matters distracted me from getting her running so she sat in my garage for several years until my wife and I moved to CA. We wanted to buy a very nice house in an exclusive neighborhood following our move from Colorado Springs. In order to bridge the difference from the sale of our CSprgs home and the Silicon Valley home I decided to sell KK1303. She was purchased by Bob Barnett, then the owner of Ferrari of Los Gatos. Bob's business had problems and I heard that the car was sold but I lost track of her until she was featured in Mustang Monthly as CAR 54. The exact odometer reading she had when I sold her... Attached Thumbnails

08-23-2012, 07:24 AM	#2
webby Administrator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lakewood, Colorado Age: 55 Posts: 1,063	Re: King Kobra - Boss 429 - KK1303 Wow... that is a gorgeous piece of muscle (and history). What kind of times could the King Kobra get? Follow ARM on Twitter \| Like ARM on Facebook Rat Rods, Old school Muscle cars. Advertising on Auto Racing Memories

08-23-2012, 02:55 PM	#3
Dago Red Newbie Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Fort Worth, TX Age: 64 Posts: 7	Re: King Kobra - Boss 429 - KK1303 Sorry friend, there is no way this car ran SS/A. The NHRA classification system(at the time this car would have raced) used factory HP ratings. The Boss 429 was rated at 375 hp which was them divided into the factory shipping weight, which various Mustang sources have between 2775# up to 3220#. Even using the lightest numbers 2775/375 places this car no higher than SS/C (7.0 to 7.49 lbs per hp). More than likely with the big block, its shipping weight would have placed it into SS/D (7.5 to 7.99 lbs per hp). I've never seen a big block Mustang higher than SS/E and that was a 71 Boss 429. All said, I think your car is a monster! Dropping the clutch on that beast has got to be akin to being shot out of a cannon.