As Told by Paul Cass

I’ve always liked the look of the FIA and for my 50th birthday gift to me I built my very own 289 FIA back in 1996.

Long before that, my first car was a 1928 Model A pickup that had been used on my grandfather’s farm in Kerrville ,Texas. I was 14 and my dad and I put it together as it was in parts scattered around the farm. Actually I mostly watched and helped here and there. This was in 1961.

In 1964 my cousin asked if I wanted to see two really cool cars. They were in San Antonio and we drove to one of the Ford dealers and on their showroom floor they had two 289 slab side Cobras. I loved the style and look.

In 1967 I purchased a 1965 Wimbledon White Mustang fastback with a 271hp 289. I’ve had at least one Mustang nearly every year since.

Fast forward to 1996. I decided that for my 50th birthday to myself that I would build my dream car—a Cobra replica. At the time I was still a high school teacher and on a budget. My wife told me that I would have to sell my ‘65 Mustang and Porsche 944. She didn't think I would, but I did, and after checking around I found that a Lone Star kit fit my budget.

Then I took this 427 replica from Lone Star that I could afford (being a teacher on a limited budget), and built to the best of my ability a replica of one of the FIAs that won the 1965 World title. Except for the paint and exhaust system I did all of the construction myself including all of the modifications needed to make the body look like an FIA.

I originally built the Cobra in three months, doing all of the work in our two-car garage. After finishing the original 427-style build, I did some modifications to the Cobra so that it more resembles the 289 FIA. The door cut-outs and dimples on the trunk were the only things I could not change. Otherwise it is a highly modified Lone Star.

The body mods were made with the help of my painter. We shortened the front wheel flares, widened the lower part of the rear flares, closed off the air duct openings on the nose and cut the center opening in half, fabricated the lower edge and then grafted it back on to the nose. I relocated the fuel filler to the deck behind the passenger seat. Quick jacks were reversed. I used various pics I located to make all of these changes including decals. I built the wheel centers, dash, roll bar, exhaust system, and helped with body modifications.

It is powered by a real 1965 Ford 289 that I built, bored 60 over with modifications to the heads and topped off with a rare Shelby high-rise intake with a Holley 750 carb, so it puts out well over 300 horses.

Since I was coming off of my 3rd left knee operation I opted to use an AOD transmission. This allowed my to run 4.10 gears. The car is a 12-second quarter-mile runner.

I went to the track a few times during the first five years that I owned the FIA. I made a lot of noise and got in people’s way. I didn’t race hard core. As I told some of the guys that would get on me to “run” the car, on the tennis court I am all serious (having won a state record 22 consecutive district titles, 19 regional titles and 9 State titles; and I was inducted into the Texas Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame in 2012).

But on the track I’m there to have fun, just as you guys come out to have fun in tennis and then on the track you become serious. Eventually the combination of a significant neck injury and a scary incident on the track convinced me it was time to retire from the track and use the car as I originally intended, which was to drive and attend various car events. It still has the same 289.

I guess that tennis and cars are my hobby. I’ve built several Cobras, two GT 40s, a Daytona, and restored several Mustangs. In my collection is a 1965 Mustang coupe that I restored and gave to my wife for her 50th birthday, a 1965 T-Bird that was my retirement gift to me in 2004, a 1966 GT Mustang Convertible that I gave to my wife when I retired, and a one-owner 1924 Model T pickup that I restored for my Dad back in 2001 and delivered to him on Father’s Day. This T was purchased new by my grandfather and driven by my Dad when he was dating my Mom. He put it on cinder blocks in 1943 and kept it there in his barn until I picked it up in 1999. My Dad passed away a couple of years ago and the T is back with me.

I’m one of the founding members of the Texas Cobra Club and which was formed in 2000. I’m the only person to attend all 15 events and with the same Cobra. Keep up the good work!