Profile – Bakhnov & Melnikov

F5R 1005011 RD, Moscow, Russia

email:    abakhnov@comcast.net, alex@cobraclub.ru
 

Like most of us around the world, our first Cobra sighting is a memorable one.  The image is burned into our grey matter forever, and it’s a hard memory to shake.

 

Alexander Bakhnov and Aleksandr Melnikov, in that way, are just like you and me.
 

The only difference, realistically, is that they live in Russia, a land that has changed a lot over the years, but has never really established itself as a hub for sports car lovers.

 

When they discovered the Factory Five website in 2004, their dreams were born anew.  They did more research, but everything kept coming back full circle.

 

There were certainly hurdles to overcome, including:

-          a Mustang donor car (a $9000 investment)

-          Sea Freight costs of monumental proportions

-          Working without registration classifications

 

In the end all of the efforts were rewarded when their Factory Five arrived in October 2005, and the real fun began.
 

The Russian winters are tough, but the summers are a gloriously short span of 3-4 months, and when the weather warms up, one had better be ready to start driving.

 

This past summer they put 1500 miles on FFR 1005011, and although it’s back in it’s cocoon for the winter, both Alex’s, as well as their Factory Five, dream of the open road next summer.