[750hp]

While no replica can reasonably be put on the same perch as a CSX2... or CSX3... Shelby, what Dad and I kept talking about was the fascinating history behind some of the early replicas - in the US, UK and Australia. It's fair to say the story of Steve Arntz and the business he created had a bit of drama, deception and intrigue, all of which makes the earliest replicas even more interesting. The fact that they're also such a well built car (and that this one in particular looks like it's been caught in a time-warp) makes it even better.

Russ - as you might have seen with the variety of Cobras in Australia, we aren't as heavily tied into the originality aspect as in the US, and a lot of people are averse to driving a LHD car in a country that will forever be designed around RHD cars. For these reason, I'm pretty sure that 99% of Cobra buyers out here are looking for new locally built and complianced cars with modern suspension geometry, newer Falcon and Nissan Skyline IRS rear end, plus late model all alum performance motors such as LS3s and LS7 small blocks. As such, old US replicas such as the Arntz, early Contemporary, Unique and ERAs would have an extremely limited market.

Dad's had a string of motor bikes and French, German and Pommy sports cars and used to fang around Lakeside and Surfers Paradise International Raceway in his race car back in the day. He was hands-on in the ground-up nut and bolt build of my first car - the XY that Kev Horner piloted down the airport runway at West Wyalong - and has always supported my sometimes illogical obsession with fitting a big block or supercharger onto a number of cars over the years. To see the look on his face when we first saw the Arntz in the flesh was a fantastic moment, and I'm so bloody proud to have a Dad who's more like a brother that I can share my greatest hobby with.