[twobjshelbys]

It is a disservice to try to convince this guy that he can get a completed Cobra for 20K. It's kind of like trying to buy a house in San Francisco for $100K. Sure, you might find one but it's going to need $1M in fixer-upper repairs and you'll have to wait for years to find it (meanwhile prices go up). Same with a Cobra. A 20K Cobra is likely to be an unfinished kit being abandoned by an estate. You might find one, but you're going to have to finish it, with a fair amount of skills and tools needed, and then you still have to put an engine and transmission in it. And then you have to sort it out. Then you'll get 40K into the project and start to get frustrated after two years and sell it for 20K.

Think carefully if this is a path you want to go down.

And you won't get even close to a Kirkham for 100K. As a beginner, stay away from aluminum. Get your feet wet with fiberglass. If you decide you like the Cobra and want to upgrade then consider Kirkham (or Shelby American).