This is getting better than the "Liberal / Conservative" thread!
Well guys, I've got to respong to some of these past few posts......just because I feel I have to.......and it COULD get ugly -
First off (Buzz&Real1 both), I simply put up a couple of quotes by a couple of people known to most in the Cobra world, to make our friend Ray feel good about his decision. That was all it was supposed to be. Until now.......
Do either of you really feel that Superformance went out looking for both of these guys with an open check book hoping that they would sponser their car? I highly doubt it. In fact, Olthoff has said that he compared a number of Cobra replica companies before deciding on a Superformance car. Why did he decide on SPF? I don't know. Who were the other companies? You would have to ask him. Finest replica of the finest road car ever? Well, "finest replica" is HIS opinion, not mine. Finest road car? I gotta agree with you on that one; it wouldn't be the finest road car "ever".........not by todays standards.
Bondurant didn't say "Shelby should have built a Superformance with a 351 engine." He said that he should have built "a coil spring 427 chassis with a 351 engine". Saying that Shelby should have built a 351 car over the 427 car.....again, HIS opinion (and he IS a racer), not mine. Perhaps the badges would only say 351 instead of 427 on the side today.....who knows?? Hey, maybe they would have won even MORE races - who knows??? No, I don't think he meant to say Shelby should have built the car in fiberglass (you read waaaay to much into that), I believe he was referring to the weight / balance of the car with a 351. I'll say this though, todays Cobra's with a nice 351 stroker would run circles around the old 427 cars. Also, lets not forget who Shelby went to to build his car BEFORE going to Ford (now I'm REALLY going to pi$$ some people off!) Just think of what these cars could have done with a L-88 427 or, the all alum. ZL-1!!!! Now THAT car would still be fast TODAY!
When both these guys say that they believe Superformance is "the best replica", who knows what factors they are using to determine this? Real1, you asked yourself, "what does best mean?". Maybe (like me) they think it is the "best BUY" in the replica business. I looked at just about all the companies out there, and TO ME, SPF was the "best buy". Do I think they look exactly like the original? No.....but close enough for me. I would have picked an ERA if that was my main concern (and to some it is, and I understand that). ERA is a GREAT car (by the way.....I never knocked them in ANY of my previous post, and didn't even MENTION them in my last post Buzz! Hell, I almost bought one!), and I might have decided differently on what company I wanted if the prices were closer. An ERA built the way I wanted it would have been 12-15K more than an SPF. To me, it wasn't worth that much of a difference.......to some it is and I can understand that. The wait was much longer for an ERA also..........again, some don't care about that (especially those who live in a better climate and aren't trying to time the arrival with spring!).
Buzz, if you don't know why Shelby's name ended up on the FWD Charger ($$$$$$$$$$), then............oh well.
Olthoff and Bondurant's names aren't on the SPF's shipping from the factory. Do they make money on cars? Sure.......the one's the sell. Why is Bondurant getting out of the replica business? I don't know. Didn't know he was, but maybe it's something as simple as retirement time. Or, maybe he's going over to CSX Evan! ..........but I doubt it.
Evan: as for "TerrysSPF" "blindly believing" what these guys are saying - just because it's an SPF.......well, let's talk about "blindly believing in something, shall we.............? -I've been reading a lot, if not MOST, of your replys to different threads these past 8 weeks or so. Why don't you just come out and say that anyone that DOES'T HAVE a CSX car, is below the belly of a Cobra, and has NO RIGHT to even call their car a "Cobra"!! Just because some of us (actually MOST of us) don't want to (or CAN'T) drop well into 6 figures on a replica (yes, I said REPLICA!), doesn't mean we should crawl back to our trailor parks and give up this hobby / passion for these cars we all love. Say whatever you have to say to make yourself feel better (or "look better") for dropping that kind of dough on a REPLICA, but try and do it with some class.
To me, there are basically 2 different groups of people who get into these cars (there are other reasons too, but for the most part....). 1. People who want a Cobra that best resembles the original and make it look and feel as much like the cars of the 60's as possible. 2. Those who want a Cobra for performance (after all, the Cobra WAS built for performance), and they want to take advantage of modern technology and get as much of it (performance) out of their cars as they can. Some choose SB strokers and others go with BB's and try squeezing as much HP out as possible! -Nothing wrong with going either way! I respect the guys that have the "original looking" cars.......if I could afford 2, I would have one set up like that also! My father is a "orig nut"! He had a 64 GTO that took him 6 years to restore because he went all over the country looking for, and getting, orig. parts! If it were me, I would have slapped a 600HP BB in it, painted it a non-orig. color, and taken it to a dragstrip!
CSX are GREAT cars - no question. ....and probably the best "investment" car out there.........especially after C.S. croaks. But I would be afraid to drive one!.........and THAT'S what I wanted a Cobra for - to DRIVE! If I won the lotto, I'd have one in the garage (or a Kirkham). But it would be parked next to an SPF.....that I would use as my daily driver / track car.
......Perhaps I shouldn't have come online to check out the forum on a Friday night after being out with friends, but I've always been the kind of person to say what I mean, and mean what I say. I was just trying to congradulate Ray on his new purchase and do so by showing that he is in "good company" in owning an SPF. Some like to make montains out of molehills and nit-pick about this or that..........come on! We all want to feel good about our cars and the decisions we've made. So, Ray............feel good about yours........and have FUN!!!!
