Hmmm, I've decided to sell my car....in the year 2029!
Bill: Slipping? Who? Moi?
Nope. Don't worry.
You are right in that CS got into the production and sale of his Cobras again because "supposedly" the kit car manufacturers told him to "F" off when he wanted a donation to the childrens heart fund. In return for the donations the "replicas" were to be licensed, not endorsed by Shelby.
When he got pissed off with the replica industry he decided according to what he said to give people a "second chance" at owning the real deal, a Shelby Cobra from SAI. This was his mantra and postion as to why he began the "continuation" series again. He clearly does not see the Shelby in the same league as the others. Witness his reference to the others as "copies made from junk parts", "counterfits", "embarrassments" etc, etc...
Brett is absolutely correct that current regulations which did not exist back in the 60's force SAI today to sell rollers or the car in component form. CS and SAI, I believe do not refer to the non rollers as "kit cars". They are referred to a "component" vehicles. To me this is semantics but nevertheless because of regulations the Shelby's are and must be sold much in the same manner as the "replica Cobras" or non Shelbys if you will.
So while the procedure for sale to the end user is much the same as the "Kit Car replica companies" the product is seen as being much different and in a different class by CS and SAI. Their position is clear. They sell Cobras not just a replica of a Cobra. A major distinction.
Mr. Supersnake: Thanks for reminding me about that ad. You must mean the one where he refers to "replicas as an embarrassment" right? Clearly he doesn't think of his Shelby Cobra as a mere replica since I don't think he would refer to his own product as an embarrassment. As such I think it establishes he sees the Shelby in a different league or class. I think it proves my point. Where better to advertise REAL Cobras are now available again then in a magizine read by thousands interested in Cobra replicas. When they see the ad many may opt to move up.
In short, while SAI may compete for the consumer $$$ with the "kit replica companies" the decision as posed by SAI is "why by a replica when you can own a REAL Cobra." I don't think they see their Cobra as just a replica competing with other replicas.
If the regulations forcing SAI to sell their cars in roller form to dealers today were in force in the 60's wouldn't SAI have had to sell the originals in the same way they do today in order to avoid all the emissions and DOT regs? I think so. Thus that must mean the originals would have been a "component" car too!
Cassalennie: You are dead wrong. Just because it looks like a Cobra doesn't make it a Cobra. Sorry. Wishful thinking.
Private owners can refer to their car as they wish and so can others NOT in the business of building and selling. In a gerneric sense we in the hobby refer to all these cars as Cobras.
However, the only cars legally and legimately entitled to be sold and marketed and called Cobras are Shelbys new or vintage or vintage AC Cobras.
I state the above as factual. Not in an effort to be a snob. I'm a nice guy. Really!
Since you referred to the fact that in a "very short period of time" all these cars will be referred to as Cobras. If you know something we don't please fill us in however. What do you mean?