Philip G,
Take a look at the Shell Valley. I have a friend who has build 5 or 6 Cobras for resale. The last 4 or 5 have been Shell Valley. We stopped by yesterday and looked at the new kit they sell. Very impressive kit with the new upgrades they have. The bodies are almost ready for paint. I've build or worked on E-M, FFR, Unique, Shell Valley, Hurricane, Lone Star and maybe a couple of more. A local Cobra painter charges $500 less to paint the Shell Valleys because the bodies require less prep work. If you compare apples to apples Hurricane is best buy with the new Shell Valley close IMHO. Both have dropped foot boxes. A lot depends on the options you buy. Both have good resale. We have a big guy that just finished a FFR. He build it to fit his size and did a great job. I build and drive a Lone Star, 94" wheel base with all the extra 4" inside the cockpit. But the doors, trunk and hood are warped a little. I did not want to cut them apart and refit them, so I just live with it.
Each kit is different. Pros and Cons. At the London Cobra Show where we have 300 of them together and it's hard to see the cons. They all look good. If you spend enough time and money you can make a VW look like a real Cobra.
If your the type person who want a perfect Cobra, then they all look wrong. But I want a good looking Cobra that I can drive anytime, anywhere, and that I can afford. There are a lot of the kits I can live with.
If you drive in the rain, make sure that the body is sealed to the cockpit/trunk area so the rain does not pour in.
Lone Star, E-M and Shell Valley do not have this problem. FFR & Hurricane might. We learned this on our return trip from the LCS as we drove 75 miles in the rain.
Best of luck in your search for a Cobra. Take your time. Sit in as many different Cobras as you can. Don't forget to look at the ones for sale. There are a lot of good bargains out there. Even the worst Cobra is a lot of fun!
Dwight