[REAL 1]

If your budget allows, no doubt about it, get the aluminum Shelby. It is the brass ring and the stuff the originals were made out of. End of story. In the long run you will be glad you went for the aluminum. No matter what others who don't have one say there is definitely a difference in the way the car is perceived and received by the public too when they know it is an aluminum bodied Shelby Cobra and not "fiberglass". There just is. Period. If that means anything to you.

I went through the same decision process and even had a deposit on a glass CSX and the opprotunity came by for CSX 4206 which is aluminum. At that time the price difference was $18,000.00. Still a nice chuck of change. I finally decided on the aluminum Shelby and never regretted it and now very glad I bought it.

In the future I think it will be worth more and will certainly be more desirable. IMHO.

Yes, it can and does ding if you are not careful. I have had a ding or two in the 7 years of ownership, but as someone noted a call to the Dent Wizzard and its all gone!