Fiberglass or Aluminium body

[Ronbo]

There's a little more to a Kirkham than just a pretty skin, the suspension for one thing. About the only thing you could call a disadvantage is the original style frame.

Although originaly not in my sights (or budget), I kept going back the KM site and I finally just caved in. No regrets, even though I spent almost double what I planned on.

Nothing rational about buying one of these cars anyway, might as well embrace the insanity.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by *13*

I just like to be a little different. I like the idea of the painted car with aluminum undersides.

It's interesting that two reasonable people can see something entirely opposite. I see painted Cobras as being far more common than naked alloy cars. And polished alloy even less common. Between the fiberglass offerings from CSX, BDR, FFR, ERA, SPF, Unique, Arntz, and the many others over the past 30-40 years, I would think the 600 alloy cars, some naked others painted, scattererd across the US would be uncommon.

Tim (tkb289) is right. You could buy a lot of things for the extra $30K or whatever the amount. In fact, you get a Cammer engine for your fiberglass car, but then, you wouldn't have an alloy car either, if alloy is important to you.

[Clayboy]

IGOFASTR...Ron,
Congratulations on the new car. i just saw your header, hope you bring it to the NorCal toy drive on the 19th. I would love to see it.
Bob

[REAL 1]

While SPF are nice to me there is no comparison to the CSX 6000 Cobra for many reasons including but not limited to accuracy and authenticity. They are not in the same league in my book.

Flame on.

[RodKnock]

The OP can compare the fiberglass CSX 4000's/6000's to the SPF's, ERA's, BDR's, or a Kirkhams, if he wants too. The comparison is relevant because they are all Cobras or Cobra replicas. There are advantages and disadvantages to all of them, whether aluminum versus fiberglass.

[lloyds1]

Don't forget about carbon fiber. There is a thread about a guy building them in Texas here somewhere.

[*13*]

Carbon Fiber is for bicycles & formula one cars

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by lloyds1

Don't forget about carbon fiber. There is a thread about a guy building them in Texas here somewhere.

Aluminum is beautiful, although the brushed/polished look is not for me. However, ALUMINUM DENTS. If you live an area where hail is even a remote possibility, don't get it... Don't say you won't drive it in the storms - you get caught. I was out twice this summer where I got pommeled by hail. One time it was bad enough to cut my ears (I had a baseball cap or my forehead would have been hurt too) by hail that was between shooter marble and golf ball before I got under a tree. The car didn't show even a minor scratch. You can't outrun it!

My choice of the Carbon Fiber CSX was deliberate!!!

[rustyBob]

I really like the aluminum cars polished or brushed.............
but half the fun of my build was decieding on what color to paint my car.......

[Dwight]

aluminum ==== painted



I can only afford fiberglass

Dwight

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by rustyBob

I really like the aluminum cars polished or brushed.............
but half the fun of my build was decieding on what color to paint my car.......

One of the main selling points for me was that I knew I wouldn't have to pick a color with the aluminum body. My car would still be at the paint shop while I vacillated on which blue or red. I remember buying like 6+ cans of spray paint from a Hemmings vendor trying to figure out which color to paint my old Sunbeam Tiger. Thank goodness for bare aluminum.

[CCX 33239]

There seems to be a number of comments using "aluminum (polished or brushed)" and "originality" in the same sentence or paragraph, as if they are one in the same. Am I wrong in not remembering many, or any, original cars that were unpainted? Even CSX 2000 had numerous colors (never bare)! Just a question?

Regardless, as has already been said numerous times, the bottomline is personal preference and whether YOU like the car. Go for it!

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by CCX 33239

Am I wrong in not remembering many, or any, original cars that were unpainted? Even CSX 2000 had numerous colors (never bare)!

You are correct in that (usually) the only time an original went sans paint is was when it was in between color changes.

However, in CSX2000's first set of publicity photos and the first test drive of it by a magazine (SCG), it was just "brillo'ed up" very nicely...with no paint.

I would attribute the contemporary popularity of bare aluminum, unpainted drivers to Tom Kirkham, who ran his first 427 for years with a rough sanded finish and to Jamo, who dubbed it the "BNL" (Bare Naked Lady) and set the standard for street driven, unpainted cars.

The rest just followed.

[PANAVIA]

I sat in a 2005 Kirkham at Dennis Pecks place recently and it felt sooo good.

There is a thing about the aluminumninumminum bodywork that is a touch thing, a sensation thing. --

sitting in it - I felt like I was in a P51 (or a mkv spitfire) ready to kick some naz! a$$.

cant explain it. --- its a mindset / trip .

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by CCX 33239

There seems to be a number of comments using "aluminum (polished or brushed)" and "originality" in the same sentence or paragraph, as if they are one in the same. Am I wrong in not remembering many, or any, original cars that were unpainted? Even CSX 2000 had numerous colors (never bare)! Just a question?

I could have missed it somewhere in our posts, but I don't remember anyone stating that a bare aluminum car is/was how the original series came. However, I did say that an aluminum body Kirkham or a modern era CSX moves the needle on the authenticity meter closer to an original 60's series Cobra.

Nonetheless, the modern alloy bodies produced by Kirkham can be left unpainted since the bodywork is flawless or near flawless, especially when compared to what others have said and written about the alloy bodies of the original 60's series Cobra. I don't think those could have been left unpainted and sold to the public. I will let the historians and experts correct me, if necessary.

[jberg]

Fonti,

You may bought alu-body from hawkcars (and all other parts as well) or from kirkham europe. Then you may bought origin specs chassis (there is many people here who could sell that for you) or do it bye yourself and build you car from scratch. Or you could bought some used car or unfinished kit and fit alu-body to that.

See: http://www.hawkcars.co.uk/hawk427/bodyshell.pdf

If this price info is still valid then alubody is about 12K€ or 17K$ (+VAT) so I don't belive that there is 30-40K$ difference between fiber/alu bodied car if the only change is body material.

Price difference between kits/cars comes from different reasons (suspension, chassis etc etc) as mentioned alredy here.

[fonti]

@all: thank you for your opinions - you made it very easy for me
I'm gonna see an ERA, SPF and a Kirkham on Friday, will talk to owners here in Switzerland (ERA and SPF) and hopefully I know more then.
The most important thing on this side of the pond is how to get it licenced and driven legally!
But - at this time I'm a bit more on the "iron-side". Hhmmm, I never had a budget for cars till now. Think I have to make one this time!

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by computerworks

You are correct in that (usually) the only time an original went sans paint is was when it was in between color changes.

However, in CSX2000's first set of publicity photos and the first test drive of it by a magazine (SCG), it was just "brillo'ed up" very nicely...with no paint.

I would attribute the contemporary popularity of bare aluminum, unpainted drivers to Tom Kirkham, who ran his first 427 for years with a rough sanded finish and to Jamo, who dubbed it the "BNL" (Bare Naked Lady) and set the standard for street driven, unpainted cars.

The rest just followed.

Wasn't CS driving around the first of the infamous completion cars in bare aluminum (except for the painted racing number "98") first?

[REAL 1]

The OP is entitled to compare whatever he wants to whatever he wants. He can compare a head of cabbage to an SPF if he wants. I don't care actually.

I just pointed out that there are significant differences and advantages IMHO in owning a CSX 6000 Cobra to a SPF.

As to the popularity of the the bare aluminium cars have attained I think it is more accurately ascribed to Carroll Shelby's bare aluminum #98 427 Cobra which I beleive was supposed to be a completion Cobra rather then the Kirkham Cobra.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by REAL 1

As to the popularity of the the bare aluminium cars have attained I think it is more accurately ascribed to Carroll Shelby's bare aluminum #98 427 Cobra which I beleive was supposed to be a completion Cobra rather then the Kirkham Cobra.

No, because nobody followed that trend for the 10+ years after that...until Tom and Jamo ran BNL's.

It's not a question of who was first, because CSX2000 was first in 1962... it's a question of who set the trend.