Most accurate Cobra

[mudracer]

I have been wanting a Cobra replica for a long time. Please tell me who makes the most accurate kit. I know the Kirkham is the best but it is out of my price range. I have seen many Cobra replicas at car shows and I am amazed how different each one is. I know some are produced in third world countries and I would like to limit my search to kits made in the USA.

[Ron61]

I am not sure where it is made but ERA makes a pretty accurate one and you can add any touches that you like to make it as close to an original as you can get. But they do have a fiberglass body. And I think they only make the 427 style body.

Ron

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by mudracer

I have been wanting a Cobra replica for a long time. Please tell me who makes the most accurate kit. I know the Kirkham is the best but it is out of my price range. I have seen many Cobra replicas at car shows and I am amazed how different each one is. I know some are produced in third world countries and I would like to limit my search to kits made in the USA.

Instead of telling us what is out of your price range, why not tell us what your budget is and perhaps then we can assist you in finding the best bang for your buck.


Oh yeah, welcome to Clubcobra.


Yours In Fords,


Bill S.

[DanEC]

Of manufactured cars/replicas, the Shelby continuation cars in aluminum are probably the closest to the original Cobras, but they are even more expensive than the Kirkham cars. Next would probably be the continuation Cobras in fiberglass but it's probably on par with a Kirkham in cost. After that it depends on how accurate you want to be. The ERA is very original in appearance in the body, interior and underhood areas but has a rectangular tube frame underneath. The Unique body is very original appearing but the interior is less so and it as a rectangular frame. The Factory Five car is known for having some variances in the rear body appearance but there are ways to overcome or minimize them. One member has spent a lot of effort to successfully make his FF car into a very beautiful copy of the Cobra street roadster. How accurate you can get will depend a great deal on how much work your willing to put into the assembly and finishing and also how much your willing to spend on accessories and parts. My 2 cents from shopping around - I settled on ERA for what I thought was the best compromise between accuracy and cost. You will get lots of opinions and responses on this.

[FIA-ERA]

The ERA cars are very accurate and true to form. They offer a 427, 289 FIA, and an original slabside body. I have a FIA body and I wanted a drop dash for the car. I found a dash made for an original car and it fit perfectly! I mean no trimming or anything! The ERA bodies are pretty much dead on as I have an original door skin to a 427 and it fits my buddies car perfect too. Like others have said, this is a big topic for debates and really it comes down to how much your willing to spend. Good luck, matt.

[mdross1]

You are not alone in your search for a Cobra like that.Back when I started my search CMC fit the bill and it is fiberglass.What you are going to find are lots of opinions making your search much more frustrating.Don't lose your focus,talk to different Cobra owner/builders,take your time,you will find what you are looking for.Keep this in mind,whatever you end up with for a kit,there are plenty of suppliers out there with the parts to make your car as close to an original as you want it.Wait until you get to the drivetrain and start thinking asking for opinions in that dept.I would be happy to give mine from experience and why I chose what I did.Have fun and good luck!

[diegokid]

Unigue is very close and have heard that Factory 5 has changed their body style to fix the perky butt look.

[diegokid]

Found this just a few posts down the page.

http://www.factoryfive.com/roadster/update/Mk4.html

[RON N BKFLD]

Take a long look at the new Factory Five MKIV, due out next month. Very nice. Ron

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by mudracer

I have been wanting a Cobra replica for a long time. Please tell me who makes the most accurate kit. I know the Kirkham is the best but it is out of my price range. I have seen many Cobra replicas at car shows and I am amazed how different each one is. I know some are produced in third world countries and I would like to limit my search to kits made in the USA.

If you're serious about buying a Cobra, pencil-in Spring of 2011 for doing it. Use the time between now and then to read every thread on Club Cobra, working back in time. You can skip over stupid posts, and ignore the Lounge entirely, but concentrate on manufacturer comparisons, engine choices, rears, transmission ratios, bolt versus pin drives (5 and 6 pin), windshield angles, fender flares, pedal orientation, steering wheels, gauge names and orientation, and that's just for starters. Every question you have has been discussed numerous times and it's all here. Once you've made an informed decision on your engine, there are other forums that can help you narrow down the specs. for it.

[dlampe]

I agree with the rest of the post. Era is the most accurate not Shelby or Kirkham out there today. I also just bought a Hurricane because I wanted the same thing you do. It is not as accurate as the ERA but it is more accurate than the rest. I looked for exterior shape, interior, and engine compartment. You can't see the frame so I wasn't willing to sacrifice one of the other three criteria for that.
INTERIOR
I was looking for exposed roll bar legs behind the drivers seat, dash support structures, the right steering column, vintage gauges and, probably most important, floor mounted pedals.
ENGINE BAY
I wanted white foot boxes with an aluminum fire wall and inner fender liners, exposed wiring, correct throttle linkage, correct frame supports, and appropriate radiator angle, cladding and mounting.
EXTERIOR
I wanted the "correct" shape. You know it when you see it. Some big signs to look for are the angle of the roll bar support leg, the Perky but syndrome, (and there are more than one) and the flaring around the fenders. Then you can get more detailed like the mounting areas for the front and rear turn signals or the shape of the trunk lid around the license plate light.

I think it comes down to how much you want to spend and how picky you are about "originality". I personally have had a few cobras and I like the ERA and the Hurricane for what I was looking for. I bought the Hurricane because it was a 9 if ERA is a 9.5 and many of the others in this price range were 7 to 8 on originality. The ERA would have cost me more and it would have taken longer to get.

I want to also say that I didn't shop for the best driving cobra, the best looking cobra, the best "fitting" (I'm 6'3) cobra or the most dependable cobra. I want the original cobra in all of it's raw glory. I think that is a pretty fair assessment of what I went through when I was shopping.

[computerworks]

All the above answers are good.

But, in this context, I think you have to define what your own meaning of "most accurate" is.

I think there are different levels of this definition.

Visually accurate or dimensionally accurate?

"Accurate look" from 50 ft away? ...10 ft away? ...up close with a ruler?

Accurate "from the top?" ...or "on a lift?"

Accurate-looking to the "general public?" ( ) ...or to the informed purist?

"Accuracy" can have a sliding scale from replicating to recreating.

Most of the popular brands have some degree of accuracy...

...the answer to "most accurate" depends on your own eye-filter and the level of detail incorporated by the builder.

[dlampe]

Ron is right. When you get it done and you cruise to the local show or the Dairy Queen, people are going to stare and point no matter who's car you choose to build. This sight is a close group of people and friends that love their cars and are passionate about the brand they chose. You can look at the cars people recommend and the cars they own and usually they are the same. I am guilty of that. Do your research as Patrick suggested and go visit a few manufactures. You will know it when you see it, then buy that one.

Good Luck!

[RON N BKFLD]

CW...thats why you make the big money......Ron

[SunDude]

Don't forget to take a look at the Superformance MkIII, which has a pretty accurate exterior and interior, and uses many of the same components as the originals. The chassis is not original style, but is still good. Doesn't offer much in the way of a "build experience" though, if that's what you're looking for.

[1985 CCX]

I agree with Ron,
Definition of accurate is paramount!

Interior? (Gauges, dash, switch's, seats, pedals etc....) Smiths and Lucas = $$$
Suspension? (SAI style versus other engineered type) SAI versus ERA is night and day.......
Frame? (Box frame versus 3" or 4" tubes) Round is accurate..still vary in design FFR, KMS, SAI, HiTech etc...
Body? (Ally versus glass and shape) Obvious....
Motor/trans? (Date coded) Accurate displacement and date code will cost bundles....
Wheels? (Mag versus Ally) Ally wheels can be $1000 however Mag wheels will x4 that price.
Accessories? (Mirrors, wipers, latch's etc....) A standard rear view replica mirror can cost $30 however a Talbot will be >$150

Each step taken towards an accurate 60's car will cost $$$$$
There is no cheaper accurate cobra under my definition......

As Mickmate and I discussed in 20yrs the accurate bar will be set by the 4000 and 6000 cars, might therefore be a great starting point unless you start a custom one off build.

Best of luck!

[Dwight]

When I was researching kit cars in 1997 to 2000, someone told me, to keep from being sued, you have to be at least 10% different. Maybe this is why a lot of kits are a little different from the one they copied. I have heard that some of the molds used today are third or forth generation molds. Copies of Copies of Copies.

I think they all look good.
No two alike, pure hot rods. Each car, the builder's interpretation of what his Cobra should be.
Small car, big motor! Fast! I love them
Is there two original Cobra which are identical? Other than the serial number.

Dwight

[SunDude]

Originally Posted by Dwight

...to keep from being sued, you have to be at least 10% different...

Now I'm not a Shelby basher, but this comment made me laugh...

[Dwight]

Yes I know, but I just repeated what I was told. I think the guy that told me that had been sued by Shelby.

Dwight

[dbbrian]

A freind of my uncles was sued by shelby