How/Why did you end up with a Cobra?

[Brent Mills]

Good stories guys, keep'em coming if you got'em.

[finishline]

I ended up with a Cobra because I wanted one.

[Doug Axelrod]

I was looking for a successor to my all-season '94 Mitsu 3000GT VR4, a wonderful car. I was looking at Vettes, NSX, like that--high end, highly evolved, touring sports cars. The VR4 was my first sports car (I'm now 50), but I loved it.

We had dinner at Vic Simon's house, just down the street here in Milford, OH, and walked in through his garage. There, in with the Riviera and the Camero, was THIS CAR!!! Blue and white, chrome rollbar and pipes (PIPES!!), and curves to make you blush. I had no idea what it was, but it was godamned gorgeous and the engine suggested high end thrills.

That lead to an amazing first ride, which taught me the beauty in brutal performance and overwhelming sensations wrapped in a body to die for. Well, to the WEB and ClubCobra and downloading lots and lots and lots of stuff, getting a better education than I could have ever hoped for. Just another reason to be grateful to ClubCobra.

Then a visit to Ross, Ohio, a ride with Vic to the first DVSF to see the variety of Cobra replicas, and to my own, SPF 1274 (see gallery).

So, the VR4 still stands as the bad-weather steed, but with Copple's instructions and example, and a hard top, I'm out there as much as I can be. Then there was VIR, Club Cranky, and a remarkable extension of this new car into a hobby and, ultimately, into an entire sensibility.

So, I'm one of those middle age guys that was NOT a lifelong Cobra guy, or even a car guy. But, falling in love is falling in love. Makes no sense, and all the sense in the world.

Thanks.

[HighPlainsDrifter]

Cobra.....I wanted one forever, just never could afford one. So for years to satisfy my NEED 4 SPEED I went through firebirds,mustangs,motorcycles. Finally took the plunge and sold my '90 Thunderbird supercoupe to get the money for the cobra body,frame,windshield,etc. So I drove an old van for years while I was building it. It was well worth the wait, I now have a fast car that turns heads and is TIMELESS, so there's no need for me to keep searching for anything else.
Perry.

[TerrysSPF]

[Edley Rondinone]

Here goes! I have always been a Ford man from the mid '60's (I 'm 44) and had seen pictures of Cobras in CARtoons and other car magazines, and fell in love with what I believe to be the most beautiful car in the world, the 427 Cobra!! The prices of these cars were well out of my price range, but a guy can dream! (No "wet" references, OK?) Kits or replicas just did not seem to exist in the '70's. There was (is) a mechanic in town who specialized in Ford products, and always seemed to have Cobras and Panteras in his shop, either storing them for the racer/owners or working on them for some reason or the other. We lived up in the foothills of Los Angeles, and this mechanic lived down the hill a block away from where we lived, and while we were playing football or baseball in the street in the evenings after school, he would drive home from work and we could hear him come up the hill and turn onto his block. Believe me, Cobras and Panteras look and sound VERY impressive from a block away! Time passes, and 20-some years later, just after I bought my first house, and my Harley-Davidson, I inherit $50,000 dollars, and I knew that I could then afford at least a nice Cobra replica! I had asked Ron Miller of Ford Power Parts if he knew anyone selling a used Cobra replica; ( I do not have the time or mechanical expertise or patience to build my own). He knew of a friend-of-a-friend who was selling his replica to finance his new Daytona Coupe, and after many e-mails and phone calls, I became the proud owner of a beautiful, ten-year-old NAF Cobra, Denim blue, white stripes, and a strong 351W-five speed for motivation!!! I am having just the best time with this car!!!lol!!! And people wonder why I have this perennial smile on my face!!! So,in my garage, I have my Cobra, My Harley Softail, my everyday '99 Mustang, and my other 16-year project , a black 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Club Victoria Coupe hardtop with the stock 460/C6, in excellent condition. I guess it's nice to be single!!!lol!!!

[kountzecobra]

When I was about 8years old, I went with my father to the local Ford dealer after parts. While he was at the parts counter, I would always look at the new cars and the cars in the service dept. There behind a fence was a yellow Cobra (Probably was a 289 car, but I didn't know the difference at the time) Right then and there I knew I had to have one. A little while later, the Ford parts man gave me a copy of the high perf parts book that had a picture of a 427 Cobra with CS and a GT350 on the next to last page. I still have the parts catalog, but it is WELL worn! Next to a Cobra, everything else SUCKS!

[Jack21]

In '63, & '64 the 260 and 289 Falcons were inspirational. They were small, lightweight, and powerful.

Ford had it all wrong with 2v carbs, and non limited slip differentials. Even the 260 powered Sunbeam Tigers, quick as they were used the wrong size tires (13"), wrong gearing (2.83), and a 2v carb.

We started putting tweaked 289's in TR-4's , and 327 SBC's in Healy 3000's.

The street scene on Cross Bay Blvd (Queens, NYC) would never be the same.

But the 427 Cobra was the epitomie of what a big block in a small, lightweight car, was supposed to be.

Today, the legend lives on. The fastest production sports car in the world. The Cobra, was then, and 35 years later still is what all sports cars aspire to be.

A Cobra is an awe inspiring living legend.

Owning, and driving one is an exercise in humility. It is an automotive legend that is universally recognized as an American automotive Icon. Up there with '66 Vette, '66 GTO, and '66 Cobra.

Why is it an exercise in humility? Because "Car people (motorheads), men, (and women!!!) instantly recognize the car and honor its' status. "Is it an original?" "It's gorgeous!" What do you have in it?" (Engine type and size). And all you can say is, "Thank you." (Pop the hood and display the engine.) And it's the same for 10 year old boys, and 50 year old men.

At a cruise in, you can park next to a Porsche, Viper, Vette, even a Ferarri. The crowd will gather around the Cobra every time. Why? I don't know. But that's the exercise in humility you'll have to get used to.

[Hal Copple]

Back in my HS days, in the early/mid '60's, i admired the Cobra cars, i can still picture the adds in the magazines. Bought my first car, a TR-4, later a B, but i always greatly admired Cobra's. I never had the money to get one, they were always way out of my reach. About the time they tanked in value, i was out of the army and had to spend my savings on my education, none left for a nice car.

I got very interested in the replica's back in the late 70's, bought catalogues, called dealers, read the Kit magazines. But they were still out of my reach.

I first saw an SPF about '96, an Olthoff car, and told my son that if we were ever going to get a replica, that would be the one for us. I continued to buy the magazines, and still have them all.

Then when about three years ago, i was able to convince my wife i should get another sports car, and could afford one, i thought long and hard about my available choices. V8 Lotus, NSX, 'Vettte, Viper, Porsche.

But i kept thinking that all those 30+ years i had not yearned for one of them, it was a Cobra that i had always wanted. I answered my purchase decision thus: if i were at a stop light, sitting in some other performance sports car, and a Cobra replica pulled up next to me, which car would i really want to be in.

It kept coming down to the Cobra. So after five trips to the Olthoff's over a year, i called and ordered mine.

I have made the most of it the past three years and 48,000+ miles. Someday there will come a day when i have to hang my car keys on the hook for the last time. But i will always be able to say to myself "i was a Cobra driver."

My SPF will never leave my family.

My thanks to Ford, CS, the Olthoff's, and all the replica makers, past or present, for making my own dream come true.

[ac andy]

My first hot wheels car was a blue and white Cobra when i was about 10 years old. Thought then that i would like to own one of those one day. Here i am 18 years later building my own. Life can be great!

[Excaliber]

Natural selection for me. I grew up around English cars, my uncle was a mechanic for Jag, Rolls and all things english. There was always some kind of sports car around the house that "needed work". Get it running and you can drive it was the theme. Fords were the "daily drive" of choice. The Cobra was the epitomy of "english" sports car and "Ford" all in one package. The three top cars I wanted back in the "salad days" were based largely on price. The Austin Healey 3000 (which never was "cheap"), the Sunbeam Tiger (HARD to find) and the Cobra (it's price was out of the question)! I finally got the Austin Healey (still have it), never did find a Tiger (yet) and am now looking for my next Cobra. Which will be a Classic Roadster (the Austin is small enough, ha ha).

Ernie

[Bob In Ct]

I was 18 years old (1965), parking cars in Misquamicut, RI. One night 2 of them showed up. Between the looks and the rumble I was hooked. In 1969 I had a chance to by a real one for $9,000. I thought that was too expensive. Two years ago I finally decided it was time and grabbed SPF642. Most fun I've ever had in a car (no comments, please).

Bob

[Pete C]

I have loved these cars since I was a teenager in the 60’s. I followed the racing exploits of CS and marveled that he could beat the established factory teams of Porsche and Ferrari. It was a true American success story and I was and remain captivated by it. I owned a variety of muscle cars, 2 Mustangs (65 fastback and 67 coupe) a screaming Challenger (383 powerpack) but following college and graduate school I put aside the things of youth to focus on marriage, children and career. That said, I never lost my love for the Cobra, fast, exotic and that "spit in your eye" stance and look! All of my friends and family members knew I loved the cars and would buy magazines, models, calendars, anything that bore their likeness, for me. One day, almost 4 years ago, my brother-in-law called to tell me that he had seen a Cobra with a for sale sign at a local gas station. I called, went to look and bought ERA exp 004. It has been every bit as much fun as I had imagined and even more since I was totally unaware that I would be able to run it on a race track. Wow, my wildest expectations have been exceeded and I couldn’t be more thrilled.

Cheers, Pete C

[Greg R2]

There were three things that happened to me in the mid to late '70s that hooked me on the Cobra, my HO scale Cobra slot car, the Gumball Rally, and the first time I heard Bill Cosby's 200 MPH. Once I joined the working world I realized a Cobra was only a pipe dream, but still admired them.

A few years ago i was surfing the 'net just to see how rediculous the prices were. In the search I came across Factory Five Racing. Thought to myself "these look pretty cool". But I still thought at $10K they still weren't a possiblity considering I had just start restoring a '66 Galaxie.

About a year later the Galaxie project had stalled and I was back looking at the FFR website. The wife wandered by and asked what I was looking at. I showed her the cars, how the were put together, and the price. She then asked "Why don't you get one?", as if it was only a new pair of shoes. I couldn't believe what i was hearing. I had to ask her if she was kidding about six times. She said she knew the Cobra was my dream car and that we had enough equity in the house to swing it. Needless to say I was at the bank the next day.



Greg

[Jack21]

Like many of you, I'm a product of the '60's. 103 octane Sunoco 260 for $0.39 a gallon. And for most of my life have owned musclecars. If they weren't when I bought them, they were when I tweaked them.

Daily drivers have typically been GM's (Pontiacs & Olds). Sleepers. Dog dish hubcaps, and all. The only givaway is a "rumpeta, rumpeta" exhaust.

Got a kick out of daughters exploits with family station wagon cleaning the clocks of local hot dogs off traffic lights. They loved driving "Pop's Hot Rods".

Bottom line to all of this is the humility aspect of the Cobra. It gets a lot of attention. The car is an Icon. There is no place you can take it where it won't attract some attention from folks who know what it is. Be humble when folks want to know what it is, is it original, and what you have under the hood. Accept it as you would being a Hollywood Celeb. You are!

[KobraKarl]

O.K. ,iguess i'll chip in. i got the model for x-mas when i was 11,(1966) and like a lot of you i really said to myself "im Gonna own this car some day"we lived in the deep woods and were poorer than dirt so i never saw a real one till much later. spent my whole summer when i was 15 building a 292 for my 50$ 57 fairlane 500,
blew it up after 2 days. country hot-rodded 55 crown vicky,66 mustang gt w/ hipo ,56 vicky ,64 galaxy,then went brit w tr-4,57 mga fixed head coupe,mini cooper "s"and a bunch of others i cant remember. all those cars were just "stand ins"

i lost about 30.000$ in a bad investment a couple years back,the only thing i could think of""F**K, F**K, F**K!!! i could have had my COBRA! so im thinkin "hey what am i waitin for!, im not gonna live forever! i bought a rolling basket (poorly assembled/great components) and have been wrenchin and smiling ever since.

i never think about that investment any more.

[Michael C Henry]

Before being drafted in 69 I had a 63 1/2 Gallaxy w/428.While in Vietnam I asked my aunt and uncle in LA to investigate the Cobra market there. When I was ETSed I expected to come back through Oakland as I had left by. I came back through FT Lewis WA. At least it was on the west coast.I was a city kid from Iowa figured that I'd never be this close to LA so I flew to LA to see my aunt and new uncle (which I had never met before). While there on a tour the Playboy Club being pointed out , accross the street I saw a Cobra nose sticking out ovre the retaining wall of a used car lot.I made an appointment to take the Cobra out w/salesman.Weednesday came .The salesman drove it off the lot.I drove it for a while .It was great ,a Guardsmen Blue 289 Cobra $6,500 was more than I had saved while in Vietnam. I was making arrangments when My uncle found an add for a "56 Cobra". It was out in Chino.Turned out to be a 56 Bristle w215 alluminum Olds V8.All built. The owners a,a pair of brothers, had a party the night before. Ther was no dash or trans tunnel.Just loose guages. Someone had left something on and tha battery was dead.No bumpers had to hand push. It lit the owner driving I jumped in .The street was narrow .Cars were parked on booth sides of street.The door handles were soo close as we flew by. $1,800 was more in my range.It was December of 71.Ibought it and tried to follow my uncle in LA traffic .He made a lane change around a semi,I lost him and just pulled off at the next exit.He found me we got it back to his home in La Habra. I left it there and flew back home to Des Moines IOWA.In May of 72 I flew to La ,Uncle had finished up the dash and tunnel.Ther were a few things to complete before the drive home.Before I had left home , my parrents made me sell my 63 1/2 Gallaxy,Wasn't going to have two cars in the drive.No heater or sidecurtains, not a Iowa winter car.I started to date my now wife. She was living w/her aunt in RedOak IA 120 miles west.On the weekends she rode the bus to Des Moines I'd pick her up at the bus station .She'd put the suitcase on convertable top and hold w /her right hand.Had to be a site to behold snow and all.We married in 73.Moved to Washington last of May 75.I brought the little car It had to be a everyday driver.Thirty miles each way to Renton. In 77 after getting back to work after being laid off for six weeks The axle broke on the way home the first day back to work.I didn't know what was wrong or realy care.I couldn't fix it,It didn't fit the family mold. I needed a truck but knew I would miss that car. The agreement was that later I could have another sportscar.93 while on a school trip back to Iowa I saw a red Cobra replica at a wednesday night car show.Things were in a constant turmoil at hom, and I was looking for something to look forward to.That was it the car of my dreams. Upon my return I informed my whole family that I was tired of the constat **** at home and they had 6 1/2 years to get their acts together .When I turn 50 in 69 I was going start, buy, build a Cobra replica or they could succesfully explain why I couldn't(and that wasn't going to happen) Or I'd have my check sent some where else.. Things changed .for the better. But I had backed my self into a corner .Everybody had herd of my threat. I stuck to my guns .I was not to be swayed.98 wife and I were spending more time together on romantic getaways.I wanted a trip I could get into..A friend at work told me about Hot August Nights in Reno NV.My wife made all the arrangements. It was fun,We had a bidders pass at the auction. She realy got into all the emotion and all that of the auction .We went the next year and I fell for this one Cobra in a room with over a dozen other Cobra replicas at the auction .They were bidding out of sight on lesser cars and reserves were not being met.I knew what it was and was sure it would be beyond my limits. The bidding started way to high .No one was bitting. They again started, lower.I got in ,It went back and forth I was at my limit,Just a little more but cant' keep going.Emotion was running me.Baam ! It's sold!( to me.)Oh **** what have I done ?If I run will they chase me?We went back stage and filled out the papers.No bigger smiles but the anxiety,Where are the Rollaids?We drove a Land Cruiser down.all we had to wear were shorts and tank tops. Had to find jeans and sweatshirt in Reno in First week in August . Cancel the last night at motel in Truckee and start the drive home. Bought a tow strap, just in case. It made it all the way home without insident.Headers were rapped w/ fiberglass and broke two weeks later.Spent the next year getting exhaust replaced and titling straightened out and transfered.Parents were here from New Mexico when I got it liesenced. Took both for drives. They went home and my Dad died two weeks later.Mom has alshiemers .Had to go burry dad and bring mom back here. Two weeks, every thing working and freedom to go ,two weeks. Blood pressure went nuts had to start medacation.Life is short .I'm not waiting, if I want something, more than likely I'll order it tomorrow if not today.You don't know where the end is.

[casey3435]

well Its like this, when I was about 12 my dad was the service mgr. of a ford dealership. he set it up so my boy scout troop could visit the show room after closing, to see a brand spanking new 427 cobra.
I been in love or at least heat ever since. I still remember some of those old time wrenches comments . "naah, it cant have an enging that big in a car that small. " Well I sure as hell ain't gonna work on it!"
Ya gotta love it

[racer24]

Loved Fords from my first look at a Mustang (owned 3 always wanted a Mach I never got one.) Shelby mustangs were awesome and the pics of cobras were just dreams. I was recently single back in 99 putting eveything back together when I saw a Kit Car magizine with a cobra ad in it for Street Beast. Did not buy the street beast , did not like the way they presented themselves. I bought a unfinished CMC red gelcoated cobra in Nov. of 99 , which ended up being related to the street beast. What sold the cobra was it had a 351 C and tranny already in reducing some cost up front. After help from Enzo ,a good body man and my mechanic the cobra came to life in the summer of 2001. We do cruise ins and car shows and have even taken home a first place trophy. We pulled the engine last week to fix excessive oil useage, and it will be up and running before spring with a fresh 351 C , bored over , recamed, running like a Cobra should , FAST!!

Rich

[Geary L. Sarno]

Growing up in the 60's my Heroes were the men who drove Cobras, Boss Mustangs, Long Nose Talladega Mercurys, Lotus 30s, Gt40s, SOHC Galaxies, Lotus Fords at Indy, etc. Jim Clark, Dan Gurney, Bob Bondurant, Sam Posey, Jerry Titus, A.J.Foyt, Mario, and Carroll Shelby topped the list. I was a Ford and sports car fanatic so the Cobra was always my favorite. It is as stated in Gumball Rally: "Very fast- Very uncomfortable - A car that is fine for you Macho Types". The great thing is that it does require a certain discipline- a certain mindset to appreciate, drive, and maintain a vehicle of this caliber. It sets us apart from the others because it's not for everyone. Just like driving my old triumph - hot in summer, cold in winter, leaky, and noisy. Just the way God intended sport-minded people to drive.

-Aggressor

3rd to 4th redline upshift - Nose up under power