Shelby buys CAV GT40 for 80th Birthday !!

[CSX 4039]

Originally posted by decooney



Actually, IMHO it will be interesting to see what happens in this this competetive industry over the next five years with Cobras.

My guess? 80% of them will be out of business.

[Excaliber]

There are a LOT of small Cobra builders out there all right. Many of them "working" a small local zone in the immediate area. Low overhead, low number of cars per year, some hang in there others give up. Looking forward or backward that has been the case.

Those that build "rollers" are reaching for a much wider market. Thats where the impact will be felt. It will be interesting to see what "alliances" develop as we move forward. Were getting a taste of that now!!

On a LARGER scale it's been happening for years! Ford/Jaguar being one of the latest examples. These "alliances" can make for a better product on both sides. Ford teaches Jaguar how to "produce" more effectively. Jaguar offers insight and expertise on how to maintain the "luxury" feel of the car.

I can see how SAI would work closely with a new partner to make sure the specs and procedures are of the highest quality and accuracy to detail. While the partner has been busy figuring out how to cut production costs and "crank" cars out efficiently.

It appears to be happeing even as we speak!

Ernie

[Back in Black]

If it was made after 1968...


IT'S A REPLICA

[Excaliber]

After 1968 it's a continuation car, authorized by the "Man" himself. BIG difference between that and a "tribute" car (formerly called "replicas")!

Ernie

[CSX 4027]

Lets not forget 289 Cobra History.

They were only 2 Original factory LeMans cars.
CSX 2131 & CSX 2142

After that there were 6 LeMans Replica's produced
CSX 2136, 2137, 2138, 2154, 2155 & 2156

I bet you would all like to have one of those babies.

Do you think the buyers snickered about building replica's of a race cars back then?

[Excaliber]

Hmmmmm.....interesting point!

Ernie

[Brent Fenimnore]

Good questions by most, a few negative thoughts or remarks from the anti Shelby group dosen't hurt either.

We do plan to reduce the retail price through our efforts over seas. At this point in time CAV will not be building and selling complete 427 rollers to the general public. In fact we are still in the prototype process and proveout stages of the program and will get a much clearer picture of the potential savings within the next few months. I am not sure all of you know the differance between a Cobra and the typical kit car version but to be quite honest maintaining the original configuration of the 289 or 427 Cobra is very labor intensive and machining costs are rather high no matter where it is built. Our target price for the fiberglass bodied car (which will actually soon be refered to as composite by all) as a complete roller is between $49,000.00 and $59,000.00 US.

As for the jab about standard business practices I do not think I have to respond to it negatively but rather refer you my friend to customers that have actually stepped up and done business with SAI instead of standing in the background chucking rocks. We have made vast improvements to the CSX4000 over the course of the last seven years and have tried our hardest to keep costs as reasonable as possible. Please do me a favor and ask the typical Kirkham owner what they have invested in their car after it is complete and then you may look at our prices a little differently. I must state that the reason I use the Kirkham customer in the price comparison is because they are by far the closest in configuration to the units we build.

The cost reduction that we are working on at CAV for the fiberglass 427 Cobra is just one of the steps we are taking in our attempt to get authentic Cobras in your hands at reduced prices. Its a big world out there and we have hundreds of potential suppliers knocking on our door every year.

P.S. Bruce, we tried to offer licensing agreements to several of the kit car builders about ten years ago and they declined stating that they can build whatever they want. The proposed price of the license was a $1000 donation to the Childrens Foundation for every car they sold.

Thanks,

Brent Fenimore

[HIQ]

Brent,
Thanks for the feedback.

[Brent Fenimnore]

Sorry to double up on the issue but I would also like to point out that CAV builds very respectable products and in fact has fantastic potential to build a multitude of products that are fun for nuts like you guys (and me). Check out their site in depth and you will see what I mean. We should stop judging CS by the oppertunities that are placed in front of him and follow his lead. He has uncanny foresite for an 80 year old! Even if you don't like the man you do like the products he has been involved in and with!

Thanks,

Brent Feninore

[decooney]

[quote]Originally posted by Brent Fenimnore

P.S. Bruce, we tried to offer licensing agreements to several of the kit car builders about ten years ago and they declined stating that they can build whatever they want. The proposed price of the license was a $1000 donation to the Childrens Foundation for every car they sold.


Hey Brent,
Questions: so if it was just a $1,000 donation to the Children's Foundation for a license agreement with Shelby, and the real goal was to fund the foundation, does that offer exist today? Does that mean that SPF, FFR, ERA, Unique, Shell Valley, etc.. could all become real replica Shelby's with a CSX assigned number for a $1,000 donation to the Children's Foundation? Could this include existing cars? Does it include a Shelby engraved plaque for your dash? Seriously, is the original intent still there for the foundation, if no, why not? I thought I'd ask, since you brought it up. Just had to ask.

Seems like a bargain, everyone would have real, original, replica Shelby's for a $1,000 fee, holding hands, sittin around the campfire, singin koom-bye-ya.... Your thoughts?

[jhein]

Rumors fly, I thought it was $10,000?

John
spf1421

[Excaliber]

I've heard both numbers, 1 and 10. 10 more often, but I always thought that was to high and probably rumor.

Everything from 1 PER CAR to 10 PER CAR and everything in between. My guess is any kind of "deal" is long gone now anyway because of the law suit(s).

Ernie

[CSX 4027]

My dad remembers when hot dogs during the depression were a nickel and you could get a whole 3 course Chinese meal for a quarter.

I once took a very rare antique watch off my wrist and put it in front of a very indecisive type of guy I was trying to convince to protect his family with life insurance.
I said; Give me a hundred for the watch
I sat for exactly 60 seconds completely silent.
He starred and starred but could not act.
After 60 seconds, I said; Too Late...Your indecisiveness caused you to pass up a $2500 watch for $100

The moral... Some people don't know a good deal when they see it and for others what seems cheap money now was actually too expensive then.

[jhein]

Who knows what to believe. I will say that I tend 10k makes sense because at 1k I would think they would have had a deal, who knows.

John
spf1421

[wilf leek]

Would it be an affront to many were I to say that this is no big deal?

So SAI source their 'glass bodies externally, rather than making them in house. And?

I have never seen anyone actually object to SAI's use of KMP as a supplier of frames and bodies for aluminium bodied cars, the opposite, in fact, based on most people's perception of the quality of the KMP product, and their bold use of a skilled Polish labour force.

There might be some delicious irony were full turnkey-minus cars to come to SAI from SA, bearing in mind the comments made both in and outside of courts about SPF in the past, but the whole thing boils down to one thing, and one thing only.
Will people pay a premium for the only car that can legally be called a "Shelby Cobra", no matter what it's provenance? I think we already know the answer to that one.

And the BS about the donation/license fee is a red herring here.

[captain]

so maybe it's time for SAI to step up and tell the truth.
Is C.S. still a stock owner on SAI or not? Control or token shares?
Is it really a company that bought the rights from C.S. and is now marketing for a profit?
IF YES, then crank out those CSX4000 numbers and sell sell sell.

Yes, the poor pigeons who purchased a CSX4000 and struggled to get their car right over the startup years are screwed. They paid $75,000 to $100,000 and when CAV makes a product available for $50,000 nobody will care if you are CSX4050 or CSX4550. Both will be worth under $50,000 from that point on.
As far as value compared to a Superformance, Superformance has been perfecting their product over 1600 units. They also have 600++ employess and can make almost anything in house. CAV has a long way to go to reduce costs and learn the intricate mfg short cuts to make a quality product comparable to Superformance. Bottom line, Superformance will continue to make a better product with less markups between builder and customer. Time will tell if the cost difference for a CAV/SAI/CSX4000 is worth the upcharge over a Superformance just for a dash plaque.
Having seen many CSX4000's as well as Superformance's, There is no doubt in my mind the Superformance is a much superior product.

[PatBuckley]

No it isn't.

[Excaliber]

Pat,,,you got that right! No way SPF is in the same league as Shelby!

Ernie

[CSX 4027]

I think Superformance makes a great car.

It's not that it is better, worse or a league issue, I believe it is more a function of if given the opportunity to buy either at around the same price, which will the consumer be drawn to?

Also, 99% of these cars get to the drivers limit before getting anywhere near the cars limit, we will just have to wait and see how CAV does with the project.

It looks like they have the proverbial ball, now we will see whether they will run with it or drop it.

[Blue66]

I'd stick with the CSX plate