Quality concerns between a $25k and $50K Cobra?

[Mike Braatz]

WELL. HERE'S MY STORY--

A FEW YEARS AGO WHILE AT AN ALL FORD SHOW/MEET, HERE IN OHIO, I WAS IN THE SAME CLASS, WITH A FRIEND OF MINE, WHO IS THE PROUD OWNER OF AN "ORIGINAL COBRA". HE PAID IN THE RANGE OF, $150,000.00 FOR THE CAR-- AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL ---

COULD ANYONE TELL WHICH CAR WAS NICER, BETTER DETAILED AND ORIGINAL LOOKING?--- ABSOLUTELY-- I COULD AND SO COULD THE OTHER 2 REPLICA OWNERS---

BUT COULD THE JUDGING PUBLIC -- NO

WHO WON THE TROPHY? ---- THE "ORIGINAL??" -- NOPE

SO IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER --- IT'S HOW YOU PUT YOUR'S TOGETHER --- AND HOW NICE YOU KEEP IT--- SOME GUYS REALLY PUT SOME STRANGE THING'S ON AND IN THE CARS-- AND SOME DO CRAZY PAINT COMBINATIONS--- AND HONESTLY, I WOULDN'T GIVE YA DIME FOR THEM--- BUT, THEY MUST LIKE THEM AND THAT'S ALL THAT COUNTS- I'M SURE SOME PEOPLE CRITICIZE SOME OF MY CHOICES. BUT I LIKE IT---


MIKE

[REAL 1]

Mr. Fixit: With all due respect I agree with Ernie. Your expertise allows you to spot all the "details" that make the difference between the $25K car and the $50K car.

To the "average Joe" a well executed $25K car appears just as good as a $50K car. Can you or I tell the difference? Yeah. But many of the public can't. In fact many times people have asked me how do you tell the difference between a replica and a REAL Cobra (no wise a$$ remarks please).

At your average show and shine or mom and pop show the popular choice or even the judged 1st place has nothing to do with correctness and accuracy in detail. It has more to do with chrome and flash and which color is liked the best.

The difference between the $25K and the $50K cars are in the details and in some aspects quality.

I also agree with CSX 4027. At $50K I would buy the new SA Shelby Cobra glass roller and drop a 428 in it. Could probably finish that car for $50K to $55K.

[moparmaddnes]

what do you guys think of the B and B kit.

[Allan A]

Why not consider why some cars actually cost more. Parts yes, but what about costs that cannot be seen. I remember when I wanted an aluminum car, one of the factors that changed my mind was product liability. It was my understanding that nearly all of the manufacturers of cobras today do not carry any. I personally was not real comfortable with purchasing a car from a manufacturer who did not carry it, what happens if someone in the shop installs a Grade 2 bolt in lieu of a Grade 8. I can see the 70 mph highway cruise turning into a mess. At least I would have recourse or my family would. And based on what we pay I know this would be a considerable amount on each car. I would even bet that some of the insurance companies will drop replica cars based on this. Selling a car and calling it a race car just so this can be avoided is not a solution.

Allan

[Turk]

Allan,
You can't mix dissimilar materials in an aluminum car. If I were you I would pull out all the grade 2 thru grade 8 bolts and replace them with aluminum bolts.

Otherwise you will experiene serious electrolysis.

TURK

[Allan A]

Turk,

Did you get an "A" in material science? Thanks grasshopper

[Excaliber]

In considering the "specs" for my next car:

IRS cost more than a solid axle, but you can't "see" that.
Engine costs vary WILDLY, but you can't "see" INSIDE the engine.
Coil overs cost more than coil springs, but you can't "see" them.
Vinyl is cheaper than leather, and hard to tell the difference "looking" at it.
Paint prices can get REAL TRICKY, and generally you CAN see the difference, but not always!
Wheels can cost a lot or a little, mostly even "rookies" can see the difference.
Transmission costs vary, but you can't "see" that, not to mention detroit locker vs open diff. NO WAY to "see" that!
Rear disc breaks cost way more than drum brakes. Depending on your "wheels" you may or may not "see" them.
Four lug wheels are cheaper than 5 lug wheels (I CAN see the difference and I WANT 5 lug)! Will the general public "see" the difference? I don't think so!

Inexpensive Cobra? Get GOOD wheels and NICE paint and your mostly "there"! Headers and sidepipes make a HUGE difference in looks, don't scrimp here! Get good "conservative" gauges, not some "wild" new wave stuff! Oh and PLEASE get the gear shift leaning toward the front, THAT is a big one for looking "right".

Ernie

[StephenC]

Ernie, a Rhetorical Question:

When you use the term “right” in the context of your last post, I take that to mean “original”. But, if I have chosen to own a car that is not “right”, does that make me wrong? LOL

(The following is not directed at any individual, including Ernie)

Since joining the Cobra community last February, I have been amazed and even shocked at how judgmental we can be. This car is “better” than that car, these wheels (gauges, bumpers, engines, you name the part) are correct/right while those wheels are incorrect/wrong.

There is a group of replica owners that, at times, give the impression that if your car is not “right”, then it’s wrong. These are usually the guys who have a great love for the originals and have taken pains to ensure their car is a true REPLICA (as much as that can be accomplished). Then there are the racers who feel if it's not setup for the track and raced, there's something wrong with the car AND its owner.

But, there are a number of owners like me that, while having great respect for the originals, have no desire to own or replicate one. If I am passing my car off as a Cobra REPLICA, then I guess there probably is a right and a wrong. But, if I’m simply building a car that I love to own, drive, and wax (and sometime just sit and look at), who is qualified to say what’s right or wrong for me?

I have 17” polished wheels and 315 Michelin Pilots. It’s what I like and I’m not aware that anyone has been given authority to tell me they’re “wrong” or incorrect (unless I enter it in a show). I choose Autometer gauges instead of Smith’s (for a number of reasons). I have polished sidepipes and roadster bumpers because my wife liked the look (bless her heart). I ordered a 427 Shelby aluminum stroked engine from SA when and iron block 427 SO would cheaper and more “correct”. Right or wrong? All wrong maybe for a true REPLICA, but maybe, just maybe, right for me.

I go back to what I’ve said before; the best Cobra/replica out there is the one you have the keys for, all the rest are just eye candy. $25,000 or $50,000 it doesn't matter, are YOU happy with it?. Does IT make you happy? Is your life somehow better or more enjoyable because you have it? A $15,000 car that makes its owner glad he’s alive on a warm summer evening has got to be better than a $75,000 ride that never meets the expectations of its owner.

I try never to forget that the reasons why people own these beautiful little cars are as diverse as the people themselves. And, not one of these reasons are any better than any of the others. We could be more tolerant and understand that not everyone who owns a Cobra replica really wants to own a true Cobra REPLICA.

I hope that does not make me wrong.

As always, best wishes,

[Excaliber]

Steve, your point is well taken. Perhaps I am an oxymoron. While I DO appreciate those who seek to hold high the banner of "orignal" detail it's not neccessarily my personal cup of tea!

I love to celebrate the differences, which are vast and wide. I love to see a car that is incredibly accurate or tastefully done in a "new wave" manner! I think all of us have some place where we "draw the line" on our own car. For me, that would be an auto trans. Perhaps you want a VW engine in yours, some do you know! I will try to find something positive about their creation (but don't expect ME to own one)!

Then again, my leg has not been good for sometime now. Perhaps an automatic is in my future? They'll have to drag me kicking and screaming into that dark night! ha ha

Ernie

[StephenC]

Ernie..............

A VW engine in Cobra replica? I think I'm gonna be ill. LMAO

Certain things just aren't "right".

Aloha!

[REAL 1]

Steve C: I understand what are saying except I must point out that you clearly are trying to replicate a Shelby Cobra by virtue of the fact that a SPF was built and designed to specifically copy and replicate the body and look of the Shelby Cobra.

However, if you bought the car because you can honestly say you never saw a Shelby Cobra before buying the SPF and had no idea what one was and bought the SPF solely because you liked the look of it having no interest in replicating the Cobra in appearance then you can say you are not trying to replicate the the Cobra by your SPF purchase.

I think the point is that some have no desire follow every exact detail of the original in finishing their replica. Some want every detail some don't. But as a basic premise they all are replicas of the original.

I am a "detail" nut. But I nevertheless enjoy looking at other cars whose owners did not follow all the original details and find them very interesting in there variations and changes.

[StephenC]

Hi Evan:

Yeah, you may be right, but I think we're splitting hairs here. I draw a real distinction between a replica and a REPLICA. The latter is an all-out attempt to recreate a vehicle that was originally built back in the 60's. Many of these owners go to great length and expense to recreate the look, the sound, and even the smell (racing gas) of the originals that have somehow captivated them for all these years. GREAT cars!

The former, like my SPF, happens to be a car based a beautiful body that closely resembles an original Cobra, but the owner (me) has made no attempt to recreate a REAL1. In fact, I have, in some instances, made choices that are obviously way outta' synch with an original. I have no emotional attachment to a 60's Cobra (my automotive heart is tied to a '67 GTO) and would have bought my car even if there had never been a Cobra or Carroll Shelby. It's just friggin' beautiful, even if it is mine.

Is my car a replica? Yes. Is it a REPLICA? Nope, it was never intended to be. It's just mine and I love it. That's the great thing about these cars, they can be whatever you want them to be, a racer, a waxer, a REPLICA. I just suggest that we not impose our personal idea and standards of what a Cobra should be on others.

Gotta' go! Take care and stay safe out there.

BTW..........here's the GOAT:

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...cat=500&page=2

[G.R.]

When SAI quit building "Cobras" in '67 there were no others built. Period. End of story. Everything else built in the last 35 years is a "replica" of the original---be it Shelby, Kirkham, ERA, B&B, Butler, SPF and on and on.

One can be as original "detail" oriented whether they own a "tin can" or a glass car--all depends upon how much detail and dollars one wants to invest in the project.

To the average guy on the street--IT IS A COBRA!!!!!!! Some cars look better than the others--some are more "original detailed".

To all the "nit-pickers" that know Cobras, it's not . No matter how much care and detail you have--someone will find a fault with the car here.

Amazing thing is the same guys that run Shelby BB's that poo-poo the other guys with 427SC's replicas as not being "correct" need to pull all the MSD stuff off their engines, as well as the ceramic coated headers and side pipes. Oh yeah dump the Wilwoods and put on Girlings, get rid of the 8.8 or Jag diff setup, the Optima batteries, don't put on any tire that isn't the original Goodyear, dump the 10" rear wheels and the 8" front, use 8.5" rears and 7" fronts, get rid of the Koni's or Carerras.
That ain't "original". Strip the interior, no carpet, no heater, no radio, unless it is a street version--very few were delivered in race trim to customers-most had overriders and bumpers not quick jacks, unless speciified by the buyer, and a radio was a AM unit w/ 2 speakers, if available. That ain't "original"

Face it unless you have multi-bucks$$$ you aren't driving a real Cobra.

Why do some persist in putting down everyone elses car--because it's not Shelby, it's glass instead of aluminium, it has a SB instead of a BB?

I've said it before I'll say it again--

Who really cares?--to the guy on the street it is a "COBRA" you're driving it--they are oogling it. Enjoy it. Fake that it is.


After all most of us if we are true to ourselves have to admit the cars we drive are unique--a hot rod clothed in a Cobra body.


Take this any way you want--a "grain of Salt" helps

[Lowell W]

Steve and Gary,

AMEN


Evan,

Why don't you sell your beautiful Shelby Cobra replica, save up your money and buy an original Cobra? Then you can park it with the other real Cobras, look down your nose at the rest of us with our replica Cobras (including the guy who bought your car) and tell yourself how much fun you're having?

[REAL 1]

Steve: I understand what you are saying and agree.

Hey Gary: Get a grip. I put nothing down in my post. The only "put down" came in your post where once again some of those who don't have a Shelby Cobra seek to knock it by demeaning what it is. But non Shelby owners like you don't see such remarks as a put down. What a joke. I guess it makes you feel better about your car. Whatever your problem is the fact is you are wrong in your statement. You want a REAL Cobra? They can be had from SAI brand new today. Go buy one. The whole idea behind the Continuation series which by definition "continues" the original series with the new series was to provide those who don't or can't spend the big bucks for a 40 year old original but want a genuine Shelby Cobra which is "as it was". A "second chance" to own a REAL Shelby Cobra.

The proof? Make any excuse or explanation you want the fact is people don't pay $105K to $145K at BJ for something they perceive as "just a replica of Cobra" when those were bought for $23K. Hmmm. Interesting. No?

Lowell: Nah, that would take all the fun out it. Its just too much fun having SPF owners like you try to knock my car.

Besides why buy a 40 year old Shelby Cobra that is just a museum pieice right now (I wouldn't drive it that much due to its value) when I can buy a brand new Shelby Cobra and drive it to where your car is and "look down my nose" at it.
(one wise a$$ remark deserves another)

[StephenC]

GR:

That's what I've been tryin' to say. These replicas are hot rods decked out as Cobras. Just like the 'glass '32 Fords are replicas. No matter how hard some guys want it to be otherwise, they're still not an original. And, you know what? From what little I know about the original cars, I'm glad mine is not one of those. I could never drive it for fear I'd get rear-ended by Granny at a stoplight.

I've often thought the same as you. I've been taken to task by some other owners (REPLICAS) for my choice of engine, wheels/tires, and gauges, and other assorted featiures of my car. Yet, they have a car with a 351W in it and all of the assorted non-Cobra items you mention attached to their cars. They seem to "overlook" this fact.

By the way guys, Evan just made a funny. You were joking weren't you Evan? Tell me that "down the nose" comment was a joke. Yeah, he was joking, I know he was. Evan?

LMAO!

Steve

[rdorman]

Blah Blah Blah real. Blah Blah Blah replica. Blah Blah Blah FPSB. Blah Blah Blah SB in a BB car. Blah Blah Blah.

I think that sums it up.

By the way. I don't think Evan looks down his nose at all at replicas.

Rick

[StephenC]

LMAO!

Actually, I think it is:

Real blah blah blah. Replica blah blah blah. Etc.

[rdorman]

Originally posted by StephenC


LMAO!

Actually, I think it is:

Real blah blah blah. Replica blah blah blah. Etc.

Now you really have opened a can of worms! Is it 'blah', 'blah blah' or 'blah blah blah'? I think we all know that the REAL way is 'blah blah blah'. Just couldn't leave it alone could you. Had to go and do it. I predict this is going to be a long thread.

Rick

[BANDIT 1]

Originally posted by REAL 1




Lowell: Nah, that would take all the fun out it. Its just too much fun having SPF owners like you try to knock my car.

Evan:

I think what you keep missing is that you have this crazy notion in your head that everyone is "Knocking" your car, when all everyone is doing is defending their own car.

It's kind of like a fat women that thinks that the "skinny" women are making fun of them and that the "skinny" women think that they are so wonderful. Then the fat women starts making "judgemental" comments to the "skinny" women and then the "skinny" women defend themselves by talking _hit on the fat women. The moral of the story is simple, the fat women brought this down on themselves because the "skinny" women not only didn't say anything negative to or about the fat women, but also the fact that the "skinny" women ALL think that they are fat.

All most are saying here on this forum is that they have their own vision of what they want in a Cobra and that it is totally wrong to assume that they all wanted a "original" or "real" Cobra and just couldn't afford it. I have said that I don't know what brand of Cobra I will own next and to be honest I was waiting to see the new CAV Cobra before I made my decision. As I have said before, my first Cobra was going to be either a ERA or a new CSX4000 Shelby and I changed my mind because other than the Cobra shape I wanted to change everything from the wheels to putting in a stroker 385 series engine.

Both the CSX4000 series and ERA "HIGHLY RECOMMEND" the 427 (or 428) engine and leaving the car "original" looking.

The point is simple. I didn't have to "settle" with the Superformance Cobra because of money or any other issue, I picked the Superformance Cobra because it was what I was looking for. The only car I couldn't afford was an "original".

Imagine how boring the Cobra would be if they all looked the same. The public like the Cobra's because they are fast, awesome looking and there are so many different styles.