A "classic" style body for the JBL roadster

[Ogwasnowski]

Please only participate in this poll if you are one who doesn't mind owning a Cobra with a non-classic interior and chassis. Thanks.

As most of you are aware JBL Motorsports fabricates an extremely high quality semi-monocoque steel chassis for its current roadster. In fact, in my opinion it is the finest steel chassis in the industry; however, I strongly suspect that the unique "non-Cobra-looking" body style of the JBL roadster is severely alienating it from the majority of potential Cobra buyers, myself included. The recent poll by David Kirkham may indeed confirm this, as JBL is currently trailing far behind all other purchase options - Unique withstanding.

What I would like to know, from a purely hypothetical standpoint, is how many of you would select a JBL roller (over all other available Cobra rollers-- assuming they were all priced at $42,000 - JBL included) if it was available with a "classic" style body instead of JBL's proprietary roadster body.

Again, as stated above, please only participate in this poll if you are one who doesn't mind owning a Cobra with a non classic interior and chassis.

Thanks for your time,

Derek

[flipper35]

If I had the money, I would buy a JBL as they are now. Of course, I am not a stickley for originality. Hey Richard, trade ya for a SB Mopar powered Shell Valley. I wish, ha ha.

[PSB]

Derek,

I think you might get better results if you worded your poll better. You are making the assumption that the only reason people don't buy JBLs is the body style. The main reason I didn't go with JBL was cost.


Pete

[Ogwasnowski]

Hi Pete,

I suspected that the cost was also a limiting factor for many. It was for that very reason that I purposefully eliminated the price differential from the equation to determine how well a JBL type roller chassis would do in the current market if it had a classic body and was priced competitively. Maybe I should have explained that as well in my initial post....sorry about that.

Derek

[Excaliber]

Cost is the big consideration, not body style.

Consider the very wide opening for the rear tire, I love that! AND it's not so far off from what the originals did in racing trim! Particularly the Dragon Snakes. Many of the replicas have the problem of not being able to run big enough tires. JBL solved that problem nicely!

The "poll" as worded does not present either option I care to vote on, so I didn't. In other words, I would buy a JBL regardless of the body style, which I happen to like, and JBL makes no apology for! I just have different priorities in the replica I want.

Ernie

[mattr762]

Assuming I get equal everything for the same price, I would choose another car. I prefer a more original look. Doesn't have to be 100% accurate but need to be pretty close. All the proportions just look odd to me.

Isn't JBL chassis design strongly gear for racing? So if you wanted the best track times a JBL would be the place to start? But if your all about speed and best time wouldn't the Ultima GTR, Daytona Coupe or the GT40 be better? More aerodynamic and capable of higher speeds?

[PSB]

Derek,

If you want to eliminate price as a factor, you really need to add an option to the poll, "I'd buy it just the way it is". Otherwise you are really stating the same thing in two different questions.

So, if money was not considered, my vote would be I'd buy a JBL just the way it is.

There are two ways to word a poll - 1) Word it in such a way to get the outcome that you wanted 2) word it in such a way as to get a true gauge of people's opinion. The way you have it now is option #1.


Pete

[Ogwasnowski]

Pete, Ernie, and anyone else who found my poll's wording confusing and/or misleading, Please accept my apology, for I can assure you that was not my intention.

It's important to understand that the primary purpose of the poll was not to determine who would purchase the JBL the way it's currently packaged, but rather who would purchase the car for the stated price if it was available with a classic style body "instead" of JBL's proprietary roadster body.

Pete - I offered two distinct options which were intended in no way to state the same thing twice, or to generate the outcome that I wanted. You either would buy the car with a classic body for the stated price (option #1)or you wouldn't (option #2). I'm not sure I could have clarified it any better. The poll intentionally doesn't offer a 3rd option for those who would purchase the JBL "as is" because, as I stated above, that statistic was irrelevant to the poll's purpose. As far as thoroughly eliminating price from the equation goes, I did that in the poll by making all purchase options equal to $42,000. Even if I had provided your suggested 3rd option, I fail to see how it would have affected the price factor given the fact that JBL's web site lists their current "turn-key minus" for $42,500...just $500 more than the price stated in the poll. I hardly think that a mere $500 would sway most buyers in any given direction. If it did, it would probably indicate that they were already straddling the fence in the first place.

http://www.jblmotor.com/Stage3.htm

I hope this helps to clarify things. I'll attempt to word any future polls that I post in such a manner as to reduce the possibility of any misunderstandings.

To all who responded - thanks for the feed back guys,

Derek

[Edley Rondinone]

Derek: I understood your question without any further explanation. If I were more into the "race" mindset, the JBL with the classic body style would be a no-brainer for me. Also just for wowing the bench racers at the local cruise, the JBL would also be a knock-out. Now, if you threw in an aluminium body, with the JBL chassis, all for $42K, well then................

[Ogwasnowski]

Hi Edley,

Aluminum eh? ...hmmm. To be honest I really hadn't given that any thought up until this point. I guess it's not totally out of the question as a second optional offering in addition to a glass/Kevlar body, but I was under the impression that most of the proponents of aluminum bodies were hard core members of the "exact" Shelby replica club, and consequently would never tolerate a semi-monocoque backbone chassis like the JBL and the non-traditional interior it requires. Apparently I may have had the wrong impression. One thing is for sure, my ability to offer an aluminum body would be totally contingent upon being able to find a viable out-source for such a creature, as I have no experience whatsoever working with that material. I have a feeling that my cost for such a body would be far too high to make it worth my while to fool with. At this point I'm not even sure if I'll be offering a glass body, but we'll see how things go.


For anyone else participating in the poll who voted "No" (including those who have voted previously), I would be most interested in hearing your reasons for doing so if you are willing to share them here.

Thanks,

Derek

[PSB]

I voted NO, because I couldn't afford a JBL. If I could have afforded a JBL, I would go with JBL's standard body, even if a classic body was an option, (but that wasn't an option in the poll).


Pete

[Tongue Pirate]

Depends on what you call classic!

There are many variations out there of what people call the "classic" body style. Personally I think the JBL frame & suspension is awsome. If it were coupled with a Kirkham, ERA style body I wouldn't have a problem considering it. Would also want a classic "style" interior but it wouldn't have to be "accurate".

BTW, I didn't vote.

[Richard Hudgins]

Folks,

I am missing something here.

What is non-classic about the interior?

It has carpet, seats, and dash just like everyone else.

I do not think that the tunnel is wider or taller than anyone elses, might be, but it is close.

So tell me, what is non-classic here. (Other than that most folks who build a JBL put in real gauges,switches, and steering wheels that work, etc.)

Example: Dave Bieles dash.



OH Yeah, I forgot one thing, it will fit real humans. You know, 250 lbs, 6 foot 4. etc.

That makes it non-classic.

My bad.

[Tongue Pirate]

Sorry, I wasn't trying to say that it wasn't allready Classic only that I wouldn't want some modern looking acura interior(example, maybe a bad one at that ) I honestly meant nothing about the current interior. & Yes tall people need Cobras too, Good point

[jmarsey]

Richard,

Well let's just look up this over-wrought word "classic" and see if it's even being used in the correct context here in this thread, because, like you, I'm a little confused too. Maybe it will refresh our perspective some:

CLASSIC: 1. of the first or highest quality, class or rank 2. serving as a standard, model, or guide 3. of or adhering to an established set of artistic or scientific standards or methods 4. basic or fundamental 5. of enduring interest, quality, or style: a classic design 6.of or pertaining to automobiles distinguished by excellent styling, engineering, and workmanship, esp. those built from 1925 to 1948 (wow, I didn’t know they made Cobras back then, I mean Classic-Cobras)

Good old Webster's

I'll try and post some pics of my non-classic jbl dash tomorrow. I just got it back in. When you see it you will realize why it is non-classic. Well, it's a jbl.

Tongue Pirate, your cool, it's just this stupid thread is really off base and miss leading. Frankly, this thread is more about decoration and much less about some critical discorse that one would hope would pertain to something about car design. I find it a bit offensive and very assuming.

John

[jmarsey]

Here are a few shots of my non-traditional / non-classic interior:

David Biele helped me out with bead blast and black anodizing on my .125" aluminum dash for
a no-glare finish. Thanks David, it turned out really super!

[Tongue Pirate]

Nothin' wrong with that. Looks Great!

[Ogwasnowski]

Yes TP, I must say - it does look pretty nice. Real fine work John!

Derek