Average Age?

[Heiden]

I am 17 years old and have been a cobra fan since the age of 10. I have been saving money slowly to purchase a replica, but with the on set of other events (i.e. purchasing a '66 mustang coupe) and the restoration have slowly been depleting my funds. I am aiming to have enought money to pay for half and take out a loan for the other half of the price.

[ToyCollector]

36 and getting younger by the day as I drive my Cobra:-)

[G.R.]

I'll be 53 in Nov. Saw and fell in love with a Cobra(289, blue/white stripes) the first time I saw one on Colfax Ave. in Denver the summer of'66, and have wanted one ever since. Owned Vettes,Turbo Z's, etc. but never anything close to the mystique and brute hi-performance and down right appeal of the Cobra.
So now after all these years I'm shopping around for one. Spent a couple years cruising our sailboat and now the wife wants a more land based hobby
G.R.

[oldman ohio]

I put 4 two barrels on my 40 ford in my parents garage 45 years ago. I thought I was done until my son got me excited about building a ff5 kit.
My son (37 years old) and myself(63 years old) are both building ff5 kits now.
I hope I will appreciate a lumpy idle until I die.
jack

[plumbcrazy1]

Hi everyone! I was 36 in March when I put my beast on the road and turned 37 in May just in time to really enjoy the weather. I have to say that I didn't even know what a cobra was until I met my husband in 1989. He had fallen in love with the car some years before. We married and we went to New York to test drive a kit...I'm not even sure who it was..all I know is that I saw it and it seemed big to me ( I thought it was MG size...what do i know?)We left the dealership and hit the highway and it was all I could do not to pee my pants. I hadn't experienced that thrill of fear and excitement mix since my first rollercoaster ride.....this was SO much better. He ordered his kit from LA Exotics in 93 and it took 5 years to finish. I must (sadly) admit that I was not always an enthusiastic partner in this venture. There were times I wished that the garage would blow up. I wanted to buy a house first, the kids needed this or that...you have all heard or experienced the same stuff at on point or another. Anyway, the year before the car was completed I came to the conclusion that I was being a boob and decided to put my efforts in a positive direction (can't beat them, join them...) I squirreled away enough money to ensure that the engine was completed for Christmas and he had his first ride in his car as his gift. Being in cahootz with the builder on this deal was difficult but worth it in the end. It made me feel like "part" of it and my love actually started with the giving of that gift and the acceptance of his dream. The following summer when the car was completely done and street legal etc. we drove it everywhere. I was hooked! Nothing like the wind in my hair and the lopey rumble under my butt....makes you feel like the guy in the movie Titanic "I'm the king (queen) of the world!" I don't think I'll ever outgrow that feeling. Two years ago we separated and the car was his and went with him. Car shows and the kids are what keeps us in touch and 6 months after he left I purchased my own kit. With the same builder that did his, I built mine. Had my tiny little hands in every asspect of that beast. I'll never have girl hands again.... Gave me an even greater appreciation than I thought possible. We are still separated today but we did go on vacation together this summer and I hope we can find our way back. We had always thought we'd be a 2 cobra family...we have 2 kids...no one ever wants to stay home.....we have been out driving together in our cars, both with and without the kids. What a wonderful, exhilarating thing to do with someone you love. With alot of hard work and a big old smile from God, maybe the one thing that was once a sore spot will be the one thing that helps pull us together. I really would like to see 2 cobras in the garage this time next year. (I'll be 38 and he'll be 37 then)

Your stories have all been inspiring and from the heart. Thanks for allowing me to share...didn't think I'd tell all that but there it is.

Dawn

[Grant Garrison]

I'm 35, and really don't know if I qualify for a midlife crisis yet (I feel like I'm still trying to mature out of adolescense). I do know how happy getting my car has made me. I would call it more "euphoria" than "crisis".....

Seriously, if you've been dreaming of a Cobra (or whatever your personal dreamcar may be), I would call that Realization of a Goal. If one latches onto a car as a substitute for youth, hairline, etc. then maybe it's time to look into the underlying reasons.

Of course then you'll have a great car to drive to the therapist!

[David Kirkham]

I can't believe I am 35 now. Been doing cars for as long as I can remember. Started the "real" replica business in 1994 and have never worked a day in my life. My dad says I have never had a real job...oh well.

David

[Grant Garrison]

David-- sounds like your dad is jealous! Seriously, you guys are making so gorgeous cars. Keep up the good work.

[CobraPhil]

Gee-Wiz, I guess I'm just a youngin'. I'll be turning 22 next month, I haven't picked out which company I'm gonna go with for my Cobra project, be it will be soon! If anyone has any tips on which company to use, let me know....keep in mend I'm only 22, and I want to build this thing...no $45,000 car in a box please. I have been looking at B&B, and FFR, those seem to fit in my price range, but I need input!!!!! This won't be my first profect, I currently have a 67 Camaro that I have been playing with for the past 4 years, and I need a new toy! Thanks!!!

[Grant Garrison]

Phil--

Welcome to Cobraland. My advise to you is: Research.

I found Curt Scott's Guide to Cobra Replicas an excellent source to start with (see www.cobracountry.com), as well as this forum (just watch out for the guys trying to convince you that a full-race Pinto motor is the only way to go ).

Finally, go out there and DRIVE some of these things. See what works for YOU. There is every conceivable permutation of Cobra out there, and the more you see the easier it is for you to define priorities of price, power, chassis, cosmetics, resale value, etc.

Heck, the shopping is nearly as much fun as owning (almost)!

[Aaron Silidker]

Well, I am really young!!! I just turned 16! My father wants me to build him a Cobra. I am very mechanically skilled and just hope I will be able to build it with one of my friends in the 3 months I have free between school years . I am also baffled at what brand to get and some on the steps are confusing me, but that is why I joined all the Forums' that I could find for Cobra's! I hope to be fully prepared by the time I actually get to build one.

[paul wheeler]

45 years young, but my wife says I'm in my second childhood. Wheels

[Jim Maxwell]

I'm 49, but most days I don't feel like it! Drove my first Cobra, my brother's original 289(CSX2306), in the beautiful summer of 1971, when I was only 19! Had the Cobra bug ever since! Jim Maxwell

[Rick Young]

Like owning a Cobra, adding to this string is never too late.

I wanted a Cobra from the first day I saw one in a Ford show room in '69 while I was in college. The cost was prohibitive then.

After graduation and during my carieer with a major construction firm, where I was bounced around the country every 18 to 24 months, I finally saw my first real chance of Cobra ownership in an ad from Arntz.

I was in Hawaii at the time and could not get the logistics of an incomplete homemade car and company sponsored transfers coordinated.

After 23 years and an upcoming retirement, I finally placed my order in December of 1993 with a fairly local company, LAExotics of Buena Park, CA (now they are B&B). The kit was delivered in April of 1994. I was 50 years old then.

I built the car in four and a half months and have been driving it for seven years with almost 40,000 miles to date. I built it with a basic stock engine and automatic because I knew it would only see road miles, and I wanted lots of them.

To enhance the utility of the car I designed and built a folding convertable top. We take the car on vacations now and have a real blast driving it. I also reengineered my seats so that we can take six to seven hours, with only gas stops, and not feel beat up at the end of the day.

We have been as far as Idaho and Wyoming on six occations, about 1800 miles each trip. We go to several local car shows and drive the car where ever it goes. We use it to get groceries, go to church, go to the the movies, go to resturants and sometimes, just for fun also.

[Dominik]

Could have been a nice poll?
But who's now putting 23+ pages of replies into a poll?

I was 23 when I bought my first Cobra-Kit.

Dominik

[427sharpe]

Forty. Be forty one in January. As far as midlife crisis, my wife Sara says she'd welcome one because it would mean I would have to come out of adolescence!! Hey--what's she mean by that......

[NoPJs]

Scott - (If they don't mind, it don't matter)
I'm 58 and thought I was long past my "hot rodding" years. But after I sorted thru the financial disaster of my divorce, and as I'm rapidly approaching my "middle age crazy" phase, I began looking for a new hobby of sorts. The events of 09/11 gave me the initiative of "why not?"...then the first demo ride in a SPF351/392 sealed the deal.....looking forward to being a kid again! I'm glad to see it's not just us "ole pharts" that appreciate that "golden era" of racing. Looking forward to delivery of my lil baby early next year....till then I'm trying to keep a handle on my anxiety.......it's not working!!!
Walt

[RaceDeck]

3737

still young enough to enjoy and old enough to afford it!!!

[Venom S]

49. Dreading the fig "five-0" next March

Venom_S

[wicked fast]

38
Like the t-shirts says,
"still plays with cars!"