Richsd,

I've been at this game longer a lot longer than you and not everyone with a Kit Cobra calls it a replica. Mine is not a replica. It is a Kit Car. It is a Hot Rod, whatever... This whole "replica" thing has only come about in recent years (my car is from 1992). Get over yourself. If you don't like someone else's vision, don't share it, but don't trample it either, its just not polite...

Lest someone like me point out all the ways your car is not original and ruin your dream. Let's see: I do not recall Shelby contracting the Polish for bodies, I think they were made in England, but who is counting - you like it?. I see you claim it is a re-creation... Shall I spend several pages pointing out all the ways your re-creation is not true to original or should we both maybe just drop it as none of our business?

Why not get a more modern car...

1. I had one. I learned that it meant nothing to me to just buy a toy and drive it.
2. They are anemic. I leave new Z06s like they hit the brakes.
3. They are grossly over priced. I have about 30K in my car total. What does a new Z06 cost?
4. They are grossly over regulated. My car is smog exempt in CA.
5. They are nearly unmodifiable (legally) in CA.

Show me a better street legal / smog exempt hot rod for the money. I've never seen one.

I am not trying to trample. I am just trying to understand where the interest lies in replicating a car but then not really trying to replicate it. This is just confusing to me and not meant to trample anyone.

Not sure what you mean Rick.

Well I agree with you on the Z06. I disagree that it is over priced. It is a very good car for the money but I would not have any interest in it personally. On the subject of a better street legal car I guess it depends on what you mean by better. If you mean performance, there is not much that can keep up with a properly prepared Noble M400 on a road track. I don't think it would be considered smog exempt although I am not familiar with CA regulations. Anyway, if you were to find yourself up against me on a road track with my Noble I would show you a better performing street legal car. You mostly would be seeing the rear end of it except for when I lapped you. ;) However it does take a bit more than 30K to be in this type of car.

I'm pretty sure I like em all. The The originals are definetly cool and so are the many replicas that follow, all in their original ways. From $25k -$100k, who cares, they all make dame nice toys! I'll stick my neck out and include Ferraris and vettes too. I'm glad to be a part of it.
John

Richsd,

I do not believe you are so obtuse as to not understand Hot Rodding, personal taste, uniqueness, customization, and improvement as concepts. I find your reply, sir, to be disingenuous at best. --- And, I did notice you continue to use the root word replica, ignoring the jist of my comments...

No I just am not sure why the Cobra body for these hot rods. I understand the hot rod concept but just not sure why the Cobra body is chosen for these projects so often.

Richsd,

Also, I think by street legal performance, Byronrace means acceleration, but you knew this already and that is why you did not address him straight-up, preferring instead to talk up your noble, which is not a ball of acceleration fire...

Evasive at best... tsk, tsk

Richsd,

Do you like the Cobra body style? What if you cannot see the interior from your view angle... do you still like the body style?

I do, others do... But not everyone likes the 60s spartan interior. I know you can grasp... This isn't string theory.

Hmm not really sure what you mean by this. Evasive, not really. Just was not sure what was meant by better street legal car. Read the post again. It does not say "street legal performance". It says a "better street legal car" without a definition of "better". The criteria for better just were not mentioned and I was not sure what was meant by a better street legal smog exempt car. There are many different performance factors. I was only commenting a road track capable car that is street legal but nothing else. If a 1/4 mile car is the desired result then this is a different criteria but how am I to know what is desired without asking. With regards to acceleration. I am not into 0-60 mph and 1/4 mile straight line racing but I will say that you are probably mistaken to say that my Noble is not an accelerating car as 0-60 in 3.2 or better is not too bad. For Nobles with performance upgrades the 0-60 time is 2.9 or better.

Richsd,

Again, in your own world... You responded to Byron. Have you looked into his build? Huge engine, supercharger, talks about leaving z06s like they hit the brakes... When you respond to someone who has made a statement, your response is already, by definition, supposed to be relative to their discussion. Byron's discussion was clearly (to the rest of us) about acceleration and your response should have been in context to the discussion you responded to... not off on some tangent created to boost your ego. Get past yourself already.

And show us the timeslips on that noble... if you can back-up your claim!

Well I did address him straight up. I said that a Noble is an example of a car that is street legal that I would consider having better performance. How is that not straight. I just was not sure what type of performance was meant. Road track, 1/4 mile, etc., there are different types of performance metrics and different cars for different types of racing. Saying that it leaves Z06s behind is great but this still does not tell me the type of performance measurment that you are using. To me true overall performance is demonstrated on a road track but for others it may be something else. You should just relax. I was just trying to point out that if road racing is the measuring stick that a Cobra would not touch a Noble but if the measuring stick is different then it may be a different result. For example, I would not be interested in a car designed for 1/4 mile racing but that may be the thing for others. And again, you are very mistaken to suggest that a Noble can't accelerate. Anytime you want to see some acceleration you are welcome to hop in for a ride.

I have been dealing with Cobras and Cobra owners since the 80's and everyone has their own idea of what they want .I for one with heated super comfortable seats can get in my car go for a long drive and not feel like I have been driving a car that was designed in the 50's.The Cobra shape is absolutely timeless and if designed today would have a more modern interior.I personaly love all Cobra's,they all have their own charm.

Just to add,over the last years I this is the third interior that I have had in the car, all completly different.

Well...
 

A few points.

First...is this what you're talking about?

The Noble M400 is a car from the British car maker Noble. It is known for its handling and speed. It has a max power of 425 bhp @ 6500 rpm, with a torque figure of 390 ft·lbf @ 5000 rpm. It is noted by an impressive weight ratio of 401 bhp/ton (hence the name M400) and a 0 - 60 mph of 3.5 seconds. The UK auto TV show Vroom Vroom said that the M400 gave Ferrari Enzo performance at Porsche 911 price.

If so...

1. You didn't build it. That does nothing for me, as I stated. This is about as pointless as comparing bank accounts.

2. Even so...425hp, 2337lbs. That's a ratio of 5.49 lbs per horsepower. My car weighs 2910lbs and produces over 1000. Lap me? Doubtful, unless you're into autocross or talking about a road track that looks like malibu grand prix...both of which I don't drive on. A road track with a reasonable amount of straights would present you with some difficulty in executing your "let's lap him" plan. Sure, yours might go around a corner marginally better...but with half the power and a lot smaller tire patch front and rear and comparable brakes, I think it's a little presumptuous to think that you'd be lapping me any time soon. Or are you talking about driver skill and assuming I'm a novice?

3. On the street, well, you might jump a car or two off the line from sheer mass/traction differences assuming we're on comparable street rubber, but at the end of 100ft, I think you'd be glad you had the windows up. At the end of 1500ft, I doubt I could even hear you blowing your horn in protest. On the freeway, traction is a lesser problem for me, which creates a bigger problem for you. It's about horsepower and traction. I've got 1000 ponies and 390/710-17's...what do you have again? Be real.

Anyway, getting back to the point...

As I said before...Show me a better street legal / smog exempt hot rod for the money. I've never seen one.

You showed me your Noble...neat car, but it isn't a hot rod. It's a factory car that retailed for 100K+ and is subject to all the laws and regulations of any street car. It's not smog exempt. I'm not even sure you could register one legally in Smog-Happy California. And, even if you could, it's not my kind of car. For 100K+, it better be 4wd with 15" wide rubber in all 4 corners, and produce 1000+ reliable horsepower, weigh under 3000lbs, and alter the earths rotation at WOT. Otherwise, I'm not impressed. That's a boatload of money for a car that a new factory Mustang with 5K in bolt ons could run down in a straight line.

Yes and no. In the US these cars are frequently done with many custom modifications and my particular car is at 640 HP and 600 ft-lb torque.

No I did not build it with my own two hands. I was highly involved with the build and customization process. A fun process but for me the joy comes from driving cars not building them.

As mentioned earlier. 640 HP and yes around 2400 lbs. for about 3.75 lbs per HP. The lapping was in jest as the wink was suppose to indicate. Yes as I mentioned several times I was talking about a road course not a 1/4 mile track. The 1/4 mile is really not what the Noble is built for and also I am really not interested in 1/4 runs as driving only in a straight line is of no interest to me. For a road course, even with selecting one with very long straights I would welcome the opportunity to run against each other. It would be a lot of fun. Road America is a 4 mile road course with plenty of long straights. You are welcome to join me there in two weeks with the Shelby Club and give it a try. Again, I was just kidding about literally lapping you on such a long course but I would be very surprised to see you lap faster than me.

Great reading!
 

This thread makes for a good read!:D

Please gentlemen, don't stop! Let's get these cars of yours at a track and get some results!

I'm sure we all want to see what happens or who gets spanked! :eek:

Whatever the outcome gentlemen, I am very passionate about all cars and don't really care what the result is, you both have beautiful cars!! in fact, WE ALL DO!

Stef from downunder :3DSMILE:

Gentlemen, I have read every inch of your comments and replies. I have to say I'm impress. You guys have said what needed to be said but at no times have ever went outisde the boundaries of true professionals. Everything in my opnion was kept in a very respectful manner. My hots off to you guys and keep writing... I love to see you guys go at it like that....
My full respect for keeping it clean.
I have a BDR, but I wouild love to have a Noble. I just love beautiful cars...
It's time for you two to take it to the track...
Please post the results...
Dexter Skinner

Yes I think this is a healthy fun discussion with no harm meant by any of us.

So somehow we have arrived at some type of racing challenge. A very fun and funny result. On this subject, I can't think of a better place to give this a try than at Road America with the Shelby club on the upcoming weekend of August 17th. It is with the Shelby Club so what a perfect place for Byron's Cobra to race against a Noble. Road America has some of the longest straights of any road track in the country so it would suit the style requested by Byron perfectly. A road track provides an opportunity to utilize all features of the car (power, braking, right and left turning). It would be a legal location to perform such an event so we would not be putting anyone else at risk. I would love to see you there Byron. I will treat for dinner.