cobra replica on ebay

[nsurence man]

A few months ago I found a cobra replica for sale here locally. It was built in 1993 by a company I've been told later became Street Beasts. It had a fresh paint job, nice interior, and 351 Windsor engine. All that was missing were a few cosmetics like emblems, license plate holder etc. When I saw the car it had about 4,000 miles on it. The guy who bought it finished the loose ends and put it on Ebay. He advertised the car as having only a couple hundred miles on it (included picture of odometer on Ebay). My question is this. When someone freshens up a replica whether it's new paint or an engine rebuild, is it common to reset the odometer to represent the restoration? I know this should never be done on "original" cars, but I didn't know if this was common practice with replicas. I'm looking to buy a cobra replica and I've been looking at several that are used. I'm now wondering how used are they?

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by nsurence man

... but I didn't know if this was common practice with replicas.

It's not "common practice"... but, if one 'refurbishes' a car and replaces the speedometer...you can't rely on the reading.

Use common car sense when evaluating a car's age and usage.

Look for wear on the pedals, suspension components, etc.

[bdeutsch]

While there may not be anything that prevents an individual from doing this legally with a SPCN (good question though), one cannot help but question the ethics of the deed as well as those of the individual who performs the deed.

If s/he is not being honest about the mileage, you cannot help but wonder what else s/he may be sandbagging.

[Naumoff]

That is fraud. The seller must represent the true mileage of the vehicle.

[JBo]

Gentlemen, in most states this is a misdomenor at best and could be a felony. most state codes require a milage statement with the actual milage or TMU (true milage unknown) which devalues all but true collector cars.

[nevermind65]

If you replace the odometer or reset it in Ohio, it has to be represented as such on the title. You can't just paint the car and claim a restoration. I know different states have different criteria for how they title a replica, but once a title has been issued, it is no different than buying a car from a dealer.

A title search will bring this information up real quick.

[nsurence man]

I've looked at used replicas that have been 5 years old and some older. None of them seem to have many miles on them. I've been told that most people just don't put that many miles on these type of cars. That's why I asked the question to you folks to see if that's been your experience. I appreciate all your input.

[mrmustang]

Sean,

Your best bet in this case is to walk away from the car. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it is.

[trularin]

I think JBo is right. I think it is illegal to alter the ODO on any vehicle.

[Excaliber]

I put new gauges, including speedo, on my ERA. I retained the old speedo for a reference. I've put new speedos in cars while working for a dealership, because the old ones broke. It's a simple matter of keeping paperwork on the car, fraud is when you HIDE the fact the mileage is not accurate. No foul on this ebay car if the owner acknowledges the mileage. My current speedo reading reflects the actual mileage on my rebuilt motor!

Mileage IS pretty low on replicas, I wouldn't base my buying decision on that, but rather the current condition of the car. Donor parts and a low mileage speedo doesn't tell you much.

[tcrist]

You might want to get a hold of this guy and ask him about the milage differance. In Ca. if you know the actual mileage, change the speedo to one with less mileage and try to sell it stating the lower mileage, that will/could land you with a fine or jail time. There is a big differance between 4K and a couple of hundred miles and can be seen when looking at the car. Like it was said before. Look at the brake,clutch & gas pedals for wear. Also look at the carpet for wear spots where your heel sets on the gas pedal. A car with only a couple of hundred miles should have no/minimal wear at all. My view is that this guy can't be trusted. I do not know if this can be brought up to ebay or not but if I were you I would look into it..

Terry

[jdog]

Your mileage may vary!

When we first installed the drive train into my Cobra the speedo ran backwards, taking the odomiter with it.

When your starting at 0 miles and run backwards, it dosen't take long to put 99,990 miles on your car!

I took it to DMV while waiting for the speedo reverser from Shelby. I tried to explain to the DMV employee the situation with the speedo gear but, she said it didn't matter she had to read the "current" mileage!

I have an SB100 number, so it was registered as a 1965 Cobra with 99,000 miles.

So I now have 00,775 miles, what do you think DMV would say to that now?

jdog

[mr bruce]

No , according to DMV records you have 100, 775 miles on your car.

[Excaliber]

In other words, not quite as much as Hal Copple, but you'll catch him soon if you keep driving!

[Dwight]

I saw a Cobra with 93 miles on the speedo but when I look close at it I could see it was high mileage. A lot of very used parts was used to build the car and it had the odometer changed later. Look close at the under side and engine compartment for signs of wear and tear.
Dwight