Is a cobra right for me?

[Murphy]

No email address on profile. He is in withdraw.

[strictlypersonl]

You might want to read this Sports Car Graphic test from 1965. And remember that roadster "standards" were a lot different from today...

SCG - November 1965

[240M3SRT]

Originally Posted by fsstnotch

If you were to build the car, what are you looking for? Big block, small block? Sidepipes or undercar exhaust? You'll need a soft or hard top if you need A/C.

From what ive read these cars average 2200-2500lbs. Given that power/weight ratio i think id be happy with 350rwhp, and id hope that with some sticky rubber and 1.6-7 60fts that would pull off mid 11 sec 1/4 miles. I think a small block would be best for weight distribution. And sidepipes are just beautiful(i wasnt aware one could fit an exhaust UNDER the cobra). Are most of these cars are carburated? Im more familar with fuel injection but i bet that would cost more.

Are the hardtops pretty good or cheesy, and do they require much hardware? And with a soft top, does that require those little button/rivets ive seen on some cobras(kinda ugly imo).

Can these cars accomodate either IRS or solid axle setup? IRS would be nice for the twisties!

Thanks for bearing with my onslaught of questions. But if i do get one of these cars im gonna have a blast!

[240M3SRT]

Originally Posted by Murphy

No email address on profile. He is in withdraw.

LOL i promise im not trying to pull anyones leg. Im just trying to learn.

[fsstnotch]

Sounds to me like you would be fine with a fuel injected 5.0? Throw some heads, intake, and cam on it and you've got 350hp and fuel injection! Not to mention they're a dime a dozen! IRS is optional on most kits, the soft top requires snaps yes. Most hardtops are nice, just bulky and you can't just pop it on if you are at a movie and it starts to rain.

I'm going 408 stroker, edelbrock dual quads, victor jr heads, and a track heat 3 cam.

[Madmiles442]

240m3srt,
Check out the Texas Cobra Club (top right, Local Clubs, Texas) and you'll see some upcoming events that several of us are going to attend. The car show in Garland weekend after next will have a lot of us there. We'll be happy to give you a ride, if you promise to wear Depends, so you don't pee on my seats!
You'll learn a lot about the cars, see different manufacturers, meet the gang and see what these things are all about.

[240M3SRT]

Originally Posted by Madmiles442

240m3srt,
Check out the Texas Cobra Club (top right, Local Clubs, Texas) and you'll see some upcoming events that several of us are going to attend. The car show in Garland weekend after next will have a lot of us there. We'll be happy to give you a ride, if you promise to wear Depends, so you don't pee on my seats!
You'll learn a lot about the cars, see different manufacturers, meet the gang and see what these things are all about.

Hey that definitely sounds good. Ill have to mosey my way into the TX forums...

[hey,littlecobra]

it's not a good 'date' car.....

it's a lot of fun, and wild and daring, but not what most girls would call a date car. It's hot. yes, you can get a LSC with a hard top and AC I think, but I'd guess the AC is probably pretty ineffective due to the high heat from the engine compartment, etc.
If i go somewhere 'nice' in the Cobra, you can bet i'm going to get there with a sweaty back, wild hair, and have to swap out my driving tennies for pretty shoes. Clothes are wrinkly and mussed. Just not a good date car.

now for a fun night out... sure! Cruise with your girl to a hamburger joint like Keller's, hang out.... or... drive around. She'll need a ponytail or headband or cap or something. Also... watch those pipes! Girls/passengers don't THINK about the hot pipes, even when you're sitting there or standing there TELLING them to watch the pipes. It just doesn't compute all the time.

I live East of Dallas, so i know the heat you're talking about. The DFW group gets together monthly, and typically July, August, September are breakfast meets, because by the time we finish up by 10 or so, it's already 100* and you get really hot and grimy driving home.

I would never count on my car as a daily driver. I have to THINK before i cruise to the mall, i have to THINK before i just zip to Target, etc. Packages are not very secure, Parking lots can be treacherous.... I tend to take the car for fun times when i can keep a pretty good eye on it.
I have taken it to the movies once, but that was dumb as i worried about it in a huge movie complex parking lot the whole time. Out to dinner?? sure... patio seating where you can watch it. They are great for fun and cruising, but just not for a daily driver imho.

Cold in the winter (except your feet!) hot in the summer, dangerous on the wet, slippery roads, loud, rarely with CD/music components. Just not a typical dd.
I'm sure tho' that many people do use them as a daily driver, but no one i know of; the Dallas group keeps them as toys!!!
kristen
but... you oughta get one if you want fun and have a regular dd anyway.
a basic FFR with a 5.0 would give you lots of fun and low maintenance.

[Kzof]

With A/C? I'm sorry but it sounds like you would not be happy with a Cobra.

[240M3SRT]

Originally Posted by hey,littlecobra

it's not a good 'date' car.....

it's a lot of fun, and wild and daring, but not what most girls would call a date car. It's hot. yes, you can get a LSC with a hard top and AC I think, but I'd guess the AC is probably pretty ineffective due to the high heat from the engine compartment, etc.
If i go somewhere 'nice' in the Cobra, you can bet i'm going to get there with a sweaty back, wild hair, and have to swap out my driving tennies for pretty shoes. Clothes are wrinkly and mussed. Just not a good date car.

now for a fun night out... sure! Cruise with your girl to a hamburger joint like Keller's, hang out.... or... drive around. She'll need a ponytail or headband or cap or something. Also... watch those pipes! Girls/passengers don't THINK about the hot pipes, even when you're sitting there or standing there TELLING them to watch the pipes. It just doesn't compute all the time.

I live East of Dallas, so i know the heat you're talking about. The DFW group gets together monthly, and typically July, August, September are breakfast meets, because by the time we finish up by 10 or so, it's already 100* and you get really hot and grimy driving home.

I would never count on my car as a daily driver. I have to THINK before i cruise to the mall, i have to THINK before i just zip to Target, etc. Packages are not very secure, Parking lots can be treacherous.... I tend to take the car for fun times when i can keep a pretty good eye on it.
I have taken it to the movies once, but that was dumb as i worried about it in a huge movie complex parking lot the whole time. Out to dinner?? sure... patio seating where you can watch it. They are great for fun and cruising, but just not for a daily driver imho.

Cold in the winter (except your feet!) hot in the summer, dangerous on the wet, slippery roads, loud, rarely with CD/music components. Just not a typical dd.
I'm sure tho' that many people do use them as a daily driver, but no one i know of; the Dallas group keeps them as toys!!!
kristen
but... you oughta get one if you want fun and have a regular dd anyway.
a basic FFR with a 5.0 would give you lots of fun and low maintenance.

Thats pretty sound advice. The image im getting is that it will make a great weekend/evening toy for cruising/playing, but not so much a car you would take on a nice comfortable date or go to the club in. Based on what everyone here says a/c will probably be a waste/ineffecient. My two best friends own a 750 hp Viper and a Ferrari 360, both convertables. Id like something that gets similar stares around town and has the perfomance to back it up. But im starting to come to terms with the fact that the cobra is more raw, less refined.

The car in my price range i was considering before i stumbled across the idea of a cobra is the new twin turbo BMW 135i comming out early next year. I no longer think you can even compare the two cars. Guess i need to decide what exactly it is i want out of my next car. The BWM will obviously be more of a dd/weekend track warrior.....seems like the Cobra will pretty much be all warrior all the time.

I think a ride in one will make my decision.

[fsstnotch]

Ya.. comparing a BMW to a cobra is like comparing a strawberry to a sardine! haha They aren't even close to the same level!

[Stentor]

I own both--a BMW and a Cobra. As fsstnotch stated, the cars couldn't be further apart. The Cobra is not refined at all. It's "old school," loud, hot, nasty, and in your face.

I love both cars, but they are dramatically different.

Take a long ride in a Cobra (and drive one, ideally), and you will quickly know if it's a car for you. You must approach the purchase decision with "eyes wide open."

Good luck.

[hey,littlecobra]

Before I bought the Cobra, i considered a bmw z3, and a Boxster. Both fun, small, two seater... cool looking- a 'non- mommymobile-- (I have 4 kids).

Then i saw my first Cobra and said 'that's it!'
So.. I got the Cobra. thought i might go 'zipping around in it' and i did take my hubby out cruising in it a bit, but we realized right off it wasn't the fun, easy car i had first looked at. So.. instead of selling it and getting that z3 or Boxster, i became a 'cobra girl' and headed to the track.
I STILL wanted a fun 'date' car, but with 3 kids not driving (my oldest turned 16 last year) I realized a cool two seater just wasn't going to cut it. So i got my mustang gt500 in March. i can actually drive it around, to the mall, on a date, wherever, and it has satellite, AC, airbags, safety everything, AND i can get the three kiddo's in it! yea!!! (my girls are still small enough to be ok in the back seat).
For 'fun appeal' with your friends, maybe think about the 500 in a convertible. Looks nice, all for under $55k or so. a lot less than that Ferrari.
kristen

[Lowell W]

When you think "Cobra", think "motorcycle" and "Cobra" is to "automobile" as "Buell" is to "motorcycle". It's NOT a Ferrari and it's NOT a Viper, although it's probably more like the Viper than the Ferrari.

If that kind of raw lack of modern comfort and sophistication appeals to you, you'll probably enjoy a Cobra. If you'd prefer a Ducati or a Beemer or a Honda, a Cobra may be too rough and crude. If you don't want to be bothered working on your own car...Fuggedaboudit. Remember, there are lots of Cobras for sale with only a few thousand miles on them.

Lowell

[Naumoff]

Originally Posted by strictlypersonl

You might want to read this Sports Car Graphic test from 1965. And remember that roadster "standards" were a lot different from today...

SCG - November 1965

Thanks. That is a great article.

[wood]

[I have a small cobra company I just finished one for a customer. You have to loose the glove compartment,and buy a compact AC unit, depending on the motor you have. You may have to change your brackets. If you buy a cobra and won't AC,E-mail me and I'll send you the info. you need on it. YOU CAN'T GO WRONG WITH A COBRA.Even if you decide you don't like it you can make a good profit on it. If you are looking to buy one, I HAVE KIT'S STARTING AT $5.000 to $25.ooo. I have one of the easy build's on the market.I hope you join the wonderful world of cobras it's a BLAST of fun any time!!! PS you do not have to buy any thing from me for me to help you with any build you are working on.I LOVE TO BUILD & HELP BUILD CARS & BIKES. I HAVE 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE BUILDING. Please feel free to contact me any time at (ezbuildcobras@verzion.net) THANK YOU FOR TIME.

[Woodz428]

Another insolicited offer. Just think, a Cobra kit builder that says the car is the right one and that there's a bunch of profit if it's not. Gotta be true. Maybe we should start a thread on all the profit makers here. The ONLY way that I could see a "good profit" (whatever that is) on a Cobra is if you built it with all USED parts. These cars ,typically, you get what you pay for. Someone that builds a good replica will have too much in it to make any decent profit. Someone that plunks together used junk in a new wrapper can make lots of profit while generating a bad name for builders that are a little more "detail oriented".

[fsstnotch]

Originally Posted by Woodz428

Another insolicited offer. Just think, a Cobra kit builder that says the car is the right one and that there's a bunch of profit if it's not. Gotta be true. Maybe we should start a thread on all the profit makers here. The ONLY way that I could see a "good profit" (whatever that is) on a Cobra is if you built it with all USED parts. These cars ,typically, you get what you pay for. Someone that builds a good replica will have too much in it to make any decent profit. Someone that plunks together used junk in a new wrapper can make lots of profit while generating a bad name for builders that are a little more "detail oriented".

YOu keywords... "GOOD PROFIT." I believe that, IF you do all the work yourself and don't use junk, you can get SOME profit. But it will be marginal at best. Probably not just abrely enough to pay for your tax and registration fees. Bottom line though... if you put the time and effort into it instead of the money for someone else to put their time and effort into it, you won't be upside down.

It also helps to know people... My best friend is a painter by trade so we will paint the car at the cost of materials.

[Excaliber]

Wood, your full of termites, what a bogus post!

[62Cobra]

I am 48 years old and have owned my cobra for 11 years now. It was a 15 year old Aurora when I bought it and drove it 1100 miles home in November from Baltimore MD to Ft. Walton Beach FL (No Top of course). I had been looking for this car for over 10 years and I don't think anything could have wiped the rain drenched smile of my face all the way home. But, in my opinion, the kind of person that would own a cobra is the same type that would rather fly across this country in an open cockpit biplane at three times the price than travel by jet. The Cobra represents a piece of American history that you just have to love. Its not comfortable, handy, easy to drive, or easy to get in and out of. I have A/C in mine and that has added a bit to the comfort on long trips....I do not trailer my cobra, and todate I enjoy the experience of long road trips in the cobra and as a part of that, revel in the pain I experience. But lately my hips have really been giving me trouble, I think this is more a young mans car. I usually try to talk folks out of buying a cobra as it is a car alot of folks regret buying, and unless you can say that no matter what I will own a cobra some day...It may not be the car for you. The cobra is all about too much, more power than you need, more heat in the cockpit, I have not seen a kit that was used as a daily driver. My cobra buddys are usually very worried about leaving their pride and joy in a parking lot. When we go out to eat we always have to find a window seat that looks out at the car so we can make sure no one is messing with it!! Owning one of these Cobra's is different than any other car. The top is another adventure that you better understand...it is an issue to put up and get your side curtins in and Oh boy where the hell is all this water comming from. Do not get frustrated yet! The adventure has only begun! The electrical, the brakes, the cooling system all may be a challenge especially if you want A/C on your car. Anyway I wish you luck! I have enjoyed working on mine and now she is a real nice care that I am proud of. But you have to decide whats right for you.