Why do you own a Cobra?

[Fattyd]

Twenty-five +/- years ago I saw the movie Gumball Rally. Growing up in the 70's and 80's and being influenced with all the "cheese" car movies (no need to list them all) it was that movie that solidified for me that someday, somehow, no other sports car but a Cobra would do. "Well somethings get meaner as they get older". Great line!!

Well it took me a good part of the last 8 years of hard looking, and saving I might add, but I'm happy to say that I finally got mine and that I am fortunate enough to still have many years left to enjoy it. Probably the line I give people the most is... "Either you get it, or you don't". I think that line probably sums it up best for Cobra owners.

Great Thread, keep it up.

Mike.

[Sal Gerace]

My first car was a 1968 289 Mustang. I rebuilt the engine when I was 17 or so and had a fresh black paint job on it with all new chrome. I guess this was 1977 or 78. I gave the car to my brother when I needed a commuter car to get to my new job 60 miles away where I finally got an apartment and lived. Cars for about 20 years were just for transportation. Then my nephew got a 69 Mach 1 and asked me help him with it. At that point I realized what I was missing all those years. So I went and got a 67 390 convertable with a 3x2 setup. While searching all the Mustang parts magazines I would always see the Cobra in posters or books that the vendors were selling in the back of their magazines. I became curious. But I also have a memory of the Cobra from an old movie, which I believe was an Elvis flick.
The Cobras "look" had me immediatly interested so I looked at them some more. Through researching ( this site and CSX info.net)I found out this car had everything any 60 muscle car could have but oh so much more.
Let's see here's a 60's car with;
4 wheel disc brakes
4 wheel independant suspention
roll bar
hood scoops
brake cooling front and rear
diff oil cooler and engine oil cooler
electric fuel pumps
side pipes
500 hp engine
huge tires with these cool knockoff wheels
I was really interested now I thought! Then I went to a car show and saw my first Cobra in person. The owner started it up for me! I'll never forget that first startup. The sound was nothing I ever heard from any muscle car before. You just feel the car in your soul! A pulsating 500 hp side oiler through a set of sidepipes, there is just no other sound like it! Shortly after that I sold a property and I put in an order for my CSX4300.

[nezrok]

I have driven every muscle car that has been made and the thrill of my Cobra is not possible with any other car ever produced ! Must be the Shelby Heritage.

[clwayburn]

I was with my father at the ripe old age of 6 and saw one. Right then I told my daddy I wanted one...you can imagine his responce! At 44years old I started and had it done and taged in less than a year. My daddy was never prouder...I'm the youngest of 9 and his baby girl! I drove my jeeps(2) until they just died (12 & 14years)but kept making payments, I paid cash and built it own my own with the help of the Lone Star guys(in house build). My dad passed away a few months later but before he did he told me he knew I'd find a way and was proud and glad he got to see it finished! It was love at first sight...a classic...the WOW factor...IS THERE ANY OTHER CAR!?!

[clwayburn]

I was with my father at the ripe old age of 6 and saw one. Right then I told my daddy I wanted one...you can imagine his responce! At 44years old I started and had it done and taged in less than a year. My daddy was never prouder...I'm the youngest of 9 and his baby girl! I drove my jeeps(2) until they just died (12 & 14years)but kept making payments, I paid cash and built it own my own with the help of the Lone Star guys(in house build). My dad passed away a few months later but before he did he told me he knew I'd find a way and was proud and glad he got to see it finished! It was love at first sight...a classic...the WOW factor...IS THERE ANY OTHER CAR!?!

[corbragirl]

My husband said we had to buy a cobra:
A. Because he has always wanted one and
B. Because I would look good in it.
I think that I pick A.

[JLynch]

Couldn't afford a P-51

[CBattaglia]

Think of all the big block muscle cars from the 60's that handle like a cobra. Didnt take long did it.......

[drix666]

here in quebec we got really strict rules on sound (however pleasing it may be to some) but the exeption being if it's original equipment it's ok so exept the shelby cobra (and other very rare models)forget side exiting pipes in front of the rear wheels and even more straight pipes. (loud pipes save lives they dont get it yet) And its probably the cutest roadster ever created thanks to caroll shelby the visionnary and my idol.

[tradingup]

I've owned little British cars all my life. Spitups, TR3, MGBs, MG TD. Finally got tired of not being able keeping up in traffic. Boy, has that changed! And I can still claim British heritage through the AC Ace.

[289fia_cobra]

Why?
You know that thing about your 2nd childhood at 40? (midlife crisis???) yeah, that was me. But to be honest, it was a blind sided move. In 98' I tunred 40 and was ready to get rid of my VW GTi. I've always wanted a convertible and while thumbing through the magazine rack, I came across Kit Car Magazine and there was just something about the Cobra body styles from the various manufacturers, that just yelled "sex". It would be another 5 years before I was given the green light for one, and the only real question in my mind was: built or build it.... I opted to build it for the challenge and learning experience. After all, the original Cobra's were really nothing more than a British hot-rod and I wanted the full experience of taking just a body and frame and creating something special. It really is a teenagers dream considering I never got the chance to live out a "hot rodders" childhood.

I never tire looking at my Cobra. I get a huge rush just driving it around to work, to shows, just for breakfast. I'm always getting compliments and I'm always proud of what I built. Aside from my 2 daughters and my wife, there's nothing else that I've done in my life that compares.

I hope I never grow up ... again.

[Dans65]

I'd always loved the Cobras from the first days in middle school, when a friend of mine told me about Shelby's Shelbys & Shelby's Cobras. And I bought every book I could afford to find out about the cars and dreamed how cool it would be to drive one, to own one. But I never thought I would ever be able to afford it. It wasn't 'til about four years ago when my best friend purchased a FFR MkII, inwhich I fell in loved with. And just maybe I can do this in the next several years. And here I am now Building a dream car.
Dan

[Borr]

I live life very conservatively in most areas. I think things through to the nth degree. Owning a cobra is my way of "stepping outside the BOX!

[Excaliber]

The why changes from time to time, the connection with the English sports car (as was mentioned) is certainly a part of it. The POWER of a good engine is another. Recently, it just feels good to drive something that pisses off Shelby, a genuine replica.

[Baz]

Year - 1964. My age - 20 and car mad. Then I saw a picture of my first Cobra. "Wow" I said. "One day I'll have one of them." Living in Sydney, Australia, I didn't get to see any real Cobras, only the odd replica. I am now a retired 64 year old and have finally started to realise my dream. My car is in the process of being built and should be road registered by July, 2008. No longer will I have to rely on looking at Cobra pictures, posters and models on my bar. Soon I will have the real thing.

[427mudflap]

1. Memories of the 60"s
2. Like driving a street legal gocart.
3. No top, feel like a dog with it's head out the window.
4. Fun to build and work on.
5. Dumb questions, like "is that a real one"
6. Best looking car ever, the body curves remind me of something else.
7. Great car for a genuine Ford nut.

[BOURRET]

I love what Badsnake427 wrote. Being used to drive a Cobra with any bad weather condition you could imagine, his text really meant something to me, particularly when I drove from France to Poland within one day, under rain.
And some years ago, I read a beautiful text about driving a Cobra that ended saying something like "if you think you have mastered it, it is the day it will kill you".
Dozens of people told me they dream about a Cobra. I tell them usually thay most of them would sell it after a few days driving it.
Cobra is the most wonderful experience for real sport car lovers. And driving a Cobra is real sport.

[SS COBRA]

My girlfriend and I lived in the Hellertown Pa. area and I followed sport cars racing, (more so Corvettes since my family owned a Chevrolet Dealership) and I met Hal Keck in the early 60's when he was racing Corvettes. One day in '66 we stopped by to meet Hal and Nancy and see what this winning Cobra ( #88, CSX3008) was all about. Their shop was behind their house and we ended up spending about 4 hours with them and their family. One thing lead to another and they invited us to join them at the next SCCA race. For the next 5 years we traveled with the team and spent several nights a week at their shop working on the car, and just hanging out until they bought a Z28 Camero from us. Hal and Nancy raced both cars for a couple years and we had the time of our lives. Then SCCA changed from AP to GT and the Camero, well, got dented all over..... My girlfriend and I got married and moved to Florida. All the times we spent with the Keck family and the Cobra never went away.
In 2005 we bought a Backdraft, Guardsman Blue with white stripes, same colors as CSX3008 was in the beginning. No, not the same car,we know that, but what fun and what a great way to refresh memories.