Continuation CSX a "Kit car"?

[ANB]

Any opinions? Is the continuation CSX 4000 a Kit Car or "replica"? Body a Shelby and engine installs elsewhere. Other body parts?

In the true sense of the definition was the original considered a Kit car? AC Bristol body, Ford engine and Jaguar brakes or suspension.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by ANB

Any opinions? Is the continuation CSX 4000 a Kit Car or "replica"? Body a Shelby and engine installs elsewhere. Other body parts?

In the true sense of the definition was the original considered a Kit car? AC Bristol body, Ford engine and Jaguar brakes or suspension.

Where are the lawyers when you need them.

Basically, Shelby American sold the cars in the 1960's as complete, running vehicles, meeting federal specs, if there were any at that time. Shelby American/Auto's, still an auto manufacturer, cannot sell the cobra as a complete vehicle anylonger due to current federal safety and other standards, and must sell the car as an incomplete package, for someone else to finish and register.

Some people call them replica's, others call them component vehicles, bust most of us call them real.

[ANB]

Anthony,

Good reply! Thanks.

[PatBuckley]

It sems like it all depends on whether or not you own one.



(Actually I think that any "Cobra like" car sold by Shelby can and should be called a Shelby Cobra. It's when others try to sell a "Cobra like" car and call it a Shelby Cobra is when the problems start. As for the questions about how to categorize it; kit, component, real, replica, or whatever, that is not a question that needs to be addressed when it is a car that is "Cobra like" and purchased from Shelby. IOW, the question only applies to those who sell kits and replica's.)

But stay tuned, there is a hairy little lawyer in New Jersey who should be weighing in any second now.

[Chaplin]

Maybe they are Real Cobra Kit Cars?

[Bryan Wilson]

Here we go again this is why over on the right under Cobra make I have "Real Southern Roadcraft".
Cheers,
Bryan

[mrmustang]

Is it a real Cobra, as much as any other that is built after the 60's. Is it being built by a company associated with Shelby America, yes, does that make it any more or less real than the rest, does it really matter that much to you? Honestly. Bottom line, it's your choice to buy or not to buy one vs another, it's your money, be happy with your choice as the rest of us are happy with ours, get in, turn the key, and drive the hell out of it with a smile on your face.......To me, my personal happiness in my personal choice of vehicle(s) is just that, mine and does not require the feedback or confirmation of anyone else for me to achieve the joy of driving it(them)..If you are looking at it from an investment standpoint, forget about it as there are other more profitable places to put your money these days.....


Bill S.

[4pipes]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Is it a real Cobra, as much as any other that is built after the 60's. Is it being built by a company associated with Shelby America, yes, does that make it any more or less real than the rest, does it really matter that much to you? Honestly. Bottom line, it's your choice to buy or not to buy one vs another, it's your money, be happy with your choice as the rest of us are happy with ours, get in, turn the key, and drive the hell out of it with a smile on your face.......To me, my personal happiness in my personal choice of vehicle(s) is just that, mine and does not require the feedback or confirmation of anyone else for me to achieve the joy of driving it(them)..If you are looking at it from an investment standpoint, forget about it as there are other more profitable places to put your money these days.....


Bill S.

Bill, it's too bad we can't make your post a "sticky" at the top of the forums.......would save a lot of typing.

[PatBuckley]

Bill is answering a question that wasn't being asked.

[ENTDOC]

exactly. "is a CSX 4000 car(by definition a real shelby cobra) a kit car" was the question. For that matter was an original CSX a kit car

[Power Surge]

Early 4000 cars (like mine) were "kits" in essence. They were a bunch of parts, sent to authorized Shelby dealers, and built per customer specs.

Current 4000 cars are rollers, built by companies contracted by Shelby (HST, Hi-tech) and sold through Shelby dealers as rollers. You add the drivetrain and title it.

In the basic idea, it's like the 60s. Shelby contracted an outside company to build a car to his specs. Early big block cars were shipped as unpainted rollers to Shelby, and finished there. Street cars, were built all at AC, and shipped over to the US.

The problem with them being "continuation" cars, is that Shelby is continuing to sell a car he sold in the 60s. And being the same car as sold in the 60s, there's no way it could ever meet modern standards and therefore it can't be sold as a legit 2008 Cobra (i.e. running car), so they sell them like everyone else does. You get the car, and an MSO, and you add the drivetrain and title it.

[patrickt]

Personally, I chose ERA over Shelby so that I could avoid the issue entirely.

[1985 CCX]

Are they:
Originals = NO
Replicas of originals = yes
Real = yes (they are really Cobras as you can drive it and park it in the garage)
Continuation cars = yes
Fantastic to own = yes
Thrilling = yes
An experience to drive = yes
Is Shelby himself involved as he was in the 1960's = please....

I love these questions that are really opinions of those that own them. They can never be answered easily; kind of like the question: How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Tootsie Pop? The world may never know!

My feeling is that the CSX cars are real Shelby's because they are carrying a CSX# which the owner paid dearly for. Not in a sense real because they are rollers as that would open the discussion for SPF, Shamrock, or BDR cars to be real. All replicas are real in a sense as they only represent different levels of replication of the 1960's original aluminum cars built in England. Some are spot on and some are hot rodded versions of the legend. All are great fun and stress outlets.

I always describe my car as a replication of the original 1965 Cobra built in 1982. Is it real? "Real enough to pass you!" Is it a real Shelby? Nope!
I wonder if I offered Shelby $50k to assign me a CSX#? Bet he would......

[Power Surge]

Let's keep in mind here, that nobody asked if they are real Shelby's or not.

[tmareina]

Bottom line...if it wasn't made by Shelby before 1968 then it is not Original, as his last year of initial production was 1967 (I almost bought one in 1967...too bad so sad). Anything after that is a replica...no matter who made it. You'll obviously get more on resale if your replica was made by Shelby...but it is still a replica. Are they all Real? I say YES.

Tom

[RodKnock]

In California, everything not made to the current Federal Safety standards and does not meet CA smog requirements is called a SPCNS or Specially Constructed Vehicle, home made or kit car.

[Silverback51]

This is just the way I look at it, and explain it to people that ask.

An original is any car prior to 68.

A replica is a factory built car after 68 that resemblies an original. The extent of how closely it resemblies is an original is not that important to me. That is for the buyer to determine and decide on.

A kit is a car that is shipped in pieces to the owner/buyer and is assemblied by that person or a company that he/she has contracted to do the work.

Some companies sell both replicas and kit cars. I personally find some level of confidence in a replica over a kit car, due to the factory having some form of quality control in place during the manufacturing process. That generally will not exist in a home built kit car. Not saying that kit cars are bad. There are some very detail orientated people out there that will build a very high quality car. But then there are some that will just slap it together and call it good.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by PatBuckley

Bill is answering a question that wasn't being asked.

Pat,

Are you sure the underlying question was not being answered


Bill S.

[svobud]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Are you sure the underlying question was not being answered

I just got off the phone with Ms Cleo. She said, "no."

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by svobud

I just got off the phone with Ms Cleo. She said, "no."

Now that was a good one