What is the best Cobra Kit to buy?

[Karl Bebout]

"For "the look", nothing looks more at home than an FE. Of course, that's just my opinion"

True dat, but I do sure get a lot of positive comments about my tiny "289" with Webers.

[Danr55]

Yes Karl. You have a cute.little motor just.like Carnut does.

[Rickd]

Chocolate or vanilla? The 289 with Webers still .. to me .. looks like the "real deal" from back in the day when it was gloves off, Shelby team vs the World in Europe. The essence of the "Cobra". The 427, to me, is a "hotrod" version of a cobra...so I would go for the FIA or slab side version - ERA or Superformance - with some version of a small block. And small block today sure beats the heck performance wise out of the options available back in the late 60's.

And SO much depends on how the motor is set up. I had a Unique 289 FIA that I bought used, and it had a 289 HIPO motor with around 300 hp. The power band on that car was in the 1500 - 3500 rpm range. It had amazing low end torque. On a road racing track (Gainesville Motor Speedway Road Racing Track) it would run all day with 550 hp cars and they couldn't close on it in the straights. I thought "more hp is better" so I changed out the stock HIPO heads for Trick Flow aluminum heads and a more aggressive cam. Increased HP by 75 or more, but lost the low end torque almost completely. Sounded great, but now where near as quick on a road racing course.

That was quite a learning experience.

[Maricopa]

You can't register a car in Arizona for street use with a salvage title.

Sure you can.

Arizona Salvaged Vehicle Regulations and Consumer Protections at DMV.org: The DMV Made Simple

[Danr55]

I stand corrected.. You can get it licensed for the road if you can make MVD happy. ?
?> Good luck with that..

[Maricopa]

Thing is it doesn't take all that much to scrap a car that's 5-7 years old and there may not even be drivetrain or suspension issues. The drummer in our band has a Honda that was scrapped and then repaired by a guy down the street from him. Guy has a full-on rack in his shop and did all the bodywork and paint. He's been driving it for the three years I've known him and the only issue so far was a bad radiator and alternator.

He ended up with a nice looking and running car with very low miles for 1/3 of what he would have otherwise paid.

[Danr55]

I haven't read all of these posts, but I suggest that you look around and find a finished car. You will spend less money, drive it sooner, and usually if you invest the difference between what you spend for the finished car and what you would spend buying and building a kit, you will wind up with more car than you would have in the beginning...and a hell of a lot less work.

[keezling]

mrmustang how much nos you been huffing? lol

[mrmustang]

While NAF built a nice kit in their time, they are outdated (as shown with the 351C powerplant, 11:1 compression is not what you would call street friendly, no way you'll keep it running cool with that compression at .030 over either. Especially not on pump gas, and we won't even talk about the 750cfm carb, which you would soon be replacing after you found out that bigger is not always better when it comes to them). Mustang II suspension, straight axle rear, HP overrated at 500HP, does the seller have a dyno sheet to prove this claim? Not to mention the 70K claimed investment. Clearly, this one you need to walk away from.

While we are on the HP subject, a simple 351W/385HP Ford crate engine can propel a sub 2,400lb cobra to a 11:08/115mph 1/4 mile on 17" street tires (I have the slip). Don't allow yourself to get caught up in the BIG HP wars with your friends (or your ego). Plus, 200HP is enough to kill you in one of these cars, regardless of whatever experience or ownership you have had in the past, it is not a Cobra and will not handle or behave as such. Respect from the second you walk out to the garage is what is required, as the car will try to kill you whether you respect it or not.


Now, let's talk about what you can get for your budget, a quality built Factory Five would be easy in the 28-35K range. At 40K you would have to wait till winter, and still search long and hard for an ERA or SPF that myself, or someone else like me did not snatch up first. If you want that type of quality, you'll need to cough up another $5-8K to be in the running. A Unique can be had, nice cars for the money. In fact the last I heard, the Weavers (owners of Unique) had a customers 427W powered car on the showroom for 35-38K....

Take the advice given earlier, read my "How to buy a used Cobra" primer, then take someone with you that knows these cars, the differences, and what to look for other than shiny bits and pieces and a nice looking paint job.


Bill S.

Originally Posted by steve286

Thanks for all the information. I guess I should not have said"kit" as that is not necessarily what I am looking for. I am open to a car that is not a kit car. My budget is around 25-40K. I am looking for a car to drive and have fun with. I want to buy a car that is already done as I feel they are the best deals plus I am not sure I have the skills to complete one on my own and do it right. I think the Kirkham kit is probably out of my budget.
There is one cobra I saw on ebay recently that did not sell that I know is in town. He is asking 39K. I have listed the ad below. Let me know your thoughts.

For sale is a beautiful, professionally built, 1965 A/C Cobra replica. The car has a fiberglass body that was manufactured by NAF. The car was completed in the late '90's but has only 3,550 documented miles on it. No expenses were spared on this car as I have all the receipts - in parts alone and paint work, well over $70K. Starting with the frame and all suspension components, epoxy primed and painted. Mustang II rack and pinion steering with sway bar. It features the following: Ford 351 Cleveland bored .030" over with modified Edelbrock aluminum heads, roller rockers, guide plates, APR hardware throught, Holley 750 double pumper, 2" custom headers, stage 3 rods, girdled mains, oil gallery meters, Keith Black pistons, 11:1 compression, runs on pump gas, Crower cam, mini high torque starter, March under drive pullys, polished aluminum water pump & altenator, Mildon 8 quart oil pan, high volume oil pump, Mildon blow proof bell housing, 11" clutch with 2300 lb? pressure plate, Tilton aluminum pedals, Tilton brake bias adjustment mounted on dash, Ford top loader 4 speed built by Dan Williams, parking brake mounted on drive shaft, fully adjustable coil over springs on all (4) corners, 9" Ford rear (narrowed) with new 3:50 posi gears & 31 spline axles built by Ron Moser, custom aluminum radiator built by Ron Davis, MSD ignition box, MSD Pro billet distributor, Edelbrock Air Gap intake that has been polished, AN fittings throught, 5 link Nascar rear end set up, custom full leather seats, (2) - 5 point seat belt harness, Wilton carpet, quick jack bumpers front and back, custom made tonue cover and MUCH more!

The car was scaled at 2350 LBS with driver & full tank of gas before the aluminum heads were changed from the cast iron ones. The entire car is 'wrapped' in .050" aluminum sheeting (including front compartment, trunk and complete underside). This is NOT a typical 'kit car' as each and every part of the car is basically 'hand built'. From the trunk, door and hood hinges to the custom radiator over flow container. Horsepower rated at approximately 500hp. Titled as a 1965 'Special Constructed Vehicle' in Arizona so no emission testing

It has 8" front and 10" rear - 3 piece Compmotive wheels that were imported from England so I was able to pick and choose the offsets.

This is a FAST...sweetheart of a car that is fast & turns heads everywhere it goes! I just do not use it enough to justify the garage space and collectors car insurance. There are over 2,500 hours of labor invested in it and is very obvious once the car is inspected. (Has won 'best in class' at AZ / CA car show in Laughland the one time it was entered and makes Factory Five and other kit cars look like toys).

In closing...this is a 'no excuse' car short of the minor inperfections in the paint due to it's age and the tires are out of 'date code'...thats IT! (235/60 BFG front - 295/50 BFG rear)

\d

[wkooiman]

There is a nice looking Contemporary on this website for sale. I do not know the car or the owner. I just noticed it this morning.

[steve286]

Yes that looks like a nice car but I could never see it in person seeing it is in Ohio. I am not a huge fan of the baby blue color either. Thanks for the heads up.

[steve286]

Try and kill me? Maybe I should just get a new corvette or a SuperSnake????

[lippy]

On the BB vs SB question, with Kirkham and ERA, most 427 body style cars will have big blocks and most 289 body style cars will have small blocks. Most of the SPFs, Hurricanes, and FFs I've seen have small blocks, even with 427 body style cars. In my ERA I have a Pond aluminum big block built by Brent and I'd do it again, but small blocks are probably "better" engines with broader parts availability.

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by steve286

Try and kill me? Maybe I should just get a new corvette or a SuperSnake????

Maybe so. This is a well known writing by Dr. Hal Copple about owning a Cobra......

"If you want to just gas and go, and never have to worry about
replacing an alternator, or snugging down the header bolts, or
getting a wet leg driving in a rainstorm, or learning how to set
your carb float level, or driving in traffic on a warm winter day
with "winter gas" in the tank, get the 'Vette.

With a Replica, even a Superformance, you have to remind yourself that you are driving a hand made race car on the street. There is no compromise for anything other than pure speed. These cars are brutal and unforgiving, with all the refinement of a medieval battle ax. Like being in a relationship with an exotic dancer, you can never take anything for granted. These cars don't have millions of miles of testing refinement before you get yours. For any trip longer than an hour, you need earplugs, and goggles, and carry Advil and eye drops. You will need to learn to "read" the clouds for rain in your path, and have experience in unwrapping your frozen fingers from the MotoLita. You will experience lady passengers "wetting" the passenger seat when you merge into traffic from an on ramp, and then nearly burn their calf getting out of the car.

You will have all the invisibility of a burning Hindenburg, and flee from underground parking lots with uncountable car alarms screaming your departure. When you stop, you will remind yourself that these cars get more attention than a dead body in a parking lot.

With a power to weight ratio better than almost every supercar, you will find your 1/4 mile times traction rather than power limited. On the other hand, when you stage, out of the corner of your helmet's visor you will see almost the entire audience lining up at the fence, most with cameras up. If you track on a road course with a Porsche club, owners of expensive German machines will come to the fence to watch you power out in smoking oversteer. You won't even try to start your engine in the garage, but push it out onto the driveway, else your loyal watch dog will croak from the exhaust fumes. If you idle next to other "sports" cars at a traffic light, by the green, their girlfriend will be coughing green phlegm into her hanky, yelling at her date to just go! When you refuel, you might as well prop the "bonnet" open, because you are going to have to show your motor to just about every other guy there. When you order your wings at Hooters, your waitress will whisper in your ear "take me for a ride." When you stop at the red light, the girl in the convertible next to you will invite you to "take my top off too."

When you slowly pass a troop of Harley riders, they will look over and give you thumbs up. When you want to ease out into traffic, other cars will immediately pause to let you go ahead of them. When your engine has its hot, crackling, intimidating exhaust sidepipe aimed right at the flank of the GTO, or the Z28, your exhaust pulsations slowly unscrewing his lug nuts, the other car will remain motionless, as if the slightest quiver of his car will cause your car to stomp it dead. When you leave it open in a parking lot, and come back to find your sunglasses and cell phone still sitting on the tunnel, it is because your car has sullenly warned those who came over to admire it "touch me and I will rise up here and kill you dead."

When you put that tiny silver key into the ignition, and begin your start countdown, your car will whisper "take me for granted, and I will kill you."

When other drivers just hop in and snap up their belts while backing out of their parking space, you will still have two more minutes before you even get all the Simpson's properly on and snugged down. Pulling up in a Cobra replica is like landing an F4U at an ultralite convention.

In summary, very, very few drivers want this kind of attention, or can tolerate all that a formidable Replica demands. These cars are intolerant mistresses. But remember, there will come a day when you have to hang up your car keys for the last time. And perhaps you want to say then "I did it."

All the best.
__________________
Hal Copple"

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by steve286

Try and kill me? Maybe I should just get a new corvette or a SuperSnake????

If you believe a Cobra is a civilized automobile, you are wrong. A cobra is anything but civilized. No AC, no roll up windows, no cruise control, no radio, and in many cases, no top.


Corvette Vs SuperSnake, again, with your budget, you are limited to a used example, tread carefully and make sure to have a pre-purchase inspection on whatever of those two you ultimately decide to buy.


After all, the live you save might just be your own.


Bill S.

[twin turbo]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

While we are on the HP subject, a simple 351W/385HP Ford crate engine can propel a sub 2,400lb cobra to a 11:08/115mph 1/4 mile on 17" street tires (I have the slip).

Bill S.

IMO, anyone expecting to run those times with that set up is going to be sorely disappointed. I've seen multiple similiar combo's with that hp and mph but the ET is nearly a full second slower, and that was with 1.6 60 ft times.

Just trying to keep it realistic for those new to the Cobra world.