My new/ old Arntz.

[Donunder]

We found one!

We'd both been looking for quite some time but Craig (750HP) finally located this beautiful old Arntz in Washington state a few months ago.



The search had been long because the car had to be over thirty years old for import purposes and some of the thirty year old cars we had looked at were either "past it" or had no provenance confirming their age. This one ticked all the boxes.

Craig was able to obtain verification that this car had been built and first registered in 1979. He then took it upon himself to liaise with the federal Dept of Transport and obtain an approval to import, and he also did all the negotiating and arranging the transport from Lynwood down to Long Beach and then across to Brisbane.

We collected the car from the importing company just on a month ago, put it on David Jones’ truck (the best towie in town!)



and took in straight to Scott Hampson (Oz Venom) with a list of what we thought it required for compliance purposes, to which Scott added a few more things he thought it could do with for road-worthiness and general maintenance/ upgrading.



We thought we were pretty much on track but our engineer added a few more things he required before he would issue the crucial modification plate. In total there were over twenty items (!!) on the car that needed to be modified or fitted to meet the relevant ADRs and compliancing requirements. The engineering exercise is therefore significantly more difficult, time consuming and expensive than simply bringing in a 60’s Mustang Camaro or Corvette. Scott attended to all these, and more, with the skill and enthusiasm and professionalism that those of us who have had dealings with him over the years have come to expect.

The car passed engineering with flying colours on Dec 23rd and it was registered on Christmas Eve. I resisted the urge to tie a big bow on it and put it under the Christmas tree!

Here are the plates which give you just a small hint as to what powers her.



Factory-built Arntz cars were mainly fitted with small or big block Chevs (or Chevys) but have a look at how far back that old BB is mounted. There’s room for a fair sized esky behind the radiator!



The leading edge of the block is actually to the rear of the trailing edge of the tyres. Mid-engined or what? And a cool feature is that notch in the bodywork near the windscreen to allow access to the distributor.



The car is in superb condition for its age and is an absolute credit to its previous owners. I am so elated that after being a Cobra fanatic for a long time – I bought Carroll Shelby’s “The Cobra Story” nearly forty years ago – and having had two other Cobras in the family, I finally have my own.

The Arntz is built on a 91” wheelbase yet the footwell is longer and, importantly, wider at the pedals than any others I’ve seen, even with that big block sitting so far back. Brisbane guys will know that I am unable to fit into the driver’s side of any of the local cars: there simply is insufficient length or width at the front of the footwell, even in the stretched versions, and so I’d almost given up hope of ever having one of these terrific cars.

I had read the fascinating Arntz history during our research and corresponded with some of the Arntz owners in the US. They assured me that the way their cars were designed, with a wide and deep footwell and adjustable floor mounted pedals, I would be able to fit my 6’5” in – just. With the pedals relocated to full stretch I could have driven the car safely but not altogether comfortably. And predictably Scott was not satisfied with that situation. This is where the benefit of his years of experience with Cobras, together with his renowned fabricating skills came into play. He managed to create from somewhere another two inches of forward placement for the clutch and brake, and re-jig the throttle pedal so that it now sits further forward and higher, and works much more smoothly than before. Perfect! In fact Craig, who is right on the six foot mark, has to slide forward in the seat to be able to fully depress the clutch.



My car is 31 years old and she has a lovely old-school American sports-muscle car feel about her; LHD, the carbied big block, a fairly meaty close ratio 4-speed Muncie box with an incredibly tall first gear, Jag rear, and an MG front end with lever arm shocks and, by today’s standards, quite puny brakes! The front end is to be replaced very smartly with an uprated alloy aftermarket IFS with a weight saving of some eighty pounds, much lighter steering and some good Wilwood stoppers.

The fuel cell is mounted up high behind the seats giving very spacious luggage carrying capacity in the boot. (Don’t know about the centre of gravity though!)



The seats have a lovely aged look about them but are still quite comfortable.



It runs fifteens and I’m going to keep them to stay with the “period” look.

What surprised Scott was the condition of the underside. It was almost brand new. I think the car has led a very sheltered life. Did I say I’m rapt? Now I just wish this rain would stop so I can take her for a nice long drive…..

PS: My heartfelt thanks to Craig, Scott and….Jodie Hancock.

[Phil X]

Great find Don,

I remember Arntz were the first Cobra replicas I saw in magazines in the 70's, and I wanted one! after investigating importing one at the time it all seemed too hard, but I never lost the dream, and after following Python, RMC and others I finally found Robnell close to home.

I look forward to seeing more of your Cobra.

Phil

[stefanog]

Well done Don, great find. The car looks very impressive! Just remember, at 80klms, you really don't get very wet!

Enjoy her as pften as possible!

With Scotty and Craig around to help, you've got a great couple of dudes behind you!

Stef

[Wazza]

Well done Big Boy....Looking forward to seeing you out and about in the new toy.....

Great stuff.

Cheers,
Warren.

[Rebel1]

The original cobra replica, the best towie in town, and the best cobra fabricator in Oz...what more can you expect.

Absolutely stunning stuff.

[Buzz]

Congrats Don! Its a fantastic feeling to find yourself looking at your own Cobra after wanting one for years and practically giving up on finding the right one. Enjoy the heck out of it - the fun is just beginning.

[Merv and Sharon]

Lovely car Don with a lovely 'old school' look as well. Will look forward to seeing it.

[boxhead]

Great looking car Don, enjoy

[decooney]

Nice Find!

Has all of the right signature bits too. ...Triangle Rollbar, correct stitched interior, correct dash, correct Nardi steering wheel, round barrel brass expansion tank, hoop bumpers, split bolt sidepipes... all the right stuff. Don't throw any of those items away - all key items for the car and its history.

If it has the Aldan rear street-rod style coilover shocks in it too, those might be better on a shelf and replaced with some QA1s or something, but otherwise totally cool. Congratulations, neat car!

[SoTxButler]

Congratulations...the car looks great. It's nice to know that you fit at 6'5". I remember telling you in the past that I thought you would fit.

I am going to keep my eye out for other Arntz or Butlers at least 30 yrs old. Maybe others from down under will want to travel the route you just traveled. After all, you know where all the bumps are.

Good luck with the car...and remember...respect it or will hurt you.

[750hp]

While no replica can reasonably be put on the same perch as a CSX2... or CSX3... Shelby, what Dad and I kept talking about was the fascinating history behind some of the early replicas - in the US, UK and Australia. It's fair to say the story of Steve Arntz and the business he created had a bit of drama, deception and intrigue, all of which makes the earliest replicas even more interesting. The fact that they're also such a well built car (and that this one in particular looks like it's been caught in a time-warp) makes it even better.

Russ - as you might have seen with the variety of Cobras in Australia, we aren't as heavily tied into the originality aspect as in the US, and a lot of people are averse to driving a LHD car in a country that will forever be designed around RHD cars. For these reason, I'm pretty sure that 99% of Cobra buyers out here are looking for new locally built and complianced cars with modern suspension geometry, newer Falcon and Nissan Skyline IRS rear end, plus late model all alum performance motors such as LS3s and LS7 small blocks. As such, old US replicas such as the Arntz, early Contemporary, Unique and ERAs would have an extremely limited market.

Dad's had a string of motor bikes and French, German and Pommy sports cars and used to fang around Lakeside and Surfers Paradise International Raceway in his race car back in the day. He was hands-on in the ground-up nut and bolt build of my first car - the XY that Kev Horner piloted down the airport runway at West Wyalong - and has always supported my sometimes illogical obsession with fitting a big block or supercharger onto a number of cars over the years. To see the look on his face when we first saw the Arntz in the flesh was a fantastic moment, and I'm so bloody proud to have a Dad who's more like a brother that I can share my greatest hobby with.

[albanycobra]

Congrats Craig and well done. The car looks great.

[750hp]

I helped out with the logistics of the car getting out here, but it's Dad's car. He'd better get used to me sounding like the typical son every now and then asking "Dad, can I borrow your car???"

[lal Naja]

Congratulations Don & Craig, You have great intestinal fortitude to go through the bureaucratic process of importing & legalizing your Lal Naja, She looks sweet. Enjoy!!!!!

Happy New Year.

Arthur

[Rebel1]

Originally Posted by 750hp

I helped out with the logistics of the car getting out here, but it's Dad's car. He'd better get used to me sounding like the typical son every now and then asking "Dad, can I borrow your car???"

No way I'd be giving it to you if I was ya Dad Craig.

I'd sure be encouraging you to get yours back on the road tho .. I take it you still have it?

[boxhead]

Originally Posted by Rebel1

No way I'd be giving it to you if I was ya Dad Craig.

I'd sure be encouraging you to get yours back on the road tho .. I take it you still have it?

I was wondering the same.

[Donunder]

Thanks for the interesting replies everybody. I'm presently in a state of extreme frustration: it's been raining for the past two weeks, to the extent that we've experienced the wettest December in 150 years in the south-east part of Queensland, and today is the first really fine day in what seems like eternity.

Great Cobra weather you say? A perfect opportunity to get to know the newest member of the family?

Wrong!! My left knee has been playing up for some time now, the result of worn cartilage and ligament damage sustained in a bingle I had on my bike in March which hasn't settled down of its own accord. So yesterday I had an arthroscopy and now I'm bandaged up like a mummy with my left leg immobilised and unable to drive anywhere. Bugger!!!!

Having owned a couple of Healeys in my younger days, a 100/6 and a 3000 Mk2, I became interested in their background and their racing and rally history, and so it was gratifying to read Duane's remarks about the correct features of my car as they pertain to how the factory Arntz cars were produced back inthe 70s. Rest assured Duane these will be retained! And we're also on the lookout for the correct wheels if you happen to see any....

Russ and Arthur: Yep, glad I trusted your advice about the cockpit. If anything you understated its size. It's huge! I guess every now and then in this life you just have to screw up your eyes and take that jump. I definitely landed on my feet with you two guys. Thanks again! We'll no doubt be in contact regularly over the years discussing things Arntz and Butler.

And Les, don't worry, it'll be on a leash if you-know-who wants to borrow it. His is still taking up space in my barbq area looking quite forlorn, but I think that with the arrival of the Arntz there is a certain rekindling of desire to resurrect it. Not in its original form however, that unfortunately can never happen again, but in some state of build that will not raise the ire of the Transport Dept like it did before. Happy memories. What an animal it was! I think that as soon as Scotty attends to compliance (that word again!) work on Craig's Chevelle, there may be some move on the Cobra.

Enough of this typing --- I have to go and look at her again!

[SoTxButler]

You are beginning to sound like a "Proud Daddy".

[Donunder]

Originally Posted by SoTxButler

You are beginning to sound like a "Proud Daddy".

Yes I know Russ, I'll stop now, but this Daddy has been waiting for his baby for nearly forty years. That's a heck of a gestation period!

[Wazza]

Originally Posted by Donunder

Yes I know Russ, I'll stop now, but this Daddy has been waiting for his baby for nearly forty years. That's a heck of a gestation period!

This is starting to get Icky !!!!


I remember when I first got the Black Cobra, and I would polish it over and over....

I LOVED the way it looked, and one evening in the garage, as I went over it yet again...I explained to ( then) one of my 15 year old boys, as I polished the rear wheel arches......

that I thought the shape of the Cobra was awesome...and that I loved the rear end of the car most...it reminded me of a woman's curves !!!!...





There was a very long awkward silence...followed by my boy backing out of the garage with a queer look on his face....

I should keep those thoughts to myself I guess .

Enjoy her Don....but not in a weird way !!!!:D