Best US Cobra for Aussie

[macloft]

I am an Australian resident (house and kids in Queensland) but have lived in US for 2 1/2 years with a green card. I have a cobra in Australia which I cant import to US. I want a cobra. I can buy one in US and take it back to Aussie (or NZ were will I end up living?) when I go back as a personal import as long as I have it in US for > 1 year. I would have to convert (or purchase in States new from Superformance or BDR) to RH drive and have mirrors seat belts done. Pretty straight forward when working through with my engineer, I could do the work myself while in US.
I would like to select a Cobra which would have value in Aussie.
Options are huge and legal from all the info I have collated.
So what should I get.
I want a hill climb, track day, road car that I can grow with and live my dream.
Cheers

[bret a ewing]

Quote from xB60

"Why? ERA makes arguably the most accurate 427 replica and 289FIA replica around............................................ ."

As an FYI but not to argue
I have had both ERA and Contemp, and yes both body shapes were molded directly from a real CSX3k, Contemp was CSX3045, an S/C, If I remember correctly. As far as the actual construction of the body/frame (birdcage) they are not as accurate as a Kirk or a CSX4k.
Bret.

[Rickd]

The ERA has dimensionally accurate external measurements, cockpit, trunk, engine compartment - the chassis fabrication is the departure from the original. ERA uses 3" by 4" rectangular tube steel for the chassis - with a X cross member under the passenger compartment. It IS the most rigid of the cobra chassis on the market. They went with that design as they built the car to be tracked by serious racers. The chassis members wrap around the passenger compartment - at shoulder height. Little engineering details are what made me sell my "other brand" cobra and order a new turn key ERA FIA.

The door latch - is mounted on a steel plate - and bolted to the chassis. It is strong enough that you could lift the entire car by the latches!! The "other" brand that I had - had door latches mounted into glass blocks bonded to the body. ERA's consistency of quality and fabrication is - amazing. The same guy wells every chassis. All of the finish work is done - by the same mechanic. They build 60 cars a year ( plus or minus 5-6), and then in their 'other shop' they build the GT40. The only US marketed cobra I would put ahead of ERA is Kirkham ... tremendous engineering and execution by an equally great team. Kirkham, the best aluminum bodied cobra and ERA the best glass bodied cobra - in North America. My opinion. PS - my favorite photo of my FIA is in my gallery - it is the one of my car on a lift at ERA - with Doug doing the final inspection before the finished car was trailered for the trip to Florida.

[boxhead]

Originally Posted by macloft

I am an Australian resident (house and kids in Queensland) but have lived in US for 2 1/2 years with a green card. I have a cobra in Australia which I cant import to US. I want a cobra. I can buy one in US and take it back to Aussie (or NZ were will I end up living?) when I go back as a personal import as long as I have it in US for > 1 year. I would have to convert (or purchase in States new from Superformance or BDR) to RH drive and have mirrors seat belts done. Pretty straight forward when working through with my engineer, I could do the work myself while in US.
I would like to select a Cobra which would have value in Aussie.
Options are huge and legal from all the info I have collated.
So what should I get.
I want a hill climb, track day, road car that I can grow with and live my dream.
Cheers

I thought that if you owned it while living O/S for x period of time, then you did not need to convert to R/H drive?
I would prefer R/H drive, but did not think it was a requirement.
There are alot of new and newish L/H drive cars in Alice (Pine Gap employees)

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by Rickd

The ERA has dimensionally accurate external measurements, cockpit, trunk, engine compartment - the chassis fabrication is the departure from the original. ERA uses 3" by 4" rectangular tube steel for the chassis - with a X cross member under the passenger compartment. It IS the most rigid of the cobra chassis on the market. They went with that design as they built the car to be tracked by serious racers. The chassis members wrap around the passenger compartment - at shoulder height. Little engineering details are what made me sell my "other brand" cobra and order a new turn key ERA FIA.

The door latch - is mounted on a steel plate - and bolted to the chassis. It is strong enough that you could lift the entire car by the latches!! The "other" brand that I had - had door latches mounted into glass blocks bonded to the body. ERA's consistency of quality and fabrication is - amazing. The same guy wells every chassis. All of the finish work is done - by the same mechanic. They build 60 cars a year ( plus or minus 5-6), and then in their 'other shop' they build the GT40. The only US marketed cobra I would put ahead of ERA is Kirkham ... tremendous engineering and execution by an equally great team. Kirkham, the best aluminum bodied cobra and ERA the best glass bodied cobra - in North America. My opinion. PS - my favorite photo of my FIA is in my gallery - it is the one of my car on a lift at ERA - with Doug doing the final inspection before the finished car was trailered for the trip to Florida.

And I thought I sounded like an ERA ad! Thanks for adding that in, Rickd
Cheers!
Glen

[Jethrow]

Is there any published data supporting your claim that the ERA "IS the most rigid"? Just curious is all. I do admit the ERA chassis does look good, but then again so does the Factory Five unit!

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by Modena

if I can't have a Kirkham, then I'd rather have one, of a couple of manufacturers, of AU kits

Modena,

Agreed, but why can't you have a Kirkham?



Jethrow,
Your FFR mark 4 Chassis looks rigid enough to me.
How's your build coming along?

[LoBelly]

As far as I know no-one in AU is making a 289 kit

The ERA 289 builds posted on CC I have seen are mouthwatering so I think I'd go for that - given your self imposed limitations

LB

[ptrefry]

ERA 427 , ERA 427 , ERA 427 I think i like the ERA 427.

[Modena]

Originally Posted by Dimis

Modena,

Agreed, but why can't you have a Kirkham?



Jethrow,
Your FFR mark 4 Chassis looks rigid enough to me.
How's your build coming along?

in a word, cost

[1985 CCX]

This is Craig's, my old 1982 CCX, now in Ausie.....