Advice on buying a Cobra

[Flukeyluke]

Good morning.
I currently drive a modified XR6 Turbo but am thinking of off loading that and buying myself a Cobra as a weekender. My problem is I know nothing about them other than they look awesome and sound even better.

I dont want a race car, but I do want an 8, and something quickish. If it had comparable pace to what i have today ( mid 12's over 1/4 ) that would be great.

My only other criteria is that it would have to drive pretty well. ie look like an old car but drive like new. Is that possible?? I dont want something that steers like a 40 year old Falcon

My budget would be about $60K.

Any advice you can offer would be most appreciated.
Cheers,
Luke.

[Excaliber]

Most of the replicas 'steer' very well indeed, there is no comparison to ANY 'old car' thats note worthy. Best comparisons are made to TODAYS most advanced cars. The question is not: Does it handle\drive better than a Falcon?

The question is:
Does it handle\drive better than a NEW Vette?
The fact that the question is even worthy of debate provides the answer you seek!

Any decent replica Cobra will run in the mid to low 12's. Small or big block, these cars are mostly 'traction limited' rather than 'horse power' limited.

Best ride, comfort\handling would be an IRS. All though there is room for debate on that question as well, in general I'd say IRS is 'better'.

$60K should get you a very nice, very reliable, street friendly, looks terrific, rides nice and FAST as hell replica Cobra.

Buy mine for $45k right now!

[Flukeyluke]

Thanks for the reply.

So power requirements look like a Yes.
Comfort/handling looks like a Yes ( with IRS )

Small block? Big block ? Rear end? Transmission?

Luke.

[Barry Nelson]

The question of big block small block does not apply in Australia as the ADR'S
and compliance only allow current passenger car motors, I have a Ford winsor
in my car, I think the best bang for your buck is the gen 3 chevy readily available and well priced, there are many good kits around or finnished cars
if you don't want to build your own car
Regards

[Aussie Mike]

Luke.

If you are in Melbourne we have our monthly get together this Thursday evening. It would be a good chance to talk to lots of Cobra owners and people still building.

Cheers

Michael

[Flukeyluke]

Originally Posted by Aussie Mike

Luke.

If you are in Melbourne we have our monthly get together this Thursday evening. It would be a good chance to talk to lots of Cobra owners and people still building.

Cheers

Michael

Yep, Melbourne. Can you PM or post details, If I can get along I will.
Thanks,
Luke.

[kobrah]

Hi Luke
What the other guys said is all great advice. Especially Aussie Mike's advice. Talk to the guys who own them.
I also downloaded the following from (I think) this site a while ago. A bit of a for dummies style approach to buying a cobra, or any car for that matter. It could be useful:

Ok, the first thing you have to ask yourself is "how much money am I willing to spend for a used Cobra", and what my usage is going to be. Now, by usage, I mean a either a daily driver, weekend cruiser, show car/trailer queen, 1/4 mile drag racer, road racer, or any combination of the above. Once you have set your budget and have a pretty good idea of what you want to initially spend, your next goal is to find the right car for you. Whether your spending $32,000, or $150,000 should not matter at this point, as I've personally seen beautiful, well built cars at $32,000, and some truly horrible cars with over $100,000 in to the build.


Your qualifications:
Know your strengths and weaknesses when shopping for a used Cobra, if you know bodywork, and not the mechanicals, take along someone who has a greater mechanical ability than yourself. Vice versa if your strengths are in the mechanical end of things, and not the cosmetics. Two sets (or more) of eyes are always better than one.

If your going to see a cobra in person:

What to look for:
Fit: How does the body sit on the chassis, do the doors, hood, trunk all line up?

Finish: How is the paint, are there runs, drips, sags. Does the paint have a nice shine to it, or does it need to be buffed out or stripped and repainted?

Interior condition: Does the interior show a lot of aging, do the seats need to be recovered.

Mechanical: Are there any leaks or drips under the car? What about the overall appearance, does the car look like it was well taken care of, or does it look like it was ridden hard and abused.

Engine: Again, any leaks or fluid drips, how does it sound (this can be tough on a car such as the Cobra). Check the engine warm, cold, at partial throttle and at idle. Make sure to check the temperature gauge once the car is warmed up and at idle. Also check to make sure the thermostatically controlled fan (if so equipped) kicks in when it is supposed to.

Transmission: Take the car out for a road test if possible (don't expect to let the seller to allow you to drive it), does the clutch work properly, does the transmission shift smoothly through the gears. Check for leaks here as well.

Rear End: Does the rear end clunk, leak fluids (check behind rear rims for signs of fluid, along with the front and rear of the differential housing)

Suspension: Check the bushings, do they look cracked and worn out, if so, factor in replacements to your costs. What about the shocks (coil overs or ???), if you ask the seller to push down on each corner, watch the rebound, if they bounce forever, then expect to replace them. If the car is equipped with coil over shocks, set the car on an even surface and see if the car sits level or not. if so, then the shocks do not have to be adjusted, if not, then expect a few hours getting things right.

Brakes: If you place your hand on the front disks (do this before the car has been driven), can you feel any grooves in the disk itself? Does the brake pedal feel firm when your sitting in the car, what about on the test drive, ask the seller to do at least one hard braking maneuver so that you can tell whether the brakes are adjusted correctly for the car. Some cars will have a combination of disks and drums, others will have four wheel disk brakes. If set up correctly, a disk/drum set up will work for all but the most extreme usage (IE: heavy road racing, endurance racing, etc).

Wheels: Are the wheels balanced, bolted on, or held on with knock off's? Bolt on wheels are a matter of personal preference, if you like what is on the car, great, if not, factor in a replacement some time down the road. Knock off's should be checked to make sure they are tight, if the knock offs and safety wired on the car, that shows a level of attention worthy of a good owner/seller....

Tires: Are the sidewalls cracked, are the DOT approved, radials or biased ply? What about the sizing, do the fronts both match? What about the rears?

Electrical system: Do all of the lights function, hi beams, lo beams, turn signals, brake lights, horn, etc? What about all of the gauges, do they read correctly?

If your buying a Cobra sight unseen:

Use the above as a reference guide as to what questions need to be asked. If the owner is forthcoming with detailed answers, then you can feel a little more comfortable in dealing with them. if the answers are a little more ambiguous and vague, then perhaps the owners is trying to hide something, or does not really have any mechanical ability or qualifications to answer the questions above..If this is the case, and your still interested in the car, pay to have the car professionally looked at by a qualified inspection service.

In closing, most of the above is all based on common sense. Don't let your emotions get involved in the decision whether to purchase one car or another. Also don't let other so called "experts" sway you to this brand or that, after all, it's your money, not theirs that your planning to spend..Finally, if you need assistance, or don't understand something fully, feel free to ask questions.

A bit long but could be some help.

[Flukeyluke]

Originally Posted by kobrah

Hi Luke
What the other guys said is all great advice. Especially Aussie Mike's advice. Talk to the guys who own them.
I also downloaded the following from (I think) this site a while ago. A bit of a for dummies style approach to buying a cobra, or any car for that matter. It could be useful:

Ok, the first thing you have to ask yourself is "how much money am I willing to spend for a used Cobra", and what my usage is going to be. Now, by usage, I mean a either a daily driver, weekend cruiser, show car/trailer queen, 1/4 mile drag racer, road racer, or any combination of the above. Once you have set your budget and have a pretty good idea of what you want to initially spend, your next goal is to find the right car for you. Whether your spending $32,000, or $150,000 should not matter at this point, as I've personally seen beautiful, well built cars at $32,000, and some truly horrible cars with over $100,000 in to the build.


Your qualifications:
Know your strengths and weaknesses when shopping for a used Cobra, if you know bodywork, and not the mechanicals, take along someone who has a greater mechanical ability than yourself. Vice versa if your strengths are in the mechanical end of things, and not the cosmetics. Two sets (or more) of eyes are always better than one.

If your going to see a cobra in person:

What to look for:
Fit: How does the body sit on the chassis, do the doors, hood, trunk all line up?

Finish: How is the paint, are there runs, drips, sags. Does the paint have a nice shine to it, or does it need to be buffed out or stripped and repainted?

Interior condition: Does the interior show a lot of aging, do the seats need to be recovered.

Mechanical: Are there any leaks or drips under the car? What about the overall appearance, does the car look like it was well taken care of, or does it look like it was ridden hard and abused.

Engine: Again, any leaks or fluid drips, how does it sound (this can be tough on a car such as the Cobra). Check the engine warm, cold, at partial throttle and at idle. Make sure to check the temperature gauge once the car is warmed up and at idle. Also check to make sure the thermostatically controlled fan (if so equipped) kicks in when it is supposed to.

Transmission: Take the car out for a road test if possible (don't expect to let the seller to allow you to drive it), does the clutch work properly, does the transmission shift smoothly through the gears. Check for leaks here as well.

Rear End: Does the rear end clunk, leak fluids (check behind rear rims for signs of fluid, along with the front and rear of the differential housing)

Suspension: Check the bushings, do they look cracked and worn out, if so, factor in replacements to your costs. What about the shocks (coil overs or ???), if you ask the seller to push down on each corner, watch the rebound, if they bounce forever, then expect to replace them. If the car is equipped with coil over shocks, set the car on an even surface and see if the car sits level or not. if so, then the shocks do not have to be adjusted, if not, then expect a few hours getting things right.

Brakes: If you place your hand on the front disks (do this before the car has been driven), can you feel any grooves in the disk itself? Does the brake pedal feel firm when your sitting in the car, what about on the test drive, ask the seller to do at least one hard braking maneuver so that you can tell whether the brakes are adjusted correctly for the car. Some cars will have a combination of disks and drums, others will have four wheel disk brakes. If set up correctly, a disk/drum set up will work for all but the most extreme usage (IE: heavy road racing, endurance racing, etc).

Wheels: Are the wheels balanced, bolted on, or held on with knock off's? Bolt on wheels are a matter of personal preference, if you like what is on the car, great, if not, factor in a replacement some time down the road. Knock off's should be checked to make sure they are tight, if the knock offs and safety wired on the car, that shows a level of attention worthy of a good owner/seller....

Tires: Are the sidewalls cracked, are the DOT approved, radials or biased ply? What about the sizing, do the fronts both match? What about the rears?

Electrical system: Do all of the lights function, hi beams, lo beams, turn signals, brake lights, horn, etc? What about all of the gauges, do they read correctly?

If your buying a Cobra sight unseen:

Use the above as a reference guide as to what questions need to be asked. If the owner is forthcoming with detailed answers, then you can feel a little more comfortable in dealing with them. if the answers are a little more ambiguous and vague, then perhaps the owners is trying to hide something, or does not really have any mechanical ability or qualifications to answer the questions above..If this is the case, and your still interested in the car, pay to have the car professionally looked at by a qualified inspection service.

In closing, most of the above is all based on common sense. Don't let your emotions get involved in the decision whether to purchase one car or another. Also don't let other so called "experts" sway you to this brand or that, after all, it's your money, not theirs that your planning to spend..Finally, if you need assistance, or don't understand something fully, feel free to ask questions.

A bit long but could be some help.

Appreciate your response.
Thanks,

[stuartt]

Well,kobrah has the mechanical side covered now to the paperwork. Because all of these cars are individually constructed they have to be engineered, check that the car you are buying conforms to the engineers certificate that should come with the car, if buying the car interstate check that the engineer is recognised in your state, and be prepared for nigilly problems as everybody interprets the rules differently.

Good luck

[Flukeyluke]

Thanks guys for all the replys.

My budget will be $60K. Could some one "spec up" a car that I could realistically expect to buy for that amount. Is it realistic to expect to get something with a Gen3, perhaps only 2-3 years old and say less than 10,000k's?

The only ones I have seen advertised are on Carsales, and they vary heaps, in terms of specs and pricing. Leaves a guy a little confused

Luke.

[kobrah]

60k should get you what you want. You have to shop round. Even if you end up with not exactly what you are after you can buy a cobra with a nice paint and panel and fit a gen 3 ya self and come in under 60k.
Some people when they sell their cobra they are selling their baby (most probably built it them selves) so over inflate a bit. Some of the more 'realistic' (read less attached) owners will do better.
On the whole though the finnish will probably dictate the final sale price. If you don't mind a little rough at the edges ya save a few $'s. If you want a picasso you pay for a picasso.
Don't know what the rest of the boys think??

[boxhead]

Welcome along Luke.
Since you are in Melbourne I wold get along to the club meeting and talk to a few of the guys who have cars, listen to what they have to say.
I am not sure if you are mechanicaly minded at all or if you have the time to put into building 1 of these cars.
I dont think there are too many on the market for sale with the Gen III fitted yet as there arent a lot registered yet.
Ask around and do some research, at the money you are talking you should be able to find a decent well sorted car that could be afew years old and complied with the small block windsor fitted.
Dont be afraid to ask any questions in here as an answer will not be far away.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by kobrah

Hi Luke
What the other guys said is all great advice. Especially Aussie Mike's advice. Talk to the guys who own them.
I also downloaded the following from (I think) this site a while ago. A bit of a for dummies style approach to buying a cobra, or any car for that matter. It could be useful:

Ok, the first thing you have to ask yourself is "how much money am I willing to spend for a used Cobra", and what my usage is going to be. Now, by usage, I mean a either a daily driver, weekend cruiser, show car/trailer queen, 1/4 mile drag racer, road racer, or any combination of the above. Once you have set your budget and have a pretty good idea of what you want to initially spend, your next goal is to find the right car for you. Whether your spending $32,000, or $150,000 should not matter at this point, as I've personally seen beautiful, well built cars at $32,000, and some truly horrible cars with over $100,000 in to the build.


Your qualifications:
Know your strengths and weaknesses when shopping for a used Cobra, if you know bodywork, and not the mechanicals, take along someone who has a greater mechanical ability than yourself. Vice versa if your strengths are in the mechanical end of things, and not the cosmetics. Two sets (or more) of eyes are always better than one.

If your going to see a cobra in person:

What to look for:
Fit: How does the body sit on the chassis, do the doors, hood, trunk all line up?

Finish: How is the paint, are there runs, drips, sags. Does the paint have a nice shine to it, or does it need to be buffed out or stripped and repainted?

Interior condition: Does the interior show a lot of aging, do the seats need to be recovered.

Mechanical: Are there any leaks or drips under the car? What about the overall appearance, does the car look like it was well taken care of, or does it look like it was ridden hard and abused.

Engine: Again, any leaks or fluid drips, how does it sound (this can be tough on a car such as the Cobra). Check the engine warm, cold, at partial throttle and at idle. Make sure to check the temperature gauge once the car is warmed up and at idle. Also check to make sure the thermostatically controlled fan (if so equipped) kicks in when it is supposed to.

Transmission: Take the car out for a road test if possible (don't expect to let the seller to allow you to drive it), does the clutch work properly, does the transmission shift smoothly through the gears. Check for leaks here as well.

Rear End: Does the rear end clunk, leak fluids (check behind rear rims for signs of fluid, along with the front and rear of the differential housing)

Suspension: Check the bushings, do they look cracked and worn out, if so, factor in replacements to your costs. What about the shocks (coil overs or ???), if you ask the seller to push down on each corner, watch the rebound, if they bounce forever, then expect to replace them. If the car is equipped with coil over shocks, set the car on an even surface and see if the car sits level or not. if so, then the shocks do not have to be adjusted, if not, then expect a few hours getting things right.

Brakes: If you place your hand on the front disks (do this before the car has been driven), can you feel any grooves in the disk itself? Does the brake pedal feel firm when your sitting in the car, what about on the test drive, ask the seller to do at least one hard braking maneuver so that you can tell whether the brakes are adjusted correctly for the car. Some cars will have a combination of disks and drums, others will have four wheel disk brakes. If set up correctly, a disk/drum set up will work for all but the most extreme usage (IE: heavy road racing, endurance racing, etc).

Wheels: Are the wheels balanced, bolted on, or held on with knock off's? Bolt on wheels are a matter of personal preference, if you like what is on the car, great, if not, factor in a replacement some time down the road. Knock off's should be checked to make sure they are tight, if the knock offs and safety wired on the car, that shows a level of attention worthy of a good owner/seller....

Tires: Are the sidewalls cracked, are the DOT approved, radials or biased ply? What about the sizing, do the fronts both match? What about the rears?

Electrical system: Do all of the lights function, hi beams, lo beams, turn signals, brake lights, horn, etc? What about all of the gauges, do they read correctly?

If your buying a Cobra sight unseen:

Use the above as a reference guide as to what questions need to be asked. If the owner is forthcoming with detailed answers, then you can feel a little more comfortable in dealing with them. if the answers are a little more ambiguous and vague, then perhaps the owners is trying to hide something, or does not really have any mechanical ability or qualifications to answer the questions above..If this is the case, and your still interested in the car, pay to have the car professionally looked at by a qualified inspection service.

In closing, most of the above is all based on common sense. Don't let your emotions get involved in the decision whether to purchase one car or another. Also don't let other so called "experts" sway you to this brand or that, after all, it's your money, not theirs that your planning to spend..Finally, if you need assistance, or don't understand something fully, feel free to ask questions.

A bit long but could be some help.

It's nice to see people actually read what I write

[Flukeyluke]

Originally Posted by boxhead

Welcome along Luke.
Since you are in Melbourne I wold get along to the club meeting and talk to a few of the guys who have cars, listen to what they have to say.
I am not sure if you are mechanicaly minded at all or if you have the time to put into building 1 of these cars.
I dont think there are too many on the market for sale with the Gen III fitted yet as there arent a lot registered yet.
Ask around and do some research, at the money you are talking you should be able to find a decent well sorted car that could be afew years old and complied with the small block windsor fitted.
Dont be afraid to ask any questions in here as an answer will not be far away.

Gen3 is not a must have, just I know SCT have edit for this motor, they are relatively new and parts are in abundance.
I would prefer a Ford engine but i doubt the Boss would fit in a Cobra, meaning a 351 would be the other option. I have always thought the Ford V8's sound better too.
I guess there is nothing to stop me getting a $40K car and adding my own touches, but i certainly dont have the skill to build it myself.

[Beejay]

A few of us here are building up a Gen III Cobra for under $60K. If you do not build one yourself it is probably a $90K car turnkey. See classicrevival.com.au

If you are lucky you can pick up a nice second hand car under $50K and then modify to suit. The most common lately seems to be a 5L Ford engine.

Hope this helps.

Ben

[Aussie Mike]

Vic Club meetings are at the German Club Tivoli on the First Thursday of the month. The meeting starts aound 6:30 - 7:00 PM and runs through till everone gets too tired to talk Cobras.

The address is 291 Dandenong Rd, Windsor.

Here's a link to their web page: http://www.germanclubtivoli.com.au/

Hope to see you there.

Cheers

[NASSTY]

Originally Posted by Flukeyluke

Gen3 is not a must have, just I know SCT have edit for this motor, they are relatively new and parts are in abundance.
I would prefer a Ford engine but i doubt the Boss would fit in a Cobra, meaning a 351 would be the other option. I have always thought the Ford V8's sound better too.
I guess there is nothing to stop me getting a $40K car and adding my own touches, but i certainly dont have the skill to build it myself.

G'day Flukeyluke,
Just for the record

Boss Quad cammers do fit (just), a new cobra cannot be firstly regoed with a 351 windsor b/c of emission ADRs (so you need to buy a used cobra already registered with a 351, and in Vic land you have until the end of this year to use a 2002 ford windsor. (unless they change the rules).

LS1's are the easy option

[Tenrocca]

Originally Posted by Flukeyluke

.......... but i certainly dont have the skill to build it myself.

......thats not stopping me (having a good go at least)

[spookypt]

Mate... I bought mine back in September last year. Rego'd and a solid runner but unpainted and unpretty...But I could have as many Indy gilrs lying on te back of it and I didn't give a hooT! In fact, what we got up to over INdy I'd be surprised if you do it on the bonnet of a normal car...

Anyway....

Since buying it I decided it needed some prettying up... PLans started small...now 2 montsh later, its painted....another month and te new interior will be done..then another month and and a half and I'll have the engine out..detailed, new 8Tb set up, live HPC side pipes and new programmable ECU. Was originally going to be a "just drive the &*^%^&% out of it" now it will be "just drive the (*&^*&%^ out of it" and clean it when I get home.....maybe..

Good luck, enjoy the bug! The bank balance loves it....plus the cars have an amazing effect on scantilly clad women!

Spookypt

[Flukeyluke]

Originally Posted by NASSTY

G'day Flukeyluke,
Just for the record

Boss Quad cammers do fit (just), a new cobra cannot be firstly regoed with a 351 windsor b/c of emission ADRs (so you need to buy a used cobra already registered with a 351, and in Vic land you have until the end of this year to use a 2002 ford windsor. (unless they change the rules).

LS1's are the easy option

Good info, thanks.