Newbie researching brands to buy, Ca. USA

[californiajim]

Long time Vette owner researching Cobra Brands for a switch to cobra replica.
Use will be street and occasional autocross.
Interested in light weight, stiff frame and handling.
Like the look of 289FIA with side headers. Original correctness is not important.
The Classic Roadsters or DAX longer door looks better to me.
Thinking about 302 based motor, IRS , 17" wheels, Need heat, a top and maybe defrost.
Trying to narrow down choices of brands.
1. Is there any place in Northern California that I can see several brands?
2. Any dealers in Northern California?
3. How do I register for highway use in California?
Thanks for any help.

[WardL]

There is an SPF Dealer in Redwood City. Dynamic Auto West, 1823 El Camino Real. 650 307-2610 or 650 548-0913. I've been there and they had a couple of Superformance Cobras. That is a start. I don't know anyone there.

[Got the Bug]

Jim,

Welcome to Club Cobra! When are you located?

Try to make it to one of the Bay Area Cobra Club breakfasts in Livermore or the South Bay. The Livermore group meets every Saturday morning. When the weather is good, you'll see a great cross section of cars there. The South Bay Cobra group is a band of nomads. We alternate between meeting at Baji's in Mt. View or driving over Skyline to Alice's restaurant in Woodside. There's also a North Bay group.

Find a group, check out the cars and see what's right for you.

BACCEVENTS Home

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by californiajim

Long time Vette owner researching Cobra Brands for a switch to cobra replica.
Use will be street and occasional autocross.
Interested in light weight, stiff frame and handling.
Like the look of 289FIA with side headers. Original correctness is not important.
The Classic Roadsters or DAX longer door looks better to me.
Thinking about 302 based motor, IRS , 17" wheels, Need heat, a top and maybe defrost.
Trying to narrow down choices of brands.
1. Is there any place in Northern California that I can see several brands?
2. Any dealers in Northern California?
3. How do I register for highway use in California?
Thanks for any help.

Think away, then check out my ERA 289FIA for sale

http://www.clubcobra.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=4456&cat=2

Yes, truly a shameless self promotion


Bill S.

[*13*]

The 289 bodystyle is offered by a number of really good companies. Unique, ERA, Kirkham, Superformance.... Just to get you started. Budget "can" dictate weight, in that you can have custom parts, bodyshells made to lighten things up. The replica world of Cobra's has so many options & variables that it's pretty though to point anyone in a precise direction. Your budget is usually the best place to start.

[SpecOp1]

As Got the Bug said....try to look at all makes...my 2 cents would be here...
New Backdraft Distributor in California
good luck...you will like the switch...Bill

[Silversmith]

Budget is Key! You can build for as little as 30k or as much as 150k. Top of the line would be Kirkham, Shelby, ERA. Although, you won't build any of these for 30k. If you are in a hurry to drive this Summer. Look @ private for sale here. There are many good cars including FFR, Superformance, Backdraft, Unique & others . You can get good pre-built roadsters here @ good(under 40k) prices. Just make sure to understand what you are buying. Know the Ride before you Buy! While FFR doesn't sell a FIA version, you can get a FIA body via Mr. Bruce & drop on there frame. They are probably the best overall budget (#1 selling roadster kit) build & have a great factory/owners support group.

Welcome to the Addiction! There is no Cure!

[Ron61]

3. How do I register for highway use in California?

If you buy one in California make sure it already has the SB-100 number assigned to it. If you build one then to register it legally you will have to go through the process of getting one of those Numbers. Depending on your DMV, this can go rather easily or if you happen to have one of the DMVs like ours you would be better off to talk to some people and find out which ones around you are car friendly. And as others have said, the prices are going to really be all over the place depending on what you want.

Maybe take a look on Cobra Country if you don't see anything here that you really like. Curt Scott normally has a few from California with the SB-100 number already on them.

Ron

[Rickd]

I love the 289 FIA body .. my ERA is my second one. Bought a used Unique initially then after 2 years, ordered a turnkey ERA. I would take a good look at the used ERA offered above ... has a neat aluminum block HIPO motor. Mr. Mustang buys / drives / sells ... has had quite a few cobras of all manufacturers. I believe he bought this one less than a year ago from a seller (original owner) from Wash. state. Unless I were going to get an aluminum bodier Kirkham (probably around $90 all finished), or more depending on how crazy you want to get with a motor, I would definitely get another ERA. Spectacular rear racing suspension, super stiff - buiilt to be raced. As the original .. excellent trunk space, original jag emergency brake, and details ... like the door hinges .. mounted on a steel plate ... bolted to a steel chassis member. Like a real car. There are some out there with latches mounted on glass pads bonded to the body. You don't want that.

Superformance now has a 289 FIA, would be definitely worth checking out. But I would recommend using some frequent flyer miles to check out Mr. Mustang's FIA. I am not sure ... but I think it might have had a Richmond Gear 5 speed. Checked - has a tremec.

The engine is an aluminum block Ford SVT motor that was cast in the same plant in Italy that does castings for Ferrari. Probably the only Fuel Injected cobra on the market ... with a neat motor, and the ERA custom rear end. If I needed a FIA cobra ... that one would be in my garage.

[tcrist]

You stated that you like the looks of the door on the Classic Roadster and the Dax. The Dax I believe is from over the pond. CR is out of business but Bill Emerson Emerson MotorSports - Emerson 427 - Bigger, stronger, faster, better. You heard this before, let us prove it! has the same style. Not that far of a drive from you. You can come take a look at my CR (even closer) if you want to see what it looks like in person.

[Ron61]

Terry,

Bill Emerson has done one thing to his cars that you may not know about. Where the classic roadster door extends up forward, he has cut that part out of the body and moved the cowl hoop back, which gives about an extra 6" of clearance for getting in and out. It really worked out well. The outside of the door still looks the same, but you just have more space once you open it.

Ron

[tcrist]

Thanks for the info Ron.

I did know about the way Bill did his doors but am not sure about him moving the cowl bar. He sold his set of door hinges to someone with a CR and that person said that they were supposed to be a direct fit. I never heard back from them though.

I like the way his hinges opens the door away from the body instead of into the body like the CR does.

I was going to design a set of door hinges to do that but when I heard that he had already done it, I did not want to infringe in his design. No sense to re-invent the wheel.