Cobra Replica Owner's Review

TButtrick · #1 (**permalink**) 11-30-2008, 01:16 PM

GUIDELINES FOR THIS THREAD:

This thread is intended to give prospective Cobra replica buyers some insight into how the owner's judge their own rides. Please refrain from posting replies that do not follow the template supplied below. If you'd like additional information from any of the posters within this thread, please PM those individuals directly. Consistency will be the key to the threads success as a valuable tool for prospective buyers.

Rules for members posting here:

a. you can only post about the marque you currently own and drive
b. you can only comment on a post here by use of PM to the original poster.
c. moderators are the only ones to call BS and ask to remove inacurate info.
d. calling a fowl can only be done through PM to designated moderator and not in current thread.
e. pros and cons statements should be accurate and backed up with data if called to the carpet by moderators.
These are not opinions. These are, as the owner of the car, things you know to be givens among the Cobra community
in general that newbies might want to know. "Nothing wrong with my car" does not cut it.
f. you should have ZERO financial interest in the manufacturer of your replica
g. this is not the place to sell your car

Please use the below template by selecting the template and cutting/pasting into your new post

PHP Code:


			
[b]Make/Model:[/b]
[b]Manufacturers Web Site:[/b]
[b]Owners Forum Link:[/b]
[b]Year/Miles:[/b] 
[b]Built by/Time to build:[/b]
[b]Engine/Horsepower:[/b] 
[b]Pros:[/b] 
[b]Cons:[/b] 
[b]Comments:[/b]

EXAMPLE:

Make/Model: Factory Five/Mark I Roadster
Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.factoryfive.com
Year/Miles: 2001/62,220
Built by/Time to build: self/1.5 years
Engine: FMS392W/420HP
Pros: Build it yourself. Original style tubular frame. Can be built on a budget using Mustang donor or go hog wild with all new parts. use IRS or solid axle rears. Mustang aftermarket performance parts are plentiful. Can accept 289,302,351W or FE carbed or EFI. Large support group available online. Easy and economical to make any improvements or repairs to suite the owner.
Cons: Body shape is off the mark for purists. Some fab skills are helpful. Interior carpeting and dash are on the lower quality scale. Takes some effort to bring the final product close to authenticity.
Comments: No regrets in purchasing this product. As much fun to build as it has been to drive.

newguy · #2 (**permalink**) 11-30-2008, 06:13 PM

Nine car! and great thread for those of us looking for our first kit car.

RMHINC · #3 (**permalink**) 11-30-2008, 06:20 PM

Backdraft Cobra # 656 Roush 402 SR

Make/Model: Backdraft Roadster from Vintage Motorsports
Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.vintagemotorsports.com
Year/Miles: 2008/400
Built by/Time to build: Factory
Engine: Roush 402SR with Twist Wedge Cam / 489HP
Pros: everything & I like it !
Cons: Picking the color from so many choices. Putting up with purists and their version of a replica. Cold winters and rainy days.
Comments: This is my 2nd BDR Cobra (sold my 1st one) The guys @ Vintage are great from the purchase through the install. They are always fair & honest which are rare qualities to find in the car business !

BDR GT 40 Roush 342 SR
BDR Cobra Roush 402 SR
65 Vette Coupe 327/350
05 SL 55 AMG
67 GT 500 R Roush 427

RMHINC · #4 (**permalink**) 11-30-2008, 06:22 PM

RMHINC · #5 (**permalink**) 11-30-2008, 06:25 PM

428street · #6 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 08:37 AM

Make/Model: ERA 427 Street Car - no sidepipes, roll-bar, hood-scoop

Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.erareplicas.com/427/427sc.htm

Year/Miles: 2008/0

Built by/Time to build: Bought a roller (body bonded to frame, front/rear suspension and wheels installed - Did the rest "with a little help from my friends" TTB: Still in progress - 1 year +

Engine: FE 428 PI/400HP

Pros: IMHO, most accurate (still in production) fiberglass replica on the market. If you are into in being very close to original this is the car for you. If that is not your bag, still a great car but you can spend less money. Customer service, support, etc. is like no other company I have seen. Doug, Peter, are always eager to help and call backs on problems are returned quickly. Highly customizable to your budget, physical size, etc. Options are only capped by how much you want to spend. I also liked their philosophy of taking the original car and improving on it where the original car was weak without compromising the original look in any way.

Cons: It can take a while to get, finish, etc. You have to understand that this is sort of a flashback into the 60's and 70's shop and the new consumer attitude of "I want it and I want it now" will not work at ERA. These cars take time and they will get done and will get done 100%. 99% of the people who purchase ERA 427's get an s/c model. I was interested in the street version. The new design has an s/c trunk and slight flares in the rear which the street car did not have.

Comments: Can say enough good things about the people, product and place. Highly recommend. You will not be unhappy if this is the car you are looking for. If anyone is interested in building a street car, email me for all the details. fzabski@uptocode.net

RedBarchetta · #7 (**permalink**) 12-01-2008, 11:38 AM

Make/Model: Superformance MKIII
Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.superformance.com/
Owner's Forum links: http://www.secondstrike.com/
(this second one requires SPF ownership for access): http://performanceunlimited.com/scof/
Year/Miles: 2000/11,000
Built by/Time to build: HiTech - South Africa; approx. six weeks; this car (build #747) is in a series now fast approaching 3,000 cars. There have been many upgrades/changes to various components over the years. See the following link that explains the primary differences: http://performanceunlimited.com/supe.../features.html
Engine/Horsepower: RDI (North Carolina) 392W/480HP
Pros: The only Cobra replica company to have received official licensing from Carroll Shelby. All cars are hand built on an assembly line = consistent build quality. A+ fit and finish inside and out. All new components throughout, including Wilwood discs, true knock-off wheels, IRS rear, authentic Smiths gauges, leather seats and finished (carpeted) trunk area. It's a "manufactured replica", not a kit, and it comes complete. Add an engine (SB or BB) and a transmission and it's pretty much ready to go. Car handles and drives very well and covers the entire spectrum for cruisers vs. racers. Overall very easy to work on for the do-it-yourself mechanic. Several dealers across the country also provide good coast-to-coast coverage for availability and warranty issues. I'm 6'3" and fit comfortably (after removing the seat tracks and bolting the driver's seat to the floor).
Cons: Clutch/tranny most easily serviced through the top (i.e. pop the seats and remove the removable trans tunnel). Not a typical way to R&R a clutch...the only "job" that I had to outsource (so far). Also the original Smiths mechanical gauges are not the most reliable and water temp/oil pressure gauges are known to fail. It comes with owning a replica that was built to mimic an original, I suppose. Replacement parts from Superformance can be very expensive (think "Corvette" parts from GM vs a similar component for a Saturn and you understand what I'm talking about).
Comments: Overall I am very pleased with my first Cobra and have enjoyed this car for the past five years (I'm third owner). Joining SCOF (Superformance Cobra Owners Forum) after purchase is a must if you like to wrench on your own cars. Without the support of SCOF it is often difficult to get good information/content on specific part #'s and/or the correct procedures. There are also several innovative upgrades that have been born from the SCOF sponsor/readership.

The Superformance is an excellent middle-high end Cobra replica for the person that wants consistent build quality and doesn't have the time/skills to assemble a car on their own. Most people that see my Cobra for the first time ask me if it's a real one, so I view that as a high compliment.

More pics in my gallery.

-Dean

TButtrick · #8 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 06:31 AM

Added guidelines for this thread in first post.

Yetiman · #9 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 09:29 AM

Make/Model: Arntz 427

Manufacturers Web Site: Yea, good one !

Owners Forum Link: http://clubcobra.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=100

Year/Miles: Body and frame built in 1983, car has been on the road since 1989, and has about 14k miles under it.

Built by/Time to build: A friend of mine, about a year and a half and then some major updates farther down the road

Engine/Horsepower: Chevy 350, 420 hp

Pros: The Arntz cars are very well made and solid. The frame is remarkably strong and stiff, and has extra outer side rails for added safety in a side impact (though they are very low in these days where every other vehicle on the road is a truck). The wheelbase is two inches longer for improved handling. The engine is also farther back in the car for better balance and improved handling.
Body quality is quite good though it has inconsistencies that were in the original Cobra the mold was made off of. The shape of the body is quite accurate and the only liberty taken was a 2 inch stretch.
The doors are heavily reinforces (you can sit on them and they won't sag).
It uses a Jaguar XKE independent rear suspension which makes the rear easily tunable with shock and spring changes, and it also has a very comfortable ride quality.
Trigo wheels fir perfectly. I was a bit worried when I switched from the wire wheels the car came with.
Arntz's can be had for very attractive prices, and are still very good kits.

Cons: Company is LONG gone. It was later picked up by Butler, and some spares are reportedly still available through Ron Butler.
Most were built with Chevy engines including mine. This is one of the factors that keeps the prices down on these cars, though a Ford lump is pretty easily swapped in. With a Chevy motor, the distributor in under the cowl and cannot be removed with the engine in the car.
The trans tunnel is quite wide due to the engine being farther back which makes for a narrower foot box.
The pedal set supplied with the kit mounts the master cylinders under the floor which can be inconvenient, but can also be changed easily.
The frame uses rectangular steel tubes. It isn't 'authentic' by any means, but it is a really strong frame. The outer rails are visible under the body if, like me, you don't want side pipes.
The door latches supplied are not of the original Cobra type.
The kit was originally designed to use an MGB front suspension which is crap. There are options for high quality front suspensions, but it takes some engineering.
The kit came with very little in the way of directions or even suggestions for suspension setup. The dealer/distributor was of almost no help on these matters either.
You had to have some skills to complete the kit ! My kit went through several owners before it was built beyond the most rudimentary stages.

Comments: I was intimately familiar with the completed car I bought as I was there for much of the building and mods. I wasn't even so much into Cobra's when I bought it as I was into THAT specific car.
The price was right and I did a LOT of modifications to the car when I got it.
It has a custom built road racing front suspension (built for an MGB) that works quite well.
I personally like the Chevy engine/Doug Nash 5 sp setup my car has. I am not a Ford die hard. But you need to have a thick skin if you get around a lot of car guys with a bowtie under the bonnet.
I have had mine 5 years now and still love Love LOVE it !

Pics:

Roz · #10 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:31 AM

Make/Model: Backdraft Roadster from Vintage Motorsports
Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.vintagemotorsports.com
Year/Miles: 2008/New
Built by/Time to build: Factory
Engine: Roush 427R 529HP 515 Torque
Pros:My 3rd Backdraft. Picking it up in 2 weeks. Purchased it from Vintage Motorsports. Awsome Company!!!!
Cons:None that I can think of. My 1st one

My 2nd one

And the new beast

1985 CCX · #11 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 10:33 AM

Make/Model: Contemporary Classic Motorcars
Manufacturers Web Site: SOL
Year/Miles: 1982 registered 1985/21,000est
Built by/Time to build: Morton Jaguar, Chelmsford, MA/few months
Engine: BOSS351 @ ~375hp backed by 4spd toploader
Pros: Original style 4" tubular frame, Smiths gauges, Talbot Mirrors, 16" original style Moto-Lita steering wheel, Jaguar suspension, Jaguar IRS, Steel framed Connelly leather seats, Wilton Wool carpets, Billboards, Vintage 5 pin wheels, custom floor mounted pedal box, Wilwood brakes, newly added 1960's headlight screens (not shown), correct rollbar, full bumpers as available to S/C's in the 60's, and Squier Design vintage decals. Drives eactly as an original 1966 CSX3000 car, at least comparable to the ones I have driven.
Cons: Need a top when it rains......

Best of all I can share it with the next generation:

Thieleng · #12 (**permalink**) 12-03-2008, 12:32 PM

Make/Model: Superformance Mk III Roadster
Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.secondstrike.com/ http://performanceunlimited.com/scof/
Year/Miles: 2006/5869
Built by/Time to build: Rolling Chassis, continue to modify/enhance/tinker
Engine: Roush 427 IR-Polished, Engine Dyno at 564 HP, 531 FT LBS of Torque
Pros: Comes as a rolling chassis, ready for engine and drive train assembly, quick turn around time for completion. Beautiful paint from the factory. Licensed through Shelby. Workmanship is excellent, modifications for enhancement are plentiful. Provides therapy while sitting or moving, some nights after a tough day at the office I go out into the garage and wax or clean up the car.
Cons: People tend to congregate wherever I park or drive the car, used to be fun, losing some of its appeal at this point. Answering questions on whether it is real or not. Inability to travel to as many events as I would like.
Comments: I never knew how much fun this vehicle would be, I have owned a lot of different cars and the newness wore off quickly, this car never ceases to amaze me nor do I tire of the loud pipes, the smell of unburned fuel, people holding their ears when I drive by, or the chance to drive some auto americana history.

Snakebit · #13 (**permalink**) 12-04-2008, 05:19 AM

ERA 289 FIA
www.erareplicas.com
2008/new
Build time 3 yrs.
Ford Small block stroked to 331 / Webers
Did my own paint and body prep. Paint is PPG Ford Rio Red with Whimbledon White stripes

The quality of the kit is excellent. Everything fit and all the pieces were included and you get a very detailed 143 page assembly manual. Customer service was excellent. Doug, Peter, and Bob were very helpful. The wiring diagram was excellent. I am good with mechanical things, but not electrical. My theory is if I can't see it, I can't fix it. Everything worked, no smoke or melted wires. If you are looking for a high quality kit, this is it. The body was templated from the only existing FIA that was not re-bodied from accidents or crashes. This is a slab side on steroids! The only problem is everyone asks if it's a 427 and I have to explain about the FIA body style and a little racing history.

See my gallery for pictures.

TButtrick · #14 (**permalink**) 12-17-2008, 02:20 PM

Awesome FIA there Snakebit!

cobras · #15 (**permalink**) 12-17-2008, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thieleng

Make/Model: Superformance Mk III Roadster
Manufacturers Web Site: http://www.secondstrike.com/ http://performanceunlimited.com/scof/
Year/Miles: 2006/5869
Built by/Time to build: Rolling Chassis, continue to modify/enhance/tinker
Engine: Roush 427 IR-Polished, Engine Dyno at 564 HP, 531 FT LBS of Torque
Pros: Comes as a rolling chassis, ready for engine and drive train assembly, quick turn around time for completion. Beautiful paint from the factory. Licensed through Shelby. Workmanship is excellent, modifications for enhancement are plentiful. Provides therapy while sitting or moving, some nights after a tough day at the office I go out into the garage and wax or clean up the car.
Cons: People tend to congregate wherever I park or drive the car, used to be fun, losing some of its appeal at this point. Answering questions on whether it is real or not. Inability to travel to as many events as I would like.
Comments: I never knew how much fun this vehicle would be, I have owned a lot of different cars and the newness wore off quickly, this car never ceases to amaze me nor do I tire of the loud pipes, the smell of unburned fuel, people holding their ears when I drive by, or the chance to drive some auto americana history.

wow .... what are the size of those rear tires