289 and 427 street versions

[fintubi]

All -

Trust me, there's a question here...but first some background:

I've been entertaining the idea of an ERA build for a long time, and visited New Britain last November. I'm going through the soul-searching and research that most new guys do, and nevertheless am still on the bubble between the 289 and 427 cars. First, the things I have come to pretty clear terms on:

- I'm not interested in tracking the car.

- In both cases, I like the street version: no stripes, pipes, hoops or scoops on the 427, and I prefer the slabside to the FIA 289. Some representative pictures: http://goo.gl/DSI3ZW (427) and http://goo.gl/G2xN9I (289 - this one happens to be a Kirkham not an ERA)

- I understand and appreciate ERA's rationale for encouraging the right engine in the right car, so if I built a 427 it would have an FE in it. But I don't have an abiding urge to become an FE whisperer, so the relative simplicity of a Windsor in the 289 body appeals to me too. Cost is a small appeal also, but IMO one shouldn't make any decisions about Cobras expecting to save money .

Next, the things that keep me undecided:

- I like both the muscular 427 look and the slabside 289/wire wheel look
- I like the fact that the 289 car is a more moderate hybrid of sports car and muscle car; but also like the fact that the 427 is legendary because there's nothing moderate about it.
- I prefer some details of the 427: mainly the grille opening but also little stuff like the fuel filler location.

In short, I appreciate both aesthetics: the English roadster with a trick up its sleeve (289) and the overtly bad mofo (427). But at the end of the day, I'm a moderate guy - so I'm starting to think more seriously about the slabside, despite the undeniable appeal of an understated 427 like the picture linked above.

So here's the question: how compatible is a modest Windsor with the skinny rubber of a slabside 289? My objective is cruising rather than limit driving, but it still seems crazy to build the more understated car and nevertheless wind up with something more dangerous (from a snap-spin perspective, either under power or lift-throttle) than a fire-breathing 427. Is that a valid concern?

Of course you'll ask if I've driven them. Answer: I've never driven an ERA, but I recently drove a CCX courtesy of a very trusting acquaintance. But of course that was pretty much trundling around at 0.5/10 to get the feel of the car. It seems pretty unlikely that a hyper-cautious drive in a stranger's car - something pretty rare to begin with - is going to uncover meaningful handling differences between different Cobra interpretations.

Sorry about the long post, but hopefully it sets the stage well.

Bill