SOHC Kirkham

[Motorhead27]

The interior costs, because it would be done by me, wouldn't cost that much actually. A basic interior, doesn't cost much in a Cobra. The interior I'd put in would cost more, but not a huge amount. So if I was to rip it out and bring it back to stock, it's not a major issue. The bulk of the cost is in the engine and the vehicle. And like I said before, who knows, maybe people will like it for a modern Cobra feel.

I like the comparison between a FFR and a cammer with a house and an expensive theater system.

[PDUB]

Look, it's your car so do what you want...

But you, yourself said

Originally Posted by Motorhead27

but the choices I make about that toy with this engine have to be smart choices. That includes planning to sell it should I ever have to.

OK, so my initial reaction to that interior idea is !!!

You came here to see what the response would be to your ideas in order to gauge potential resale. Those responses are a clear reflection of exactly what will happen when that day finally comes to sell your dream car. Not trying to be nasty here, but if you put a whacky interior into any of the Cobra makes, it WILL devalue it... plain and simple, doesn't matter which it is. That is not to say that you won't ever find the guy/girl that says, "Oh my, I've just got to have that car!," or that you shouldn't do it. That is your decision.

And I agree with most everyone else that if you want a mod interior, while the K car is much nicer, you probably should go with the FFR, which certainly has its place among replicas... not bashing FFR, or go with the Street Beasts.

This may not be intuitive, but it's just my hunch that the market for a weirded out FFR or Street Beasts is greater than for the equivalently weird K car, so you would be limiting your resale potential more with the nicer car. Heck, you could sell the cammer (I got the impression that you have one), buy a ready-to-run Street Beasts or FFR and maybe even have money left over to fix it the way you want.

Or you could just do it right in the first place and build one of David's cars with the period correct interior... then not have to worry much if you ever have to sell it.

Again, not trying to be nasty. You asked for opinions... good luck with it whichever way you decide to go. Enjoy it!

[Stentor]

Originally Posted by Motorhead27

The build plan for the FFR was actually not far off from what this plan would cost. Partly due to the engine. Kirkham is what made the most sense.

It looks like you are suggesting that you would have almost as much in the FFR build as the Kirkham (in terms of cost)? How much money are you projecting you would have in each build (not sure the math adds up)?

As others have stated--at the end of the day, it's your car (so you should build it how you want). However, resale would likely be challenging in either case (a Kirkham finished in a way that's not aligned with the tastes of the vast majority of potential buyers; and a FFR car that's way beyond the typical budget of a prospective buyer).

[Excaliber]

I'm in the middle of a major remodel to my house, new kitchen and bath. There are some "custom" things I would like to do. But then I keep reminding myself about potential resale, even though I have no plans to ever sell, this is my retirement home.

So,,, I'm going with neutral colors, a more traditional type layout, decent cabinets and such, but nothing exotic or fancy or placed in some weird way. It's not the way I nescessarily want it, but it's a reasonable approach to this "build" in the long run.

[vector1]

40k to drop on an engine, if you're worried about resale then don't drop the k, find somebody else's, lot of nice high dollar setups out there taking the hit with engines that'll do everything the cammer will do with the hood closed. be worth more with a warranty but we all know how warranties work in the hot rod/racing world, there is a reason for this, so the value drops with each step out the door...

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Motorhead27

I like the comparison between a FFR and a cammer with a house and an expensive theater system.

Another way to say it is that you don't want to own that $1,000,000 house (cost basis) in a neighborhood of $250,000 houses. Your car's value will regress towards the mean.

[Motorhead27]

To clear some things up, I'll go into detail on a few things. One, I don't have the cammer right now, but my plan is to use this engine. To me, there is no other engine for a Cobra, because it's my favorite engine. I know I don't need that kind of power in a Cobra. As for the resale cost that I brought up initially, it was used only to help make my choice easier. I have no intentions of actually getting into all of the things involved with a resale. Interior aside, I'd get more for a Krikham with a cammer than a FFR with a cammer when the build costs roughly the same. In this case, a roller FFR costs me almost the same as a roller Kirkham. The reason is due to the nature of the parts in the FFR. Some of them are the very best you can put into a FFR for strength and reliability. The cost to build the FFR, including the paint job, about $60,000 not including the interior, engine and transmission. The cost to "build" a Kirkham the way I want it, roughly $63,000 before paint. I know the custom interior would devalue a Krikham, which is why I'm prepared to write that expense off should I ever sell the car. While a full paint job might not seem the best idea with a Kirkham, it won't look bad either. It's just not that common is all, many like the shiny aluminum and for me, it was too much shiny.

I'm here to learn about Kirkhams, I posted what I plan to do with it mainly to give anyone interested in this conversation, a basis to work off of. I don't plan on racing the car, just enjoying it. I like hearing the opinions you guys have as well. I know a modern looking interior isn't for most with this car. Many of you like the Cobra because it has that all business, no comfort feel to it. I just see it as lacking refinement. I know, the Cobra is supposed to be unrefined, raw, brutal and scary. I think it would be cool to see and drive a refined, raw, brutal, scary, civilized, comfy, tame beast. Mixing exact opposites in one car, if done correctly, could be really nice. Old school meets new school. Here is another interior I really like, is out of the norm, but still looks good and gives the car a refined look.

[patrickt]

Joe, I thought you had the cammer sitting in your garage. Be that as it may, you do realize that your total all-in cost is going to be well north of $100k, right? And if you had to turn around and sell it tomorrow, you will be handicapped by the fact that your car has undergone "cammer" modifications as well? I have an idea what your car would then be worth, but frankly, I have more respect for RodKnock's assessment of the numbers -- and I'm sure he'll chime in with those shortly. Chances are his quotes will be pretty darn close to what you can realistically expect to get. If you're comfortable taking that kind of hit, then by all means build it your way. You only go around once in life, and if cammer in a painted Kirkham with a funky interior is what you want, then that's it. But be advised, it will cost you more than you think it will....

[RodKnock]

Have you thought about buying a Superformance? I believe you can buy a Superformance with a beautiful factory paint job in the blue/silver color motiff. Plus, they're great cars with a great ownership group and they're a little further away from the originals on the originality spectrum than the CSX and Kirkham, so mods are probably a little more acceptable to the next buyer in terms of resale.

Just a thought.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Have you thought about buying a Superformance? I believe you can buy a Superformance with a beautiful factory paint job in the blue/silver color motiff. Plus, they're great cars with a great ownership group and they're a little further away from the originals on the originality spectrum than the CSX and Kirkham, so mods are probably a little more acceptable to the next buyer in terms of resale.

Just a thought.

I gave up bashing SPF cars for Lent... but that's not a bad idea.

[Motorhead27]

The cost to build a cammer Krikham, the way I want it, I'm figuring roughly $120-130,000. The FFR build was similar. If I went with a fiberglass Cobra, it would be a FFR. I'd consider an ERA as an alternative to FFR, but SPF, no. I'm not bashing SPF cars, they just aren't my preference. So, the order of preference is FFR or Kirkham, then ERA. If I didn't do the custom interior, Kirkham would be the choice, hands down. With it, it's hard to choose between FFR or KMS. As I said earlier, it's hard to mess with a masterpiece, and end with a masterpiece. But, I'd never fit in with the usual Cobra crowd any ways, no matter what brand I go with. You'll either like my cup of tea, or you won't.

The above interior, what do you guys think about it? Would you like it in a Kirkham, other brand besides KMS, or not at all.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Joe, I thought you had the cammer sitting in your garage. Be that as it may, you do realize that your total all-in cost is going to be well north of $100k, right? And if you had to turn around and sell it tomorrow, you will be handicapped by the fact that your car has undergone "cammer" modifications as well? I have an idea what your car would then be worth, but frankly, I have more respect for RodKnock's assessment of the numbers -- and I'm sure he'll chime in with those shortly. Chances are his quotes will be pretty darn close to what you can realistically expect to get. If you're comfortable taking that kind of hit, then by all means build it your way. You only go around once in life, and if cammer in a painted Kirkham with a funky interior is what you want, then that's it. But be advised, it will cost you more than you think it will....

Just round ball park numbers, but a new 482 is about 20K +/- depending on who builds it and what extras you buy. The Cammer will be about $40K +/- and then you'll have to add the modfications to the car (e.g., footboxes, steering linkage, headers/exhaust, etc.). If someone else is doing the work, I would bet that you'll add another $5K-10K to the install the Cammer.

As a buyer, I would be willing to pay a premium for the SOHC engine in a Cobra, but would I be willing to pay a premium of $25-30K? Probably not.

I want a set of magnesium Halibrand wheels. Fran Kress will hopefully be making them soon and his price is $4,000 for a set. Trigos/Vintage wheels are about $1,500+/- (not exactly sure since my Kirkham came with them). If I sell my car someday, will a buyer pay me an extra $2,500 for magnesium wheels? Probably not. Most people couldn't care less or they couldn't tell the difference, but for the fact that a buyer may say "your aluminum wheels look like they need a good polishin'. But hey, I want magnesium wheels!

[csx4910]

A cammer cost is about the same as my Roush 511 and I can promise you you won't build a Kirkham for $120K with a cammer. The build costs on a nicely optioned KMS and a csx fiberglass car are very similar. By the time you figure in install cost of $10-15K for engine and powertrain on top of the componet costs and a custom interior, you will be $130K easy

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Motorhead27

But, I'd never fit in with the usual Cobra crowd any ways, no matter what brand I go with. You'll either like my cup of tea, or you won't.

The above interior, what do you guys think about it? Would you like it in a Kirkham, other brand besides KMS, or not at all.

Fitting in with the usual Cobra crowd? No one cares. Every build is different with varying tastes. All Cobras are welcome. We now even have one local member building an all electric Cobra.

Now, if you were to try and fit into a Porsche, Corvette or Ferrari crowd, with a modified Porsche, Corvette or Ferrari, then I'd say you better have really high self esteem.

I like the 2nd interior posted more than the first posted, but neither is my cup of tea.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Fitting in with the usual Cobra crowd? No one cares.

Most of us have never fit in with any crowd anywhere.

[Motorhead27]

So you guys know, I'll do as much work on the car myself as possible. So fitting the engine and trans in, I'm prepared to do that myself. I come from wanting to build a FFR, that should say something about how much hands on I want. The $120,000 price was for a FFR plan, the Kirkham plan might be a little more, but not by much. I like doing a lot of stuff myself. Heck, I'd assemble a whole Kirkham myself if they let me.

[patrickt]

Joe, you should hop a flight up to Provo and visit with the Kirkham bros. That kind of dough requires a "face to face" chat.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Motorhead27

Heck, I'd assemble a whole Kirkham myself if they let me.

During the year end Kirkham "scratch and dent" sale, the Kirkhams offered a body, sans parts for $19,950. You might want to check with them. They may still have that body or they may sell you another car in the same condition.

It's an 82 page thread, so it may take some time finding the offer.

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Joe, you should hop a flight up to Provo and visit with the Kirkham bros.

And do it this weekend... Open House

http://www.kirkhammotorsports.com/km...rts-open-house

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Motorhead27

I come from wanting to build a FFR, that should say something about how much hands on I want. The $120,000 price was for a FFR plan, the Kirkham plan might be a little more, but not by much. I like doing a lot of stuff myself.

BTW, does anyone know what the highest price paid in the secondary (resale) market was for an FFR?