Overall opinions on Shell Valley

truedog · #1 (**permalink**) 05-24-2005, 08:18 AM

I am thinking about building a Shell Valley car. I will probably go with either their "A Roadster" or their upcoming '32 coupe. While I am not building a Cobra, my questions are applicable to all of their products.

Basically I want to know your opinions on:

Overall kit quality, including fiberglass?

How much body work was necessary to finish it?

Any problems with delivery, missing parts, back ordered parts, ect?

Any thing else I should know, or be aware of?

byron w · #2 (**permalink**) 05-24-2005, 08:53 AM

TRUE DOG, MY SHELL VALLEY KIT WAS PURCHASED IN 86 OR 87 WHEN IT WAS OWNED BY SOMEONE ELSE. I CAN NOT SAY ENOUGH GOOD THINGS ABOUT SHELL VALLEY SERVICE AND THE GUYS THERE. DANA AND BRUCE ARE GREAT TO DEAL WITH AND THEY WILL DO ALL THEY CAN FOR YOU. GREAT COMPANY AND PEOPLE. ALSO, ALL PRODUCTS I HAVE PURCHASED HAVE BEEN VERY GOOD QUALITY. GOOD LUCK, BYRON W.

blykins · #3 (**permalink**) 05-24-2005, 09:20 AM

I received my Cobra in 2003. Although I have not had body work done yet, I was pretty pleased with the finish....except for the couple scratches I've put in the body while banging around and dropping tools on it....I honestly don't think it would take much prep time before painting....

As for problems with delivery, missing parts, etc....there were none. Excellent service there.

Also, you couldn't ask for more friendly people to work with.....Bruce and Dana both are top notch.

truedog · #4 (**permalink**) 05-25-2005, 08:24 AM

Anybody else?

I just want to do my research well ahead of time and have a good idea of what I will be getting into.

From what I am seeing, it sounds like Shell Valley will be great to do business with. I had also looked at FFR, and it sounds like dealing with them is backorder hell.

rdorman · #5 (**permalink**) 05-25-2005, 08:31 AM

They make a nice product. I have always heard positive things about them.
Rick

Terry Stapley · #6 (**permalink**) 05-25-2005, 10:19 AM

I have a SV Cobra and have been driving it for a year now. I can not give enough cudos to Bruce, Dana, Zoomer and the entire SV crew. They have bent over backwards to help when I needed to be taken out of the haze!!
The quality of the kit I purchased was very good!! Just a FEW
minor changes that they have already implemented to make the build more user friendly.
The body was very good and the finished product is great!! It took me approx. 70 hours to prep the body for paint, but I am not a bodywork person so a lot of that time can be attributed to inexperience!!
Terry

planealternativ · #7 (**permalink**) 06-13-2005, 09:55 AM

I too have just recently completed a Shell Valley Cobra. I did a lot of research before choosing the Shell Valley kit... and I'm glad I did.
The SV kit is outstanding in quality and likewise for the customer support. No parts were missing or damaged and only the axles were incorrect for the 3rd member which was VERY QUICKLY corrected.
The body was prepped by a proffessional and took approx 50 hours. I've heard that some Factory 5's can take up to 200hrs....ouch!
Dana and Bruce are two of the greatest guys you'd ever want to deal with in customer support for a company such as this.
Their response to questions and dealing with minor issues was immediate and always taken seriously.
My next project just may be a coupe or roadster and you can bet that I'll be calling SV when the time comes.

Truedog, you're going about it the right way.
Do the research...(lots), look at the facts, then make your own decision.

Signed,
One happy SV customer
Pete

truedog · #8 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 03:30 PM

Cool. The more research I do, the better Shell Valley sounds. I am going to have to get out to their shop sometime and take a look around and check out their cars up close.

zman · #9 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 04:41 PM

Hello,
I too, own a Shell valley car. No complaints what so ever!! No missing parts and a great staff whenever you have questions. I spent some time talking with them at Carlisle in Pa. I just can't say anything negative...... Art

hog · #10 (**permalink**) 06-14-2005, 06:09 PM

Shell Valley is a great company to purchase from. I purchased mine 3 years ago. It took me a year to complete the build. Everything went great. If there was any questions the guys at Shell Valley were there to answer them.
The quality of the fiberglass is great. It is reinforced with Kevlar.
There were no backorders. Everything was with the kit when Rich Lacey delivered it. Rich kept me informed of his location daily during the delivery process. A great company. You can't go wrong with them.
Hog

CobraKid427 · #11 (**permalink**) 06-24-2005, 05:17 PM

Hey True Dog,

I had my Shell Valley built by Cobra Motorsports in Columbia CT and have been very happy so far with the car. You should contact Kevin at 860 228 3936. He has built many of the Shell Valleys and will have tons of knowledge abt the quality and pitfalls (if any).

Good Luck!

tpiini · #12 (**permalink**) 06-24-2005, 07:43 PM

Hey Truedog,

How close are you to their place? I'm about 3 hours South if you want to see one. I bought mine about fourth-hand (as best as I can determine. I had a few minor issues and even though I wasn't even close to being the original buyer, they bent over backwards to help me out. If I were to ever start one from scratch, I'd buy theirs without hesitation just for their excellent customer service.

Tom

cobra2000 · #13 (**permalink**) 06-27-2005, 02:31 PM

Hi Truedog:

If you live closer to Ct. than Neb. you can visit us at Shell Valley East we have finished cars in stock that you can look at or try out I also can show you cars that are being built.

SVE
John

truedog · #14 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 07:42 AM

I am a little over 400 miles from Platte Center, NE. I plan to try to get over there maybe in early September. I am really looking forward to seeing the Roadster close-up, even though I am already 95% sure that it is what I will be building.

I plan to buy a short block 351 Windsor in a few months and have it and the tranny ready to run by the time I order the car, which will probably be about October of 2006.

misfit41 · #15 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 10:01 AM

I have an older Shell valley and cant say it is a bad car but if I were buying new I would make other choices.
Shell has a decent car body wise but the lines are not all that correct and it is next to impossible to get the correct stance and track width,even if you do the mustang II front end will handle only fair.
I'll give you my opinion from a guy who owns both a shell and a shelby. If you have decided your willing to give up the time and effort to build your own car there are better ways to go.
The shell requires a lot of junk yard or home made parts to be built,the entire suspension is a compromise between driving decent and not having the rear end hiked in the air or the tires sticking from under the wheel lip,that said the people at Shell are great to work with .
If I were gonna build a non donor factory is IMHO the most accurate considering a non stressed body and round tube frame which uses modern suspension technology. Another opinion that will be unpopular here is a well prepared non donor FFR is maybe the fastest and best handling cobra made,my CSX included..
just my opinion,,Tim

truedog · #16 (**permalink**) 07-11-2005, 10:48 AM

Tim, I appreciate your comments, but since I am not building a Cobra, but rather their '29 Model A Roadster, I think the Shell Valley car will fit my needs nicely.