Car show participant
 

I recently went to a car show here inNorthern California. A Pretty Backdraft replica was entered. While looking at the car I heard the owner talking to a spectator about the car. He said it was built to exact spec as the original to the point that a chassis builder in South Africa built the chassis and if you crawled under the car you could see South Africa stamped on the chassis. He also stated that the seats were the same as original "not the cheap low back seats" that you see on most replicas. He stated that Jack Roush recommended Backdraft as the best one on the market.
The car looked like it came from a trinket shop with the dual roll bars,monogrammed tan high back seats, carbon fiber dash, yellowing side pipes with chrome heat shields and numerous other non original bits and pieces.
After a while I could not resist and asked him how it was exactly spec'd like the original when the wheel base was 2" longer; he shrugged. I talso asked curiously how the chassis was made in South Africa when the BDR's were made in Boynton beach Florida. He did if not answer and started his line of BS with another observer.
People like this give all of us a bad rap and should be banned from public appearances. I guess that's why many of the comments about are cars are"It's only a replica"

I think they are South African built and Florida distributed.

Banned from public appearances? LOL.

I've banned myself from "car shows". Sit around all day and look at cars with open hoods? No thanks. I'd rather be out driving the wheels off my car, and that's what I do.

You know, I kind of look at a car show like Penn & Teller doing their shtick in Vegas. After you see a bathing beauty made to appear out of thin air, but from behind a velvet cloth, if you then say to Penn "do you really have magical powers that let you make things appear from nowhere?" I think it's OK if he says "yes, I do -- I promise you that I have super magical abilities that no one else in the world has and you just witnessed them." That actually increases and improves the overall enjoyment for the guy asking the question. And there's no real harm done in a little stretching of the truth.:cool:

Backdrafts are nice cars but far from original cars.
I often think of the Backdraft as a souped up version of the real cobra with lots of bling.
BTW, it is made in South Africa just like Superformance.

The problem with stretching the truth is that the uninformed masses start to believe the crap and then you have the beginnings of a political campaign. :LOL:

Please, everyone, just state the facts. The first question I would have asked is "When was the last time he spoke with Jack Roush?" :rolleyes:

Charity car shows I'll go. Other than that no.

Uhhh, when he was running GE? No, that's not right... nevermind.:JEKYLHYDE

Thanks for the clarification.

I didn't know Real1 had a backdraft.

As a Backdraft owner, I am first in line to say it is not even close to the same size.

Well we're kicking you out of the magician's union then.:cool:

Amen! I have the strongest dislike for car shows unless it's something like a Good Guys show where 500+ cars show up. I have absolutely zero interest in entering my own car in a show to sit in a parking lot all day. That's just my opinion and I'm glad there are others out there that participate in them.

I purchased my second Backdraft Cobra (Roush 427R--550 HP with 6-speed Tremec Tranny) for ME and ME only--not for car shows. I do have my Cobra available for charity events and support for community activities. I am not concerned with replication nor am I concerned with showing my Cobra in hopes to earn a case full of trophies. I do appreciate the interest in my Cobra when I go for a drive. Hundreds of pics of my Cobra are in other's cell phones. The pride of owning my Cobra and the excitement of driving such an awesome vehicle along with the respect and appreciation of others are really all I need to fulfill the ownership and great driving experience of a Cobra--replica or not.

I go to some of the shows to just look and talk to the owners but I hardly ever put the Coupe in a show unless it is something that I support such as Kids day and etc. Neither of my cars are show cars and have the dings and scrapes to prove it. And standing around for 8 hours among 30,000 people just isn't my thing.

Ron

I stopped going to shows years ago ...my ears got full of all the bs...

These are the same guys who think that chrome adds value (or horsepower)....

They have been around since the first automobile, and they will continue to be around forever.

They use to irritate me too, until I realized that the irritation goes away the second you start walking in the other direction....:)

There's the old riddle that goes like this:

Q: How can you tell when a politician is lying?
A: His/her lips are moving.

Having participated in a few "Show and Shine" events, it has been my experience there is a great deal of myth, mystique and mystery surrounding Cobras, Carroll Shelby, FE engines, and related topics. In an era when people blindly accept (and repeat as gospel truth) what they see or hear on media (new, old, social, etc.) without bothering to validate or confirm it, it's not surprising that a significant level of bulls**t, bluster and bravado will work its way into talk about Cobras and related topics.

Being one who not only takes pride in facts, truth and honesty, as well as one who researches and validates far, far more than most people would consider healthy, I do what I can to engage people in a meaningful and truthful dialogue at these events. Sometimes it's fulfilling, but there are times when I realize I'm wasting my time. It is those people with which I cut such conversations short and wish them a great day.

Life is too short to worry about trolls - in person or otherwise.

How To Win Friends And Influence Idiots at car shows.

Start With Lie

The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective Bull$#!ters

Who Moved My Cheese-y Replica

I've heard every story imaginable from owners of all types of Cobras.
When I had my Autokraft I overheard some guy trying to figure out what kit it was.

The toughest question I ever had at a show was when a guy came up to me and said "your car looks great, and you've had it quite a while, but I have a question, do you pronounce it "EEE-RAH" or is it pronounced with the letters "E-R-A" or like the word "ERA"?