What Made You Buy Or Build You Cobra ?

[olddog]

I wanted it. I did not need it. I just wanted it.

I once explained the life cycle of the American male.

Shortly after birth they begin playing with toy cars.

In their, teens, all they are interested in is sex, but out of the frustration from the lack thereof, they play with fast cars.

In their 20's, they give up their fast cars and their freedom (marriage) on the promise of all the sex they ever wanted.

In their 30's, they realize that it is not possible to get all the sex that you want and they were duped.

In their 40's, they realize it is pointless to resist and just ride it out.

In their 50's, the nest is empty, the sex is pretty much a non issue, so they go back to fast cars, only now they can afford what they want. Thus, I wanted a Cobra.

[FUNFER2]

lol,....couldn't have said it better.

[Ron61]

I first became interested in Cobras back in 1963 when I was working for the labs and went to Los Angles to do some work. I tried to buy a 289 Cobra then but the people that had them refused to sell and Shelby had moved on to the 427 cars by the time I was ready to buy one. I really didn't want a 427 car as I like road racing and they just didn't handle all that great back then so I opted for some other cars. Then later in life when I could no longer afford an original I started looking at different kits or replicas. After having had a Cobra Roadster and a Daytona Cobra Coupe which I still have but no longer race I have been happy with both.

Ron

[Blue66]

...At 16 years old in the mid 60's I had a new 65 Mustang Convertible. The hi performance cars were on the move. We were always scoping out Shelby dealers an the back lots. A 427 Cobra was beyond dreams at that point. 70's came an I dived into the Shelby market. Them started to whine every day to the wife I needed a 427 Cobra 1976 a day before my daughter was born I got it CSX 3147. Kept it till 1980 an then the thrill was fading. Especially with prices goin threw the roof. Sold it. Still kept a 66 GT350 Convertible. Went threw a lot of hi performance cars over the years.
........ 2015 the Shelby left an got a CSX 4000 car.. It's been a blast ! Prob keep it a few more years and it will be gone. Variety is the spice of life. Especially as ya get older.
..Oh I have never said to myself "oh I shouldn't have sold the car or anyone one of them"

[DanEC]

I was aware of Cobras in the 60s and early 70s but my real interest was muscle cars and Vettes. Then about 1971 or 1972 while in college, Road & Track published a story about one of their writers who bought a silver 427 Street Roadster and about buying it and owning it. Still have the magazine and the car is still original and on display in CA somewhere. I was hooked from that time on. If a Road & Track guy could cross over and be so enthusiastic about an English/American hot rod like a 427 Cobra - it must be something special.

I took out a brochure for an ERA in 1980 but work, moving around, marriage sort of always was in the way. Went through a couple 427 Corvettes (one I still have after 30 years) but never completely lost interest in the Cobra. Finally with retirement coming on I started thinking about building a replica and while I looked at a lot of different manufacturers I kept gravitating back to an ERA. Finally in 2009 I placed my order, painted it myself, built most of it myself and got it on the road about 3 or 4 years ago.