When I started thinking seriously about getting a Cobra, about a decade ago, I joined the local Shelby club NorCal SAAC, and Club Cobra, to see just what was available. Cobra Country is definitely a must, as well as purchasing their manual comparing most of the popular machines. After seeing a number of cars and learning what the differences were, I decided on a replica, a manufacturer that built Cobras *close* to the originals. That narrowed the field considerably. If you don't need all that originality, there are a lot of cars to choose from, and you can save yourself some real money. Unless you have lots of money to spend, I'd recommend a small block (Windsor) powered used Cobra that looks and feels good to you. You can get a lot of good advice on this forum. Best of luck!
Rich