Thread: Kirkham vs. ERA
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Old 10-24-2011, 08:39 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by decooney View Post
Flygirl,

1. How do you REALLY plan to use the car, and how often?

2. What is "most" important to you about the car?

3. What is "next" most important to you about the car?

1. I plan to drive it on the weekends locally (to enjoy the drive to my mom's and park in her garage for the night) or to my place of work on a nice day (the drive is easy, relatively traffic free and parking is secure and not crowded), or to the Sierra foothills or Napa or Russian River valleys for road tripping and perhaps a bit of wine tasting, or for a Cobra get together, or at up to 8/10ths, alone on the twisites early Sunday morning, or a local shine and show event.

Longer trips would be up to three or four day expeditions, likely remaining in CA and done in only the more temperate months. These would be lower/medium budget, staying at reasonably priced accommodations and doing activities not requiring a large wardrobe, valet parking of the car, worrying about my hair, etc. It would be about the car and driving and seeing where the road takes me.

2. What's most important about the car is a balanced blend of rawness, reliability, power and streetability. Balance. I don't mind if I'm wearing ear plugs and my ears are still ringing a bit at the end of the day, or if it gets too cold or hot in the cockpit. What I do mind is if it overheats at the first stop light or isn't reliable enough for those longer trips. But, like I said before, I want it to feel nicely overpowered to where it can scare me a little.

3. Next most important is an accurate body and period correctness, and as little of the kit car feel as is possible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Avmaviator View Post
Like some have said, seeing these cars in real life makes a huge difference in the "emotional" part of your decision, which lets face it, is important.

I had seen many cobras before, FF5, SPF, etc... all looked fantastic. Then I saw some pictures of the Kirkhams... right away I was drawn to them. Then I saw the real ones at their shop. It will really triggers something in you, well it did for me at least. When you see these amazing bodies, the finish, the details, the billet, etc...it gets to you. We buy these cars for different reasons, but a huge reason is how the car is going to make you feel. That feeling comes from the driving sensations, the visual sensations, and the other senses. The Kirkham cobra fill all these categories for me. I know it sound sappy but it is true
I've driven two ERAs, both 427FE cars, they were very very nice. I'm hoping to see a Kirkham later this week; really excited about that prospect. I've also driven two SPFs, both with stroked Windsors. That's the extent of my personal experience so far.

You're not being sappy at all. It is about the feeling for me, too. It's like the difference between my former Lexus and my former Porsche. The Lexus was engineered to somehow simulate "the feeling." The Porsche just had "the feeling" as a result of the engineering. This car is all about the feeling. I mean, it's so illogical in every way imaginable, how can it not be?

Quote:
Originally Posted by elmariachi View Post
I was joking. Seriously though, the first time you start working your way down the Interstate through heavy traffic and realize how many idiots want to catch up to you and chide you on to "show 'em what ya got," you will realize how many people are really capable of putting you in a ditch with no warning to you. No way I would ever move 10' in my car without shoulder harnesses.
Hey, now!
:-)

I haven't yet experienced much of this in my, oh, hour of total time in all the Cobras I've driven. But I can see how it'd be kind of annoying after a little while.

Quote:
Originally Posted by elmariachi View Post
Both cars have excellent pedigrees. If I decide to buy versus build my next car, I will buy a Kirkham as well. But I am glad to have owned this less expensive Hurricane first. I have learned some things that would have been veeryyy painful to learn in an aluminum car.
[gulp]

This sounds ominous. I, too, am concerned about the aluminum body, and have yet to see why I shouldn't be. But still researching...

Last edited by Flygirl; 10-24-2011 at 08:55 PM..
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