A 1960's car is a classic. And it's the original. Cobras made after the original production in the 1960's aren't classics. They're modern interpretations of the original, replicas, kit cars, not classic.
Phrases like "period correct" and "Cobra experience" are really utter nonsense, when few, if any, of us have actually had a real genuine Cobra experience to replicate. But boy, we sure will get that "Cobra experience" by shifting through a 50-60 year old transmission that cannot keep up with modern traffic conditions and a transmission that cannot be seen by naked eye. So period correctness, is just via one's imagination until he or she puts their Cobra on a hydraulic lift for service.
And gee whiz, that Toploader/Hurst package shifts like butter in comparison to the Tremec TKO600/Steeda Tri-Ax combo.
How about using the Tremec's 2.87 1st gear (versus the WR Toploader's 2.78) to get out of the hole quicker, when waiting for that metering light to turn green at the nearest freeway onramp? Won't that increased holeshot give you a greater feeling of the Cobra experience?
The ONLY sane reason to choose a Toploader is simply the difference in money. Anyone that thinks shifting a Toploader via their Hurst Competition Plus shifter to recreate the 1960's and run their $20,000-$30,000 Windsor and FE engines at 4,000 RPM @ 65 MPH (or whatever) for 30 minutes or a 1-2 (or more) hour drive, is simply living in Fantasyland.
