Topic Sentence (as my dad always suggested) - I'd recommend Vintage Motorsports for a few reasons.
Details:
Chris, I saw your post here and another that posed a question about people in NJ buying from Jonathan Motorcars (JM). Your posts conjured the beginning of my search for a Cobra Replica in December 2016. Bear with me as I get to why I think VMS is your place. I wanted something relatively close by, had no clue exactly what I was looking for but had an idea in my head of what I wanted. I hit up good 'ole google and JM popped up. Kudos to JM for their site. Hooked me. I scoured, refreshed, scoured and read the specs. I saw the prices for the cars, recognized I was limited it what I could get then started wondering about any follow up questions/issues/service. That got me thinking about what did I REALLY want. Something in stock or exercise a bit of patience (really hard for me once the Cobra bug bit) or see if I could find a shop within a 3-5 hour ride that could create a dream car. I did not have 'bespoke' in mind, but the more I'm asked about my VMS/BDR, the more people comment on the one-offness of Mayhem.
So, after coming to the realization that PHMCobra did, i.e., JM has solid inventory but does not have customization, I reset my search and did one of those boozed up introspective questions - what did I really want. Epiphany - something that needed to be customized at ever level that had one condition - 700+ rwhp in as stealth a package as possible. With that, I began my research not limited to any manufacturer, but rather a shop withing my geographic desire that had some experience in what I was looking for.
I'll cut things sorta-short. I didn't choose a Backdraft Racing replica. I chose Vintage Motorsports. I chose them because of the results from my hours and hours of online research. Good, bad, ugly and indifferent.
Jay, Brian and Ed (Jay's and Brian's father), delivered on every level. You can find my posts on this site with all the wonderful details (
Let me introduce BDR 1591 aka VMS Mayhem ). I want to emphasize something that is the reason I wrote my topic sentence. VMS is 3ish hours from my house in NJ. VMS has gone so far as to deliver, pick up for tweaking, redeliver my car without cost, question or issue. WHO DOES THAT?! Jay said it is VMS's practice to assist customers by picking up / dropping off cars within a 3ish hour radius. I can't think of another performance shop that does that.
Another thought. No car is perfect. There is always a tweak, an issue or a modification. That's the nature of the modified/replica car world. When I finally agreed to purchase BDR 1591, Jay told me he was flying down to Florida to check on the car. I joked - yeah sure, you're looking for an easy vacation. He responded that he wished because it was going to be a day turn-around so he could check on my car and others to make sure they had no flaws. If they did, he explained, we'd just have to wait for it to be fixed. VMS won me over there.
I recognize I sound like a VMS fanboy (note - not BDR, although damn, it's a sexy car). Truth be told - I am. They get it. They get how much emotional and financial investment we have in these cars. Unlike other outfits I've dealt with in the performance world, VMS takes that all of that to heart to make sure that the variables they can control in the pre, during and post purchase process are to the buyer's advantage. Because of this, I encourage you to exercise a bit of patience, work with VMS to get the BDR roller you want and embrace the fun of making if yours with VMS's guidance.
If you've read this far - god bless you. But fun side note - I literally just got home from a 'working lunch/dinner'. I drove Mayhem. I'm sitting in the restaurant and a gentleman came into the bar area with a searching look. There weren't too many people there so he leaned down to me and the person I was with and asked, "do either you drive the Cobra outside?" I sheepishly responded, that's me. That turned into a 20 min conversation. I'm not THAT guy. I do not look for those encounters, but when someone compliments your car, asks questions about it and shares he's a restoration builder, I could only say, sit down, let me get you a beer and let's shoot the ****. This has happened to some degree almost everyplace I've parked the car. And the universal comment is - this car looks as if you picked out every aspect of it, and I have. Hence my bespoke comment earlier.
Parting thought - call Jay at VMS, explain all of your wants and needs. If VMS can't do it, they'll point in the right direction. Have a GREAT time with your journey.