It's REAL, but what is it?

[SunDude]

I think MX-1 can most accurately be described as a "Cobra replica," using the official SAAC definition (which is not to be confused with a "kit car").

That is, the chassis, substructure, body, drivetrain and major components were all made to resemble an "original" Cobra.

This is much like the beautiful replicas that Mike McCluskey has constructed from scratch over the years. And like those beauties, MX-1 would be a fabulous car to own and drive. But it could never be called -- or valued -- as an original Cobra.

As luck would have it, the original owner/builder of MX-1 posted some background info about the car on eBay:
"To clarify some misconceptions, I am the original owner/builder. I purchased AC chassis MX1 in the summer of 1978 after hearing of its existence at the SAACII convention in Hershey, PA. It was a bare rolling chassis. The aluminum body was purchased from Brian Angliss. The attaching superstructure was purchased from Mike McCluskey, a noted Cobra restorer. The components were assembled by an older Englishman in Sterling Heights Michigan. The side oiler 427 block was built by John Vermersch of Total Performance in Mt. Clemens, MI. I sold the vehicle in 1999 and that owner finished the build. The current owner is the third one. I can answer almost any question requarding MX1. Thank you, Larry P. Kravitz DDS"