Fiberglass or Aluminium body

jberg · #1 (**permalink**) 12-01-2009, 11:37 PM

Fonti,

You may bought alu-body from hawkcars (and all other parts as well) or from kirkham europe. Then you may bought origin specs chassis (there is many people here who could sell that for you) or do it bye yourself and build you car from scratch. Or you could bought some used car or unfinished kit and fit alu-body to that.

See: http://www.hawkcars.co.uk/hawk427/bodyshell.pdf

If this price info is still valid then alubody is about 12K€ or 17K$ (+VAT) so I don't belive that there is 30-40K$ difference between fiber/alu bodied car if the only change is body material.

Price difference between kits/cars comes from different reasons (suspension, chassis etc etc) as mentioned alredy here.

fonti · #2 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 12:59 AM

@all: thank you for your opinions - you made it very easy for me

I'm gonna see an ERA, SPF and a Kirkham on Friday, will talk to owners here in Switzerland (ERA and SPF) and hopefully I know more then.
The most important thing on this side of the pond is how to get it licenced and driven legally!
But - at this time I'm a bit more on the "iron-side". Hhmmm, I never had a budget for cars till now. Think I have to make one this time!

tkb289 · #3 (**permalink**) 12-02-2009, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fonti

@all: thank you for your opinions - you made it very easy for me

I'm gonna see an ERA, SPF and a Kirkham on Friday, will talk to owners here in Switzerland (ERA and SPF) and hopefully I know more then.
The most important thing on this side of the pond is how to get it licenced and driven legally!
But - at this time I'm a bit more on the "iron-side". Hhmmm, I never had a budget for cars till now. Think I have to make one this time!

Peter,

Good luck with looking at cars later this week and talking with the owners. You probably already know this, but here are some suggestions when looking:

- If it's Ok with the owners, take a few photos of the cars for your reference, inside and out along with the motors, that may prove useful later on in your decision making process.

- Ask for a test sit and see how the car 'fits' you and last but not least, see if you can get a test ride, it should prove to be both fun and informative!

- Another piece of information is to ask what they like about their car and what they don't like, this might help as well.

Keep us posted.

- Tim

fonti · #4 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 11:23 AM

Wow - what a day!
First I went to a car dealer who is specialised in oldtimers and who is registering an ERA right now. Nice car...but he told me that aluminium is always better, well we'll seee later on that.
The ERA is very nicely made, the driving position is comfortable for me 6'2"...
Then in the afternoon I was at AMS, they are kind of a Superformance and Cobra dealer for Switzerland. Man - it is a difference between Superformance/ERA and Kirkham/Shelby aluminium Body. I mean, I don't have a Cobra and don't want to "judge". The fiberglass Cobras look absolutely great but for me it's gonna be aluminium if possible. (availability and financial possibilities!) The aluminium felt more like a car, it's hard to describe...
Now I called the guy in Californa for the Kirkham who is in Cobracountry for 77500 - but it's already sold to a French guy in Florida. (it's not titled correctly in CA, so he makes that in Florida and gets the car to France later).
Conclusion:
1. It's possible to register aluminium cars "easily" with the right papers and Superformance/ERA is also possible, but much harder and "tricky"...
2. It's gonna be aluminium for me with a 427...
3. a new one is much too expensive for me, so I'm looking for a used Kirkham or Shelby, and
4. I also will check with Kirkham / UK
If someone knows about a nice aluminium Cobra...thanks for an information! She should be mechanically very good, not a trailer queen, I'm driving the cars!!
thank you for your help, Peter

REAL 1 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 11:29 AM

Spread in price between a nice used KMP and a nice aluminium Shelby Cobra approximately $50K depending on car and equipment.

RodKnock · #6 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by REAL 1

Spread in price between a nice used KMP and a nice aluminium Shelby Cobra approximately $50K depending on car and equipment.

Out of curiosity, the Shelby is painted for that $50K premium, correct?

The Kirkham roller is $57K plus the brushed or polished finish ($8-10K). Just trying to compare, because $50K is a lot of money, especially since Kirkham sells their bodies to Shelby.

I don't think that there was a $50K price difference, when I bought, but my memory fades.