Will the Cobra stand the test of time????

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Originally Posted by pablo63

ZOERA-SC7XX: Replica car manufacturers are going out of business because of the bad economy, not the lack of interest.


Cobra manufacturers? Which ones? I'm not being sarcastic I would just like to know.

If you've read these pages for the last couple years, you would have read who didn't deliver the paid-for cars, who didn't deliver the paid-for parts, who renegged on promises and took deposits without any intention of completing the deals. You would have also read who sold their business and left open orders and undelivered MSO's.

[REAL 1]

Finally, the recognition I deserve.

I don't know how anyone can make a statement as broad as "replica companies are going out of business" and second its because of the economy without backing it up with specifics and facts.

I'm not intereseted in the downturn in replica sales because of the bad economy. Most everything is down including the morale of the country.

My concern is that these great cars "REAL" and replica alike (oops did it againsilly me ) will fade away with the upcoming generations.

I for one have no confidence in todays generation. They are products all to often of lax parents or absent parents, too little discipline, failing schools and bad teachers that are impossible to get rid of due to Union Agreements and all too often by the time they graduate H.S. have little or no knowledge of history and civics let alone automotive history and the iconic cars of the past. They can't even pull their pants up and figure out how to wear a baseball cap right. I could give you specific examples of some conversations I have had with H.S. seniors recently and it was scary.

So...point is...these guys/generation who have little interest beyond their cell phones, social justice,carbon foot prints, engines that run on alpha sprouts, Hondas with NOS, Face Book and My Space are going to carry the torch of these iconic cars??? I'm not buoyant on the future of these cars as I once was.

And while I did mention REAL and non real cobras in my original thread post the reason was simple. Very simply both REAL Cobras and non real cobras, replicas or whatever you call them are inextricably linked to each other. One sprang from the other because of the love a generation had for the car. If that love for the car disappears both disappear, kinda like the dinosaurs.

Yeah, I admit one reason (not the only one though) I bought a Continuation series was I thinking it would have a better chance of retaining its value or even increasing in value if SA ever stopped producing them. Truth be told, I didn't see the vacuous nature of the next generation coming 10 years ago. I'm concerned that all these cars are doomed. It has me down actually. These cars in a way stand for and represent American pride and greatness and showed what Americans could do with a little American ingenuity, grit and muscle. A four wheeled representative of American greatness. The Cobra is more than one of the worlds fastest cars. I'm actually proud of the Cobra and what it represents because to me it is a representative of American Greatness. It's a living record of what ordinary American guys can do with grit and determination. We beat the world's best manuafacturers that dominated the worlds fastest and most demanding circuits with those fancy overengineered European V12s with good ol American Cast Iron V8s built by home grown California hot rodders. Those cars are from an era when men were men and the world respected America. Along with the men that made it great, it is an American hero.

I'd hate to see the Cobra become the victim of the nimrods that by and large the next generation is offering.

My two cents.

I hope I'm wrong.

[computerworks]

Rest easy and trust the future

In 25 years, there will be some dork claiming he has a REAL Smartcar and not one of them clone EVs.

[RodKnock]

You alone are the author of your future. Buddha.

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by REAL 1

... I for one have no confidence in todays generation. They are products all to often of lax parents or absent parents, too little discipline, failing schools and bad teachers that are impossible to get rid of due to Union Agreements and all too often by the time they graduate H.S. have little or no knowledge of history and civics let alone automotive history and the iconic cars of the past. They can't even pull their pants up and figure out how to wear a baseball cap right. I could give you specific examples of some conversations I have had with H.S. seniors recently and it was scary ...

I hear and appreciate what you are saying and can agree with a lot of it ... but I for one, do have confidence in a least some of the next generation.

I was an active Band Booster for 10 years at the local public High School while my kids were there, and can say from what I saw, there are a lot of smart, hard working and dedicated students out there. Yes there is a wide range of kids, some headed in the right direction, and others are not.

From what I see, there is also interest in cars by the next generation, maybe not as much interest in the fire breathing all American V8 that we all know and love, but some kids really do appreciate the 'old' stuff.

Given the relative small number of Cobras of all types out there, I believe they will always be desirable. Whether they go up or down in 'value' I have no idea, but I think there will be a continued interest in these cars as time goes by.

just my .02

[KevinW]

hmm, you kinda spolit it a little for me there Evan, be nice to at least mention the guys at Taggs Island , - it was the 289 and daytona that held the real glory - the 427, although we all love it, was really 'the turd'.

i share your concerns about the new generation. i thnk part of it is sourced in the increasing complexity of consumer technology. when we were kids we had lego (buildablocks in the US?) and meccano tomake things with, and we could take apart things to see how they worked. you cant do that with an xbox or a cell phone. its a black box. when we had our first cars, i'll bet loads of guys here pulled them apart, installed stuff and, well, at least changed the oil themselves to save a few $$$.

but on an optimistic note, why is it that the GT40 and the cobra and the e-type and the mustang all command interest from people today, yet all came from a particular decade? I dont believe its just interest in nostalgia. Im a child of the 60s, but Id never heard of or seen a cobra till I was 30 - ok bit late to the table i know. but its something to do with the simplicity, the elegance, the shapes of those cars, and i think maybe something to do with the lack of moulded plastic bumpers and moulded plastic this and that and... i dunno what. I think its a bit like classic art .... you know S**t when you see it, and you know genius when you see it, defining it is harder.

[Bartruff1]

I see no reason to think that the original cars will not retain their relative value as " B " Class Collectibles into the future along with the SWB and Lightweight Ferraris, Astons, Jags, SL's...I would suspect they would continue to increase in value. If you could get your hands on one of the significant race cars (CSX2323 eg...) you would have a very valuable and rare object. I wouldn't be at all surprised if Brian's AC cars don't increase in value. As long as cars stay in production it seems to me that the continuation cars and replica cars will just be used cars ???....now...if for some reason (regulation ?) the cars are no longer produced they might keep some inflation adjusted value. IMHO the current market for 50's - 70's muscle cars is a bubble created by the baby boomers and that the only cars in that group worth collecting are the COPO's and 65 and 66 Shelby 350's the original Trans Am race cars...etc...rare cars ... as for the current generation, thoughout recorded history they have been criticized as "unworthy" but in fact we continue to build more just and peaceful , properous , tolerant and democratic and free societies....old farts are just grouchy, remembering a imaginary past and fearing a imaginary future...