What the hell is this thing, Cobra ?

[Wbulk]

It was literally a snake oil sales job.

[mdross1]

Cannot imagine anyone buying this car thinking he is getting the real deal for a song.If it is sold and they end up on this site for advise,will be interesting to see how the responses are handled.

[Excaliber]

OK, it's a decent looking ride and for the money a nice way for someone with a limited budget to get involved with the hobby. No matter what the price, I would expect the ad copy to be more straight forward and less "used car salesman" BS.

Even at the nice price, the buyer really needs to be aware of just what he is buying, that is not very clear in my opinion. To much hype for this ride, regardless of the price.

[Durt]

Pree-cisely. As this website has amply proven, there is no shortage of, ahem, opinions on Cobra replicas, and this thing could indeed be perfect for someone on a budget who doesn't care about the pedigree. The problem is the 25 paragraphs worth of flim-flammery trying to doll it up as "rare" and something you'd see going for big dollars at Barrett-Jackson. The guy is flirting dangerously with fraud.
Reserve should be (a generous) $10k and the car's description reduced to one, factual line.

[Rickd]

He's not "flirtting dangerously with fraud". It IS pure fraud - saying it's a rare metal bodied cobra - similar to the "prototypes that Shelby initiated with on REAL MG chaiss. It's not "part of the hobby", but a lame mutilation of what might have been a real nice MG. Heck, a nice MGA ... with a SBF in it (not a 350 chebby) would be a nice toy. The "mutilation" advertised on ebay is an embarrasment.

[VintageUpgrades]

I would love to find SOMETHING redeeming about this guy, but "BBS custom 15" Cobra aluminum black and chrome wheels". Really? There are three false statements in that one line alone. I have the same wheels on by boat trailer. I was going to scrap them for some aluminum ones. Oh wait, according to the ad they ARE aluminum. Either this guy is an idiot or scum.
I have customers come in all the time with a car or truck that was mis-represented by the seller. Most of the time, it is Bondo-hidden cancer on a "rust free" car or a 450hp .040 over, sloppy timing chained 302. This guy might as well be selling a Mustang II as a BOSS 429 replica!

[Durt]

"Heck, a nice MGA ... with a SBF in it (not a 350 chebby) would be a nice toy."

True dat. An old original MG would be WAY cooler than Son of Frankenstein here.

[PANAVIA]

I like the typed,typo'ed term "relica" , which is a car so hopelessly snarfed that it has achieved a new status.

We used to see lots of this sort of thing in the 1980's in northern ca , Austin healeys , Jensen healeys , mga's , all with v8s in them , all huge power with no chassis improvements. Most of them wound up in trees, or in guard rails, I guess this one didn't,

The best hybrid though , was a friend with a 240z with a v8 and a Doug Nash 5 speed, man that thing jammed!!!

I agree , eBay should be smarter about listings like this , it really screws with the entry level enthusiast who has a hard time understanding the cars.

Me, I am still looking for a Jensen interceptor with a viper v10 in it.


Steve

[FUNFER2]

Originally Posted by rustyBob

Theres enough BS in his statement to fill the Grand Canyon.....a couple of times...

hehe !
and I agree. People are actually bidding on this one fine example of a cobra. He can't be lying,..is he. ? lol.......... I hope it's family & friends !
What ever dude.

[*13*]

I think he's probably bidding on it. Had a guy do that to me. I was the only bidder & luckily had bid just over the starting bid. They guy goes in just a few seconds before it ends & outbids me under another user name. How do I know it was him? Less than 5 minutes after the auction ends, probably closer to 2, he emails me a second chance offer. Scum

[VintageUpgrades]

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

Me, I am still looking for a Jensen interceptor with a viper v10 in it.

I just finished a 71 with a 440. Damn that car is fun!

[Ralphy]

Here is another one for sale.

1956 MGA / Cobra - $7500 (Santa Margarita)

This is a one-of-a-kind MGA that has been customized to look much like an early Shelby Cobra. Has a 302 Ford V-8 and 4-speed that was really quick. Has been sitting for years and will need to be restored. Our asking price of $8500 has been reduced to $7500 and we will consider reasonable offers. For further info contact: will{at}bidslo.com - substitute @ for {at}: Or see more details at www.bidslo.com




This must be the same car.


http://slo.craigslist.org/cto/1921880684.html

One more:
http://www.knightriderscarclub.com/vehicles/1

[dcdoug]

Originally Posted by PANAVIA

I like the typed,typo'ed term "relica" , which is a car so hopelessly snarfed that it has achieved a new status.

We used to see lots of this sort of thing in the 1980's in northern ca , Austin healeys , Jensen healeys , mga's , all with v8s in them , all huge power with no chassis improvements. Most of them wound up in trees, or in guard rails, I guess this one didn't,

The best hybrid though , was a friend with a 240z with a v8 and a Doug Nash 5 speed, man that thing jammed!!!

I agree , eBay should be smarter about listings like this , it really screws with the entry level enthusiast who has a hard time understanding the cars.

Me, I am still looking for a Jensen interceptor with a viper v10 in it.


Steve

My father in law is selling an all original Jensen Healey in SoCal if you have any interest....

[HealeyRick]

If it wasn't for all the "hyperbole" (nice term for some of the other words I could use) this is a pretty nice "Fauxbra", which is my term for "cobraized" MGs, Triumphs. 240Zs, Miatas and Healeys like mine: http://clubcobra.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106429 There are a lot of us who drop V8s into Little British Cars in the Cobra tradition. Go here for some great examples: http://www.britishv8.org/ But the true enthusiasts would never try to pass one off as a real one.

[Excaliber]

Good post and point HealeyRick. Having owned a bunch of English sports car over the years I've seen plenty conversions. Like "kit car Cobras" it's hard to know how good or bad the job was without a personal inspection.

The MGA body shape/style has always been one of my favorites (a '59 was my first sports car), but the suspension and brakes would need some serious upgrades to handle the weight and power of a V8. Unfortunately the seller has little to offer on the subject.

In my opinion, he should be proud of what it is, a modifed MGA, and go into more detail about what makes THIS modification special. Just like many of us, myself included, are proud of our particular replica Cobra make. I have an ERA, proud to say it, don't need to compare it to anything else, or an original, it stands on it's own merit.

[imfastrnu2]

Sounds to me like this guy had the wool pulled over his eyes and now he's trying to return the favor.

[mdross1]

A poor example of a 427 Cobra!

[RON N BKFLD]

My idea of a nice British Shelby replica, (also a Polish one) ,,,,,,,YES...Ron