There are some people who love to build cars and sell them when completed to move on th another build. Just look at some of the cars that are sold on Barrett Jackson. You could not buy the basic car and the parts for what the car sold for. Some guys just don't have the time or may not have the experience, so they opt to have it built. Others are not particular about brand and just want a silver cobra with black stripes. I thing it boils down to time, experience, and money.

I am the type of guy who bought muscle cars ordered from the factory with the exact options I wanted and was willing to wait 6 to 8 weeks for the car to be delivered. I would do the same today if I were to buy a new Mustang.

I chose to build my Cobra because I wanted the best car I could aford and the rest would be sweat equity. I ordered all the options I wanted from ERA, spent 2 years finding parts on ebay, Buddy Bar cast valve covers, a polished Weber intake manifold, ordering all the ARP nuts and bolts, heads, pistons, rods, bearings, forged crank, you get the picture. I did all the body work, gaped the doors, hood, and trunk lid, and painted it in my garage. I totally enjoyed doing it and would do it again, but that's ME!

I wish I was smart enough to have bought an original in 1966 and smart enough to keep it. Then I would be restoring it instead of building it. But don't we all.

I bought a use SPF almost one year ago for $55k. I REALLY wanted to buy a new SPF roller and set it up exactly the way I wanted it. I just couldn't justify the extra $30k to do that. It is so relavant to your question that I still dream of buying the exact roller I want. Wether you call it biblical or human nature, we all want what we don't have! But I do like the extra $30k I have because I bought used!

I never considered a used Cobra (unless I could have had an original). The car I wanted would not have been available used anyway, as mine is quite different than the usual fare out there. Cobras built like mine rarely change hands (you guys know who you are). Many guys buy a Cobra without having any idea what they're getting into (literally). Once they realize the don't have a car that drives like a Mustang or Corvette (no AC, no power anti-lock brakes or power steering, Heim joint suspension, etc.) they decide to sell. They may not realize these cars ride like an old race car, or old truck, with no creature comforts. These are the cars for sale in many cases. Nice in the garage, but wifey doesn't like it. Whatever the reason, most for sale Cobras mimic each other.
I built my car as I wanted it, without any thought of resale value. The only upgrade I would do is to add an original 427 side oiler at some point, although the 428 is stout enough for the street. Everyone has his own opinion, and for me, driving a car I built myself is absolutely paramount.