Spotters: Any idea which Cobra maker this is?

[SunDude]

I just received my catalog for the upcoming classic car auction in Toronto, and saw this nice-looking 289 Cobra replica. Neither the catalog or website description identifies the kit maker.

Can any of you tell from the photos which kit maker this is likely from? I'm thinking maybe it's a Johnex or a modified Aurora...

The listing says it's a 1985 model with a custom space-frame chassis and a Jag rear end.

I notice some unusual features: exposed trunk hinges, dual centre-exit exhaust, front overriders mounted using only a single rod.

Click photo to jump to auction website:



Full-size auction catalog scan:

[computerworks]

It's an Aurora, I'd guess.

(edit...second look at brochure...maybe not.)

Some attributes, but not all... a dash pic would help.

[CobraDan]

aurora cobra: shelby cobra replica for sale

[SunDude]

Didn't all Auroras have three windshield wipers? From the photo, it looks like this one only has two.

The taillamps are wrong for an Aurora, but I've seen some cars that have been modified to look like a Cobra. I don't have any dash photos, but then again, I've seen Auroras modified to look like Cobras here too.

[computerworks]

that's why I had second thoughts.

[1985 CCX]

My guess is also a modified Aurora or since it looks like west coast background possibly John Cutsom Fab....... JCF has a distinct trans tunnel, AC like, so interior pic may help tremendously.

I once looked at a JCF with tube chassis and Jag IRS. It was vrey nice, I have seen modified Aurora's as well with corrected interiors that can fool the untrained eye. The rocker panel exposed square frame section makes me lean more towards Aurora as that was the one thing I did not like about their design.....

[CobraDan]

If you look at the Owners' Gallery of Auroras at the link I supplied you will see 3 wipers and 2 wiper cars and ones just like the posted Cobra.

[meat]

It's probably either an Aurora or an ERA slabside.

Your pal,
Meat.

[SunDude]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think ERA made 289 replicas back in 1985.

[LMH]

Body is pretty accurate. Exhaust isn't but it looks nice. I wonder if body and chassis are different manufacturers.
Larry

[Tim Brewer]

Not sure either, but I like it.

[mickmate]

I rode in a local Aurora. We took it to a Cobra breakfast with me on the passenger side. There is only room for one foot in the passenger footbox. The passenger footbox on that car is wider but is also either covered in ally or made of ally. That could be the custom made part but they do also refer to a custom fabricated chassis. Aurora was a factory made car. Interesting stuff.

[Riverside racer]

My guess its a Johnex . They used an Aurora to make their molds.
Ross

[Riverside racer]

and bused a local racing fabrication shop to do their swpace frame chassis but can`t seem to remember their name
Ross

[meat]

Originally Posted by SunDude

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think ERA made 289 replicas back in 1985.

You're not wrong. Bu Aurora didn't make slabsides in 1985, either.

Your pal,
Meat.

[grx020]

Aurora only made slabsides

[Andys289]

Mystery? Sorry I would of responded to this earlier but I didn't know until someone told my son at the auction there was a thread here. I haven't visited this site in several years and just recently rejoined.
This car has nothing to do with an Aurora. The body for this car was from a mold taken from an original Cobra prior to the mould being sold to the person that started Aurora Cars.
Actually the only part that came from Aurora is the windshield frame and glass that I purchased because at the time it was easier, safer and cheaper than ordering one myself from Contempory Cobra in Mt.Vernon New York
The chassis, suspension and aluminum work was contracted to a street rod / race car chassis builder in 1981. His name is Brad Watson. Brad also did a some of the chassis design work for Aurora Cars as well as modification work on cars that customers requested. ie there were 2 Auroras that I know of that were delivered with Chevy small block V8's. If you were to see the two chassis side by side the only parts that are the same is the front and rear hoop. An Aurora has a fiberglass one piece interior tub, trunk floor, inner fender panels and as one of you mentioned very tight foot boxes. All my interior panels are aluminum rivetted to a lightweight steel structure that makes the chassis very ridgid. Also the interior floor in an Aurora slopes up toward the front making it very tight around the pedals. My floor is flat and the boxes are almost 3" wider each side. My clutch and brake pedals rise up from the floor as do the original cars. Also we raised the trunk floor to fit the mufflers in the recess so that ground clearence would not be an issue. Its not. hence the exhust location.
I completed the car in the fall of 1984. It was licensed in the Spring of 1985
It has won several awards over the years starting with 3rd place in the Peoples choice awards at SAAC in Dearborn in 1986 and Best Street Machine and Best New shown at Motion in 1986

I have driven it every summer for 27 years and I will miss it dearly.

I always believed that the Aurora would of been a great car except for some decisions that were made that prevented it.
The up-sloping floor and the pedals down out of the top along with the narrow foot boxes made it too tight for any one with a larger than a size 9 foot to drive.
The boxes were narrow to allow for the one piece fiberglass tub to be put in place around the hoops. If they were made separate they could of been made wider but that require a lot more labour.
The use of off the shelf Mustang II front suspension made the tires and wheels stick out past the body work made an otherwise beautiful car look bad. Even with a 2 1/2" negative offset wheel.

[LMH]

It sure is nice and looks very well built.
Larry

[Haywood]

Originally Posted by Andys289

Mystery? Sorry I would of responded to this earlier but I didn't know until someone told my son at the auction there was a thread here. I haven't visited this site in several years and just recently rejoined.
This car has nothing to do with an Aurora. The body for this car was from a mold taken from an original Cobra prior to the mould being sold to the person that started Aurora Cars.
Actually the only part that came from Aurora is the windshield frame and glass that I purchased because at the time it was easier, safer and cheaper than ordering one myself from Contempory Cobra in Mt.Vernon New York
The chassis, suspension and aluminum work was contracted to a street rod / race car chassis builder in 1981. His name is Brad Watson. Brad also did a some of the chassis design work for Aurora Cars as well as modification work on cars that customers requested. ie there were 2 Auroras that I know of that were delivered with Chevy small block V8's. If you were to see the two chassis side by side the only parts that are the same is the front and rear hoop. An Aurora has a fiberglass one piece interior tub, trunk floor, inner fender panels and as one of you mentioned very tight foot boxes. All my interior panels are aluminum rivetted to a lightweight steel structure that makes the chassis very ridgid. Also the interior floor in an Aurora slopes up toward the front making it very tight around the pedals. My floor is flat and the boxes are almost 3" wider each side. My clutch and brake pedals rise up from the floor as do the original cars. Also we raised the trunk floor to fit the mufflers in the recess so that ground clearence would not be an issue. Its not. hence the exhust location.
I completed the car in the fall of 1984. It was licensed in the Spring of 1985
It has won several awards over the years starting with 3rd place in the Peoples choice awards at SAAC in Dearborn in 1986 and Best Street Machine and Best New shown at Motion in 1986

I have driven it every summer for 27 years and I will miss it dearly.

I always believed that the Aurora would of been a great car except for some decisions that were made that prevented it.
The up-sloping floor and the pedals down out of the top along with the narrow foot boxes made it too tight for any one with a larger than a size 9 foot to drive.
The boxes were narrow to allow for the one piece fiberglass tub to be put in place around the hoops. If they were made separate they could of been made wider but that require a lot more labour.
The use of off the shelf Mustang II front suspension made the tires and wheels stick out past the body work made an otherwise beautiful car look bad. Even with a 2 1/2" negative offset wheel.

"Brad Watson" wow there's a name that I haven't heard for 30yrs that takes me down memory lane.
Yes he was a fabricator that built the frame jig and the jig that held the frame in place to mount the "tub" and the body on.

FYI the inner fenders were sep from the "tub".
And the "tub" was custom cut and widened by a few inches in the driver's foot well for a lil extra room.
It really wasn't all so much of an intensive labor deal to do.

There certainly was a Love/Hate relationship between Brad and Aurora Cars for whatever reasons?

I do recall that he had a frame and body etc of his own that he made his own car that was painted in Gun Metal Grey.
Never saw the car completed or what kind of drivetrain was put in it.

Never asked for the How's and Why's he even had the frame and body either.
Didn't ask, didn't tell type of scenario.

And yes there were a few cars made that had Chevy engines in them and they were mated up with a Doug Nash 5spd in them.

And yes,
I agree that a lot of poor management decisions had been made.
Just for example a car was shipped to Japan once for a car show and it was shipped back to Toronto because they DIDN'T SELL IT.

Common sense would tell you to sell it for a discounted price to avoid paying the shipping costs back to TO.....duhhh.

What kept AC on the go for a while was taking in restoration projects.
With the likes of a British Car restoration Co that was in the same Industrial plaza that sent all their paintwork etc to AC for their Healey 3000's etc.

There was even an ORIGINAL aluminum body slabside that came into AC for body and paint once.

Another dumb management move was buying up about 15 Deloreans that they thought they could resell for a profit.
Which kinda reminds me of the movie "Rainman" except for the fact that nobody there was able to win any $ at a Casino

[Mark IV]

I visited the factory in 1984 at the invitation of Blaine Hobson who was the sales manager. Aurora had a very nicely finished product, but I thought some of the design decisons were "questionable".

The car did NOT use the Mustang II front suspension. The front setup was an amalgamation of "off the shelf" Ford parts including Granada control arms. I know this for a fact as Aurora sent me a list of part numbers so our dealership could quote them and possbly supply FoMoCo parts to Aurora.

They thought the C&C Yacht connection would put them over the top but never really found the synergy they expected.