Help with Possible Hi-Tech Motorsport Cobra

[TheStig]

Hello,

My father and I are car collectors, and have been for several years. We collect a wide variety of cars. I have had my share of Mustang GTs, Camaros, Corvettes, and I have recently purchased a Red Dodge Viper. My father has been in the car business for his entire life while I am a 23 year old Physics teacher at the high school that I have recently graduated from.

A very special car in our collection is a a black 1965 Cobra with a serial number of HTM65CC102 that was repossessed in Arizona in 2009. While the car was originally in rough shape, restorations on the car were completed last year, which has allowed us to take the car to several cars shows in the local area.

I have tried my best to research the Cobras that were built by Hi-Tech Motorsports, but Wikipedia and the old Hi-Tech Motorsports information pages (from 1966) contain very little information about the car. I have tried to research more about the car on various message across the internet with very little success in terms of learning more about the vehicle. At these car shows, individuals are constantly asking questions about the car that me or my father do not have enough knowledge to answer their inquiries.

Based on what I have gathered from my own research in this Cobra Community, the car had to have been built by an individual known as Tim Gunning from when he was part of Hi-Tech Motorsports (Arizona) in the 1990's. When the car was found, the car was found to have the following features:
- The car is labeled as a 1965 AC Cobra with a black paint job
- The motor IN the car was a 427 with two-four barrel carburetors
- The car had a four-speed transmission gear-box
- The car has a fuel cell
- The exterior of the body fiber glass with an aluminum boot, floor, and aluminum inner-fenders
- The car originally came with knock-off wheels
- The car has coil-over shocks
- The car has an independent rear axle with a 9" Ford housing
- The had, and still has, side pipes for the exhaust
- The car is a front steer rack-and-pinion steering
- The car has four piston disc brakes
- Serial Number: HTM65CC102 engraved on the frame (right hand side of the car underneath the bonnet)
- Had a

Is this actually one of the desirable Hi-Tech Motorsport Replicas that was built by Tim Gunning?

Is my original hypothesis of the car supported by the evidence found in this thread or have I missed several details about the car in terms of its location of origin?

Also, if I were to provide nice, clean, pictures, is there any way to determine how much the car is worth in today's vehicle market?

I came to this specific website and chose this specific forum because I have not seen another website that compares to the level of knowledge and expertise of Cobras that is present message board. I appreciate your help so much!

[CHANMADD]

We do need pictures too.

[LMH]

I know Tim personally and his cars very well. Can you post a few photos? I may be able to tell for sure. Try and get one of the differential and frame area.
Larry

[TheStig]

I appreciate the prompt replies, gentlemen. As it is now 1:26am on the East Coast of the United States, I will post pictures of the car on this forum in a time interval of 12-17 hours. Since my digital camera is currently being used by a friend of mine, I will have to upload iPhone 3GS Cell Phone pictures to this thread. While the quality will not be optimal, I will make sure to get the photographs that you have requested. Thank you so much for your help!

[strictlypersonl]

Re: Photos!

Most important are pictures of the engine compartment, interior (including pedal assembly), trunk, and, if you can, front and rear suspension. The outside shells are all similar, so pictures of the body are not very important.

[mickmate]

I think you'll find the HTM is Hi Tech Motorsports, that was in the days of Tom D'Antonio. Tom was the guy that went to Shelby and was behind the 4000 project. A couple of his wants for the car were the one piece glass cockpit and trunk. He ran the glass shop for them making such parts. The cars built by Tim Gunning were I believe stamped with HTR the R standing for replica. The 9" centre section and the aluminum panels on a glass body are certainly, though not exclusively, Hi Tech features. There are a couple of knowledgeable Hi Tech owners that know more about it than I and have kind of an unofficial registry going on these things. I'll have them check in here. I believe the diff mounts and brackets may be a tell tale. They also may have oversize holes in the diff brackets with a bushing welded to it after positioning. The front suspension will likely be a Galaxie upright. More info as it comes to mind and the experts chime in.

[mickmate]

Diff looks like this. I have a pretty good file on the Hi Tech as I owned one for a little while that I sold to a local friend and have been making many parts for. I sent you a PM on them.

[601HP]

Look at the serial number a little more closely. Are you certain the 65CC portion of your number is exactly that, or could it be HTM65C0102?

Look on the driver side upright near the door hinge. Hi-Tech stamped the serial number in that location also.

My car is a Hi-Tech, completed in July 1994. My serial number is HTM65C0101.

David

[adricar1]

i am currently building a hi tech in the uk , this i bought less suspension and boot doors and bonnet ebay purchase in 2005, i have purchased the supension from Tim and the body panels. The hitech is a strng chasis, and i am using the jag diff in the rear with brackets similar to the 9inch posted.
Mickmate the question i have is the rear a arms are bronze bushed , and the hub assembly fits between , can anyone show me what the spacers look like, i have turned a bronze washer down , but not sure if it will last as they are 50thou thick.

[TheStig]

Originally Posted by 601HP

Look at the serial number a little more closely. Are you certain the 65CC portion of your number is exactly that, or could it be HTM65C0102?
David

After closer inspection, you are entirely correct! My father and I have always thought that there were two C's in the serial number. Thank you for allowing for my closer inspection of the serial number.

Below are different photographs from the car. I have taken pictures of all components of the car that were requested. When I figure out how to add a caption beneath each photograph, I will try to EDIT this post to give you a better perspective of what you are actually viewing.

[mickmate]

That should be fine. You just want to shim the forward back movement out of it as you've done. I just bombed TheStigs e-mail with Hi Tech info. If you have a lot of HiTech questions we could ask Ron/Brent for a HT forum if there's enough of the HT guys on here.

[TheStig]

Originally Posted by mickmate

I just bombed TheStigs e-mail with Hi Tech info. If you have a lot of HiTech questions we could ask Ron/Brent for a HT forum if there's enough of the HT guys on here.

Whoa! I have received the e-mails you have sent to my personal account and I am extremely impressed with your collection of resources that you have provided. As you know, it is so difficult to find information pertaining to the Hi-Tech Motorsports Cobra since the company was huge in the 1990's before the internet became a haven of information about anything and everything. I have submitted a post of several pictures for approval on this forum, but the moderators have yet to the approve the pictures in order for easy viewing. I have them in my account's photo-album that claims to be "Public Album". So, you may be able to view the photographs from the album contained in my profile webpage. I would really love for each of you to see the photos and provide feedback.

Based on the e-mail messages sent by MickMate, I believe that the car a Hi-Tech Motorsports Cobra. I assume that the pictures that were sent to my e-mail account were photographs of Cobras built by Tom D'Antonio. If that is the case, it is extremely helpful to know that information. MickMate, I am going to e-mail a response to you (hopefully tomorrow) to express how much I appreciate all of the help that you have provided thus far in the thread. Once again, the information was incredible.

[SunDude]

Nick (mickmate) is the man.

[LMH]

Yep, looks like a High Tech. On each side of the grill opening, the aluminum panel may (not all have it though) have a rounded indentation in the panel. It's the only rounded aluminum piece on the car.
Larry

[TimG427]

I owned an aluminum Hi Tech Cobra for a number of years, there are pictures in my gallery. It was one of the best replicas I've ever seen, a copy of CSX 3002. They built a good car and there were many magazine articles on their aluminum car. I believe they were one of the first to build an aluminum car behind the folks in Wisconsin that built the Cobra for Jay Leno.

[LMH]

No doubt about it, one of the best most accurate cars out there.
Larry

[cobrakiwi]

I would have to agree, great car. I have one in the shop now going under full restoration.
The car is very well made.

[MAStuart]

Originally Posted by mickmate

I think you'll find the HTM is Hi Tech Motorsports, that was in the days of Tom D'Antonio. Tom was the guy that went to Shelby and was behind the 4000 project. A couple of his wants for the car were the one piece glass cockpit and trunk. He ran the glass shop for them making such parts. The cars built by Tim Gunning were I believe stamped with HTR the R standing for replica. The 9" centre section and the aluminum panels on a glass body are certainly, though not exclusively, Hi Tech features. There are a couple of knowledgeable Hi Tech owners that know more about it than I and have kind of an unofficial registry going on these things. I'll have them check in here. I believe the diff mounts and brackets may be a tell tale. They also may have oversize holes in the diff brackets with a bushing welded to it after positioning. The front suspension will likely be a Galaxie upright. More info as it comes to mind and the experts chime in.

Nick in the above quote you say Galaxie upright. Could you tell us a little more about them . What year and do you have a pic of them on a Hi tech car? Thanks Mark

[TheStig]

If this truly is a Hi-Tech Cobra, how much would one of these be purchased for if it were in good condition? We had gotten this one as a repossession three years ago, and we are not even sure of the true value of the car.

[LMH]

Lots of variables is the problem. Engine, transmission, wheels, brakes etc. Also the market is soft right now but could be $50,000 to $75,000 with the right "stuff".
What does it have for an engine? Leather or vinyl interior? What's its overall condition?
Larry