ERA vs Unique FIA

[Tig65gs]

Hi, i don't no much about the unique car but i have an early ERA 289 fia car with 33,000 miles on it and it doesn't have a squeak or rattle in it and to boot i left all the aluminum panels exposed with no carpet.I have several cars and it is always my favorite to drive.

[Jdata]

By those pictures, I like flares on Unique.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Jdata

By those pictures, I like flares on Unique.

They are more "427" than the original FIA flares. The front flares on an FIA are almost "flat" where the Unique flares are rounded in 427 fashion.

Both are great cars and this is not a dis on either one. If "original"
is not a high priority then go with what you like!

[xb-60]

Valuable comparison shots, thanks for posting them.
My only comment on the ERA FIA - and it's a very minor negative - is that the dash panel is too deep. You could almost fit another row of gauges above the top row.
This is only really obvious when the ERA car has a roadster dash panel as this car does; on an ERA FIA with the more normal comp. dash, you wouldn't notice it.

Cheers,
Glen

[66gtk]

Originally Posted by xb-60

Valuable comparison shots, thanks for posting them.
My only comment on the ERA FIA - and it's a very minor negative - is that the dash panel is too deep. You could almost fit another row of gauges above the top row.
This is only really obvious when the ERA car has a roadster dash panel as this car does; on an ERA FIA with the more normal comp. dash, you wouldn't notice it.

Cheers,
Glen

My ERA has the comp style FIA dash - LOVE IT! I also like the 427 dash offering and the street 289 offering on these cars. It's all about personal choices.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by 66gtk

My ERA has the comp style FIA dash - LOVE IT! I also like the 427 dash offering and the street 289 offering on these cars. It's all about personal choices.....

Troy, yep, agreed. It is about personal choices. I have always wanted a 289FIA Cobra replica, and back in 2011, an ERA 289FIA was at the top of my very short list of one.
Back then, I placed a deposit with Peter, but difficulties with bringing a car into Australia was the major reason for having my deposit returned nearly a year later.
I still think that ERA’s 427s, 289 variants, and their GTs are top-notch as far as being extremely faithful replicas of the ‘60s originals.

The only thing that (to my eye) isn’t correct on ERA’s replica FIA/USRRC cars with drop-centre dashboards (CSX2409 CSX2459, CSX2514, CSX2557, CSX2558 all had drop-centre dashes) is the depth of the dash.

This pic of the drop-centre roadster dash is from ERA’s website:




….and this one shows CSX2514’s drop-centre dash. There is some degree of difference there....




Cheers,
Glen

[Jdata]

Originally Posted by Mark IV

They are more "427" than the original FIA flares. The front flares on an FIA are almost "flat" where the Unique flares are rounded in 427 fashion.

Both are great cars and this is not a dis on either one. If "original"
is not a high priority then go with what you like!

I have never studied the 289 FIA. I thought regardless of model, the actual cars weren't consistent in their shapes.

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Jdata

I have never studied the 289 FIA. I thought regardless of model, the actual cars weren't consistent in their shapes.

They aren't but to a degree there are certain 'tells" that the FIAs had and the flatter front flares are one of them.

Here are the front flares on a Superformance FIA:

[patrickt]

Jdata -- somehow I thought you wanted a 427 car. Are you leaning towards a FIA? They are two entirely different cars in almost every regard.

[tboneheller]

Both are nice, but for me, the ERA sloping radiator and the hood scoop make it far more appealing.

[*13*]

I looked at both cars pretty heavily. The fender flares & the aluminum interior really kept me going back to ERA.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by *13*

I looked at both cars pretty heavily. The fender flares & the aluminum interior really kept me going back to ERA.

I didn't. The only two cars I seriously considered were ERA and Kirkham. And for the four or five reasons I went with ERA, the next guy might very well choose a KMS for exactly the same (or opposite) reason.

[*13*]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I didn't. The only two cars I seriously considered were ERA and Kirkham. And for the four or five reasons I went with ERA, the next guy might very well choose a KMS for exactly the same (or opposite) reason.

KMS would have been on the table, had the budget room to stretch that way. KMS slab with comp Flares, in fact!

[DanEC]

I think the 289 original glove box is larger than on a 427 also and I think ERA is installing the 427 version on both. However, for a small fee I suspect ERA could revise all of those things for a buyer.

[jolsen42]

Originally Posted by xb-60

The only thing that (to my eye) isn’t correct on ERA’s replica FIA/USRRC cars with drop-centre dashboards (CSX2409 CSX2459, CSX2514, CSX2557, CSX2558 all had drop-centre dashes) is the depth of the dash.

This pic of the drop-centre roadster dash is from ERA’s website:




….and this one shows CSX2514’s drop-centre dash. There is some degree of difference there....




Cheers,
Glen

I couldn't agree more. The ERA car is just beautiful, but their dash is so out of proportion. I made my own and I'm extremely pleased the way it came out.



John O