Cobra Kit Car

Slipery4life · #1 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 05:32 PM

Hey im basicaly trying a kit car and i figured i should go with my favorite car. The only thing is im not sure how a kit car works, i love to work on cars and i want to know how hard is it and cost wise what am i looking at. Please any help is apreciate. I saw Shell Valley has one for 10,000 but that seems to little to low, what all comes with it and what will i need to make a driveable car.

DanEC · #2 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 05:54 PM

You can buy a used one for less than it will take to build one in most cases. If your set on building your own the prices are going to run from around $15 K for a basic kit (add engine transmission, wheels, tires, paint, many, many misc parts) up to probably around $80k for a roller Kirkham (add engine, transmission and paint only if you don't like bare aluminum bodywork).

There is everything in between - pallet cars, rollers, including fully finished - ready to run cars (Superperformance, Backdraft) and custom built - ready to run cars (ERA, Unique) etc.

You need to decide how authentic a car you're wanting. Is performance your main goal? What type of engine do you want.? Are you wanting to customize it to your own image? Solid rear axle or IRS?

Give us an idea of your budget range and you will get lots of suggestions here.

Slipery4life · #3 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 06:13 PM

well i wanna go about the cheapest possible i am in college so i got school to worry about but im willing to purchase parts slowly until i finish it. but i wanna keep it under 18k

itstock · #4 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

well i wanna go about the cheapest possible i am in college so i got school to worry about but im willing to purchase parts slowly until i finish it. but i wanna keep it under 18k

Go to cobra country and look at the asking prices of various manufacturers. Keep in mind that they are, in most all circumstances, asking less than the build price. That will give you an idea of how much it costs to build.

mrmustang · #5 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

well i wanna go about the cheapest possible i am in college so i got school to worry about but im willing to purchase parts slowly until i finish it. but i wanna keep it under 18k

Save your money, graduate college, then buy a nice kit when you can afford to do so. 18K does not get you anything but headaches.

Bill S.

dallas_ · #6 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

well i wanna go about the cheapest possible i am in college so i got school to worry about but im willing to purchase parts slowly until i finish it. but i wanna keep it under 18k

I've been where you are.
Unfortunately, mrmustang is right. This is a hobby that doesn't mesh well with unrealistically low budgets. I know its not what you want to hear, but it is the reality.

edit: Oh and one other thing. Most of the guys on this board probably have over $50,000 into their cars. Many have double that and more. It does the industry no good at all to have people think they can get one of these vehicles for under $20,000. So please understand if people aren't really excited to help you achieve that goal.

Slipery4life · #7 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 07:34 PM

Ok im so lost on that site but i didnt find some but they were all 50k but already build i want to build it

Slipery4life · #8 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 08:05 PM

what would be a good price for a kit and from who is the best kit

dallas_ · #9 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

what would be a good price for a kit and from who is the best kit

Best?
What does that mean? What are your goals for the car? How much do you know about the history of the Shelby Cobra?

Different manufacturers fit different segments. There is no agreed upon 'best'.

Please spend some time using the search function. All your questions will be answered there.

patrickt · #10 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 08:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

what would be a good price for a kit and from who is the best kit

You'll just be throwing your money away. Take a long sleep on it, begin studying the cars as a hobby and, if you don't lose interest along the way, you will eventually get the car you really want. Right now you don't even know what you want and, I promise you, you don't want what you can afford to buy. We're giving you good fatherly advice -- please take it.

itstock · #11 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

what would be a good price for a kit and from who is the best kit

Factory five has a good "kit" and a great support community. It is one of the cheaper entry kits IF that is how you build it. It will run about $14k after shipping and taxes. Go to their website and see what the base kit includes.

Realistically, if you aren't worried about appearance or performance, you could probably have a running and road legal ffr mk4 for the $25-30k mark. The quality in that price depends on your skill, as that price is with you doing everything, body work, paint, engine, suspension, etc. Everything.

You might save a couple thousand by picking up someone else's project as well.

In the end, you might just be better off buying someone's headache and spend quite a bit less time figuring out any issues. Who knows what you end up with it.

But ultimately, $18k just isn't that realistic of a number. It's not that it can't be done (good deals can be had), it's just not realistic.

I don't know anything about the quality of this car, but it would put you much farther ahead than most anything you could build for $18k...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Facto...ht_1250wt_1021

tcrist · #12 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 08:40 PM

Take a look at this thread, Owner built on a budget;.

This thread will show you how to build a Cobra replica on a budget using basically a doner car. You don't have to buy all brand new parts. You can get a basic kit,a donor car and more or less swap parts out. Just be sure that you pick a kit that you can use the suspension from an available doner car.

Just a thought, not a popular one around here. But here it is anyway.

mikeinatlanta · #13 (**permalink**) 10-03-2016, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tcrist

Take a look at this thread, Owner built on a budget;.

This thread will show you how to build a Cobra replica on a budget using basically a doner car. You don't have to buy all brand new parts. You can get a basic kit,a donor car and more or less swap parts out. Just be sure that you pick a kit that you can use the suspension from an available doner car.

Just a thought, not a popular one around here. But here it is anyway.

I also think giving that thread a close look but for an entirely different reason. It will show just how difficult and unrealistic attempting to build on a tight budget can be, even for someone with a great deal of time, experience, and support can be. While it is true that it can be done with the proper skillset and time, the idea that anyone can do it is absurd.

My prediction is that if you head down the path, the most likely outcome is a compilation of parts that will eventually be the great deal someone else gets to do a budget build. What nobody wants is another car at the local cruise-in of a quality level that it embarrasses all of us involved in the hobby.

itstock · #14 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 09:00 PM

I guess we need to remember the price of lots of tools needed as well, another budget constraint issue.

Slipery4life · #15 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 09:52 PM

haha sorry guys if i sounded stingy or poor i have my business, and school, i cant poor my heart and soul into the car right now but it like to have a 427 as a project/ hobbie. my business bring plenty of money. i dont want a scrap or left over especialy since it can have surprises like bent frames. so i want to buy a good kit since i have never bought one under 18k the parts to finish it i will get along the way and i dont care that i have headaches trying to get the thing up and running, i love working on cars and i have all the tools from rebuilding a 62 impala ss coupe from ground up

Slipery4life · #16 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 09:59 PM

as for my goals i just want i a crusing car im not going to put it in shows or anything im not going to race but i will have a big enough engine in case some stupid civic trys to test me

olddog · #17 (**permalink**) 10-02-2016, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slipery4life

as for my goals i just want i a crusing car im not going to put it in shows or anything im not going to race but i will have a big enough engine in case some stupid civic trys to test me

This is why a Cobra would have gotten me killed, if I had had one when I was college aged.

If you do not have the discipline to be in control of what you do, rather than let someone else challenge or dare you to do what they want you to do, these are not the car for you.

A Cobra weighs typically under 2500 lb, compared to 3600-4200 lb for the average street car.

A Cobra typically has 400-500 Hp, with many hitting 700 Hp, Compared to the average daily driver's 150-300 HP.

Your talking 5 pounds per HP in a Cobra to 20 pounds per Hp in the average daily driver. Do the math, that's 4 times more acceleration than anything you have experienced in a car.

A Cobra is raw rugged Hp with no handling package to auto correct for you. It will accelerate faster than your mind can think. With a 90" wheel base it will turn sharper and faster than you can comprehend. If you break the tires loose (which it can do in any gear at any speed) and it starts sideways, instantly letting off the throttle, will result in it snapping back so fast your head will keep spinning. Any over or under steer on your part will will result in a likely disaster.

These cars have killed many people who were skilled drivers. Street racing in one of these cars is a good way for someone to die a gruesome, painful, death.

I'm not talking down to you. I was young once. I remember it well. I'm lucky to be alive today with way less car. It took attending too many of my friends funerals and a lot of years to see the reality.

Ralphy · #18 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 10:22 PM

I see your in Texas. First understand the laws in your state/county regarding these cars.

Ralphy

Slipery4life · #19 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 10:25 PM

Wtf more laws Texas is starting to pisss me off I can't do anything here without clearing it with someone.... I'm moving back home ..... So DMV is where I can find laws

Ralphy · #20 (**permalink**) 08-21-2012, 10:33 PM

Some areas require new kit cars to have the year built emissions. If so buying an older titled car may be the way to go. Some states title kits as year resembled. So an already titled car may say 1965. Some cars may.............. Check your DMV!

Most if not all locals don't change an already titled car. So say an Arizona titled 1965 Cobra would stay a 1965 in your local. Even if it was built in 2010. Don't take my word, you need to check your local laws.