Learning what to buy

[Three Peaks]

Originally Posted by diverrick

Thanks for all the great info. I have narrowed down some of the questions. My price range will be around 40K It would prefer SB100 qualified, or capable of getting it.
I think I want to go with an already built car or close, like the Lone star combo.
I don't want one built on a mustang frame, but would like to have a built frame.
As for accuracy, of course closer to original is better, but not a show stopper. At this point in my learning curve, I don't see all the finer differences. I'll need to learn alot more about all the differences and what they mean.
I am looking for a driver, parade, show kinda car. Might try it out over in Sonoma a few times just to see what it is like.
Sorry if I made duplicate threads. Maybe I should go back and try to delete the others.

It is obvious you are really just beginning to research the different Cobras from your statement above "I don't want one built on a mustang frame". No reputable manufacturer builds a Cobra kit on a Mustang frame, or any other frame as far as I know. They all have their own frame design to fit their body and drive train.
The round tube frames are more original such as the Factory Five, Contemporary, Kirkham, High Tech, Premier Motorsports, and a few others. Most of the other manufacturers are rectangular frames with varying methods of attaching the bodies. The best of these style are probably the Superformance, as they are factory built and the body is bonded to the chassis to make a very rigid assembly. Due to this design, these types tend to be a bit heavier than the round tube design with the "bird cage" design where the strength is in the chassis and the body is supported by the cage but isn't structural.

For your purposes either will suffice, but your budget will dictate you stay with the less expensive kits so eliminate the ERA, Kirkham, Superformance, and a few others.
Then, decide if you want reliability as a priority, or outright raw horsepower. If it is just to be a cruiser/show car, a reliable small block with lots of bling will probably be your thing. Still plenty of power to scare the pants off you, but tame enough to drive and enjoy every day if the weather cooperates and will get plenty of attention.

Do you want a live axle or IRS for a softer ride? What kind of horsepower limits are you looking at as this will determine some of the other parts of the drive train.

Keep in mind the lower priced models are almost all kits as opposed to "rollers", so the quality of the builds will vary depending entirely on the builder. You should seek out someone who knows Cobras and have him point out the good and the bad of the builds so you know what to look for.

IMHO, for your budget, you would have a hard time going wrong with a Factory Five, Hurricane, Unique, or an older Contemporary Classic (out of business but still good support for them through Mickmate here on the forum), or a few others.

Good luck in your search, but keep in mind you won't find what you are looking for asking questions here on the forum until you get out and get some hands-on experience looking at some different Cobras.

Bob