| lamaluv |
12-18-2013 10:06 AM |
The History of the Red Headed Mistress
The "Red Headed Mistress) aka ERA EXP002 was first registered on February 10, 1981 in Massachusetts by Bruce Bissonnette and has led a full and exciting life since. If you go to this link you can see the almost 33years of her life. My son says she should be called Timex because she has can take a licking and keeps on ticking.
http://www.cobracountry.com/cobra4sa...02-history.pdf |
| Thor maine |
12-18-2013 02:45 PM |
A very nice story.
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| lamaluv |
12-18-2013 03:31 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thor maine
(Post 1276527)
A very nice story.
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It was a great adventure tracking down and visiting all of her prior owners. The old girl has led a charmed life. :)
Dick |
| mrmustang |
12-18-2013 03:49 PM |
Fantastic write up, I've followed that car for about 15+ years, remember seeing it at SAAC events, and if memory is correct, almost bought it two weeks before you did :D , but ended up with ERA 188 instead.
Bill S.
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| lamaluv |
12-18-2013 04:08 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmustang
(Post 1276531)
Fantastic write up, I've followed that car for about 15+ years, remember seeing it at SAAC events, and if memory is correct, almost bought it two weeks before you did :D , but ended up with ERA 188 instead.
Bill S.
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Bill I'm sure glad things turned out the way they did. :LOL: |
| FIA Mike |
12-18-2013 07:56 PM |
A friend of mine in Davis Ca. has ERA EXP004. He open tracked the car with Nor-Cal SAAC club up until a few years ago. He still has the car for the street but now open tracks a 65 Mustang coupe.
FIA Mike
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| lamaluv |
12-19-2013 09:23 AM |
Mike I have met Dr. Cala and we even open tracked the cars together at one of the Western States Cobra Bash's. The original owner still has ERA EXP001 on the East Coast, EXP002 in ID, EXP003 in TX and EXP004 in CA. All four of the EXP cars are still on the road, so It appears that the first few ERA cars are holding their own even, after 30+ years. :)
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| Thor maine |
12-19-2013 05:40 PM |
My Contemporary is from 1980, Contemporary, ERA, Artnz/Butler are the best of that (or any)era.
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| Grubby |
12-20-2013 06:34 AM |
How long before the really early ERAs become collectable?
I had 178 and now 755. ERA has made impressive improvements.
John
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| 750hp |
12-20-2013 10:29 AM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grubby
(Post 1276670)
How long before the really early ERAs become collectable?
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John, I think they already are. Any vehicle that you can own for 5, 10 or 15 years and that is worth than you paid for it seems at least an acceptable investment. Certainly better than a new can dropping 30% value as you drive away from the dealership! |
| lamaluv |
12-20-2013 08:23 PM |
John I think that I agree with Craig. Of course I am a little prejudiced. :) The new ERA cars are great and are better engineered than the original Cobras. The first four ERA cars were all EXP designated as they were all "prototypes or experimentals " according to Peter. Bob did all the welding himself on them. This alone makes these 4 cars unique among the ERA cars.
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| DanEC |
12-21-2013 05:23 AM |
I have a brochure from ERA that I believe I ordered in 1980 - apparently one of their very first ones. It consisted of a letter, a price list, an ERA business card, three sheets of black and white photos of an 427SC ERA and one color photo of it (red). It has street roadster dash, grill splitter and sunbrust wheels. It has an FE with dual quads and aluminum valve covers and air cleaner. It's marked 92580 which I believe was Sept 25, 1980 and aligns with my memory of receiving it.
I wonder which car is pictured in the photos - EXP001?
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| lamaluv |
12-21-2013 11:55 AM |
Dan if you go to the ERA web site and click on the 427 picture then page down to Customer image gallery and click there it will take you to "see the ERA427" then in the upper left corners see a small picture of Car #1. Click on it and you will see a good picture of EXP001. It sure looks like the car that you describe in your brochure.
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| DanEC |
12-21-2013 02:00 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by lamaluv
(Post 1276774)
Dan if you go to the ERA web site and click on the 427 picture then page down to Customer image gallery and click there it will take you to "see the ERA427" then in the upper left corners see a small picture of Car #1. Click on it and you will see a good picture of EXP001. It sure looks like the car that you describe in your brochure.
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Yes - that looks to be the same car in the 1980s literature. I don't think I realized at the time I ordered that material that ERA was so new in the Cobra replica market. But I think I had already read some magazine articles that were very positive about the car. Who knows - maybe Peter and Bob were changing the paint on Car #1 every few weeks like Caroll Shelby - trying to give the impression they had more cars on the road than they really did. :LOL:
By the way, I enjoyed reading your history on car no. 2.
Dan |
| lamaluv |
12-21-2013 02:10 PM |
Dan car's EXP001, EXP003, and 005 were all some shade of red. EXP004 and EXP002 were black to begin with and EXP002 was changed to red in 1985.
I have always though that red was a great color on any go fast convertible sports car. The cops always seem to be attracted to them also. :LOL:
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