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 2Likes
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1
Post By Thor maine
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1
Post By 750hp
12-18-2013, 09:06 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
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 |
12-18-2013, 01:45 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Cobra Make, Engine: Former owner of Long Live the Bow tie Contemporary #102 427 Chevy .30 over Merlin heads 11to1, TBI injection
Posts: 738
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Not Ranked
A very nice story.
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12-18-2013, 02:31 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by Thor maine
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 |
12-18-2013, 02:49 PM
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CC Member/Contributor
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Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Greenville,
SC
Cobra Make, Engine: 70 Shelby convertible, ERA-FIA, 66 mustang convertible, mystery Ford powered 2dr convertible
Posts: 12,635
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Not Ranked
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  , but ended up with ERA 188 instead.
Bill S.
__________________
Instead of being part of the problem, be part of a successful solution.
First time Cobra buyers-READ THIS
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12-18-2013, 03:08 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrmustang
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 , but ended up with ERA 188 instead.
Bill S. |
Bill I'm sure glad things turned out the way they did.  |
12-18-2013, 06:56 PM
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Senior Club Cobra Member
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Join Date: Dec 2000
Cobra Make, Engine: 2008 Shelby GT500
Posts: 235
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Not Ranked
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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12-19-2013, 08:23 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
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.
Last edited by lamaluv; 12-19-2013 at 08:44 AM..
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12-19-2013, 04:40 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Cobra Make, Engine: Former owner of Long Live the Bow tie Contemporary #102 427 Chevy .30 over Merlin heads 11to1, TBI injection
Posts: 738
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Not Ranked
My Contemporary is from 1980, Contemporary, ERA, Artnz/Butler are the best of that (or any)era.
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12-20-2013, 05:34 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Clayton,
IN
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 838
Posts: 1,076
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Not Ranked
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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12-20-2013, 09:29 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Brisbane, Australia,
Q
Cobra Make, Engine: Contemporary CCX3117 427FE
Posts: 4,381
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by Grubby
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!
__________________
Craig
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12-20-2013, 07:23 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
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. |
12-21-2013, 04:23 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Little Rock area,
AR
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,488
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Not Ranked
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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12-21-2013, 10:55 AM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
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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12-21-2013, 01:00 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Little Rock area,
AR
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA Street Roadster #782 with 459 cu in FE KC engine, toploader, 3.31
Posts: 4,488
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Not Ranked
Quote:
Originally Posted by lamaluv
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.
By the way, I enjoyed reading your history on car no. 2.
Dan |
12-21-2013, 01:10 PM
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CC Member
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Nampa,
ID
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA EXP002, 1968 PI 428 FE
Posts: 691
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Not Ranked
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. |
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