Replica or a modern reproduction?

[D111]

I also agree that jim nailed it,

,I'm changing what I respond to people no longer well I say its a backdraft Cobra. it is a backdraft roadster from South Africa ,plain and simple a unique vehicle I am very grateful to own.

much easier when you're not trying to compare or make something else better or worse.

[Ralphy]

First off, the majority of my last post is not what I think. But what the SAAC states and others.

The term real or genuine can easily be misrepresented to a non savy buyer. Couple either word to a title with 1965 as "real 1965" or "genuine 1965". Do you see a possible finacial screwing to the unaware? I do!

In fact I do believe some unaware buyer did have it happen. And it was a thread here days gone by.

Originally Posted by AL427SBF

Ralphy, would you accept Jim's explanation if he replaced the word 'real' with 'genuine' to be consistent with SAAC terminology?

Ralphy

[REAL 1]

Ralphy: You are funny! Lost but funny.

Any buyer looking to spend the $$$ to purchase on an original Cobra is likely savvy enough to do his/her due diligence which would include using SAAC and the registry as a guide to start and a reference to start and likely paying an expert to inspect the car to insure it is an original series car.

No Continuation Series Cobra owner that I know of is trying to pass their cars off as original series car.

"Genuine" is synonymous with "real", "actual", 'authentic". Please check Webster's Roget. You do own one don't you? Both current production Cobras and original series are genuine Cobras. They are just separated by 40 years when they were manufactured by SAI

See, its really quite simple. Jim got it on the first try (with only 400 something posts under his belt) yet there are guys like buddyg and others here that have been struggling with this for years.

Buddyg: You say my Cobra is not a "real Shelby Cobra". No!!!? Here I am these last 14 years thinking it was a Shelby Cobra.

However last I checked my vin, title and copy of MSO, all my delivery papers and records and manufactures tag they all have Shelby American as the manufacture. Could have sworn that means I own a....wait for it.... Shelby Cobra. SAAC says I own a Shelby Cobra so did Carroll Shelby (who was photographed with me and my, well.....Cobra) and so does SAI. Hmmm. Will go back and re-check everything tonight.

I'm not trying to make my Continuation series car an original Cobra. Its not. I don't represent it as such and for you to suggest that because I don't answer this question that fits you own little personal view of the issue no doubt motivated by sour grapes is yet another aspersion directed at not only the Continuation series but me and other owners. When people ask that question "is it real" I and other continuation Cobra owners answer truthfully by saying "Yes, it's a Continuation Series Shelby Cobra". If the person inquiring knows what that is great. If they don't, oh well. If they ask I explain. If they don't. Oh well. If they consider it a "real Cobra" that's great. If they don't, don't care. They are free to think what they want but I answered the question truthfully. If you refer to your car as a Cobra replica, than Kudos to you for being truthful. If you and others who don't own a Cobra as defined by SAAC describe your car as a "Cobra" to those that ask you are the ones misleading the person asking.

Cheers.

[xb-60]

Originally Posted by REAL 1

.....When people ask that question "is it real" I and other continuation Cobra owners answer truthfully by saying "Yes, it's a Continuation Series Shelby Cobra". If the person inquiring knows what that is great. If they don't, oh well. If they ask I explain. If they don't. Oh well. If they consider it a "real Cobra" that's great. If they don't, don't care. They are free to think what they want but I answered the question truthfully.....

There are a lot of opinions stated here, so might as well add mine.
I totally agree with previous posts that when someone asks "Is it a real one?" they mean is it one of those cars that are pulling a million dollars at the auctions....so if someone asks "Is it a real one?" and you answer "Yes, it's a Continuation Series Shelby Cobra", then you're most likely misleading people.

Cheers,
Glen

[REAL 1]

Originally Posted by xb-60

There are a lot of opinions stated here, so might as well add mine.
I totally agree with previous posts that when someone asks "Is it a real one?" they mean is it one of those cars that are pulling a million dollars at the auctions....so if someone asks "Is it a real one?" and you answer "Yes, it's a Continuation Series Shelby Cobra", then you're most likely misleading people.

Cheers,
Glen

I agree that the person asking the question "Is it real" usually wants to know if it's an original Cobra. I think that's fair.

If I say "yes" and stop there, I'm not lying but agree it's misleading as to what they are likely asking. If I answer "yes and add "its a real Cobra but a current production continuation series by Shelby" I been both truthful and haven't mislead anyone. They clearly can't be under the impression its an original Cobra and they now know its a genuine Continuation Series Cobra. If they inquire further and if I have time I am happy to answer any questions. I always answer the question honestly. I am proud of my car. I am sure other Continuation owners are proud of their cars too and don't want to pass it off as an original.

Ironically, I'd be willing to bet that a great number of the guys here throwing stones at me who don't own a "Cobra" new or old when asked "Is that a Cobra" lie and say "Yes". I've heard guys with "replicas" do that time and time again over the years. Truth is they are not Cobras, not by a long shot. So whose misleading who? If they were asked is that a "real Cobra" they would also be lying again by answering yes no matter what with the same answer. Either way replica owners can't truthfully answer yes.

Don't throw stones when you live in a glass house.

I don't see my clear and authoritatively position as being petty. Sorry. I am defending and rightfully so what the car is. What I see as petty is the need by others who don't own one to continually try and tear it down. That's petty.

[Ralphy]

The term I wouldn't have a problem with would be, "reproduction". Since isn't that what it is? However my thinking, the powers that be, Shelby American? May have discussed it and thinking it would have some negatives. I'm sure you've seen some manufacture of an item, what ever it be, loosely use the word. So they came up with a esoteric name, continuation. I like continuation better than genuine or worse, real! Reproduction also sounds too............ common!

So the SAAC uses genuine and SA uses continuation. Out of the three, genuine, continuation and reproduction. When purchasing any product/widget or say a statue. In your view which denotes a negative image more?

However reproduction should not be viewed negatively in a perfect world.

Real 1, Jim sure did nail it! Right here he said, "Most people on the street when they ask me "is it real?" are probably really asking: "is it original?" Of course, the answer from me is no." Damn you step in it so often.

Ralphy

[REAL 1]

Ralph's, what can I say but agree that your answer to you will obviously, hopelessly and forever be correct to you. Sigh.

[Ralphy]

A fact of the matter! If CS did not build a race car, a winning racer, where would these cars be? Just another street kit car builder? And probably a defunct lost in the annals kit car builder. Just another brick in the wall.

Ralphy

[rgnbull1227]

just curious.....What is then the benefit of SPF Cars being "OFFICIALLY LICENSED BY SHELBY"?

[Thor maine]

Originally Posted by rgnbull1227

just curious.....What is then the benefit of SPF Cars being "OFFICIALLY LICENSED BY SHELBY"?

Nothing!

[DRED]

I wish I had not succumbed to the temptation to join this thread because the silliness just continued, didn't it? I may have even made it worse! Oh well! I really hope that you guys get the buzz from your cars that I got from mine. The memories I have of owning it as a daily driver and weekend toy (when it wasn't broken) will contribute to my happiness well into my dotage. $5,500 was a fair price for CSX2306 when I sold it to Ned in 1972. None of the "collectables" that I once treasured were collectable at the time I owned them! They were just wonderful, glorious junk. My brother, Ned and other Cobraphiles have embraced me as one of them and I have had the pleasure of driving a nice sampling of 2000 and 3000 series cars on road tours and on the open track at several SAAC meets. Some were painfully original, some were beautifully restored, and several were so rowdy that they were barely streetable. I have also greatly enjoyed the continuation/replica/kit cars shared with me by their enthusiastic owners. Truth be told, some of those cars are, as I said earlier, faster, better handling, better braking, and I'll add, better built than the 60's AC/Shelby/Ford Cobras. Only the 60's cars are originals though. If your car gives you the buzz that mine did and still does, then you have the credentials of which I spoke. Sorry if the term "junk" offends but it sure got the denizens of this thread torqued up, didn't it?!

[jolsen42]

This sort of says it rather succinctly. And in the end they are not Cobras, but replicas, kit cars blah, blah blah.

John O

Originally Posted by DRED

Truth be told, some of those cars are, as I said earlier, faster, better handling, better braking, and I'll add, better built than the 60's AC/Shelby/Ford Cobras. Only the 60's cars are originals though.

[Thor maine]

Ok so the new ones are "Genuine Shelby Replicas" . The new AC Heritage are "Genuine AC Replicas"(with factory GM engines) everything else is a "Kit- Replica". But in the USA all Genuine Shelbys are sold as "specialty built Kits"(but still genuine) to get around Federal laws. So where does the Sunbeam Shelby Tiger fit in this?

[jolsen42]

No where. I believe there are no Tiger replicas.

John O

Originally Posted by Thor maine

Ok so the new ones are "Genuine Shelby Replicas" . The new AC Heritage are "Genuine AC Replicas"(with factory GM engines) everything else is a "Kit- Replica". But in the USA all Genuine Shelbys are sold as "specialty built Kits"(but still genuine) to get around Federal laws. So where does the Sunbeam Shelby Tiger fit in this?

[Thor maine]

I saw a kit long time ago for a conversion kit for MGB's. But is the Tiger considered a Genuine Shelby?

[Ralphy]

Welcome to Club Cobra...The world's largest non-biased Cobra site!

LOL

Ralphy

[Nedsel]

But wait ... there's more! As long as there is such a mass of wanking going on here, let's consider another fact: the genuine/ original 1960s Cobras were ALL manufactured by AC Cars of Thames Ditton, England, and they used chassis numbers that were assigned to them by AC Cars based on their prior AEX (Ace) and BEX (Bristol) examples. The C-series chassis numbers, including CSX (Shelby ), COX (eXport= lhd) and COB (Britain = rhd) all follow that pattern. The question then becomes, what circumstance elevated Shelby American to the position of manufacturer, giving them the right to adapt the AC Cars chassis number system and declare themselves the legitimate owner of the rights to do so? And, once Shelby changed the equation around, making the cars strictly an American product, should any of the continuation cars be accorded the same legitimacy or authenticity granted the originals? Now there's some food for thought ... or mental masturbation.

[Dimis]

My plastic FFR mark 1 is titled 1965.

If I'm asked if its Real or Original...

Would I be lying if I answer: "YES, Original/Real 1965! My title says so!!"

See telling the truth, doesn't mean you aint lying.

What are you CSX continuation series boys trying to hide?

Embrace your cars for what they are:
Rebadged cars from another manufacturer, with an inflated price to boot
Ouch! Now I'm just poking the bear...

[Cobra #3170]

Just a bit of history, my 1965 purchase order specifically says 1966 427 Cobra it does not say Shelby Cobra. We never called them Shelby Cobras ever, there were however, Shelby Mustangs. None of the Cobra owners I knew wanted to call his car a Shelby anything because we did not want people to think we had Mustangs. This situation has been repeated with the Ford GT, if you tell someone you have a Ford GT they automatically think Mustang.
I have made this point before but could not resist bringing it up again, we also called them AC Cobras but again, never Shelby Cobras. I lived in California from the time I purchased the car till 1968 when I moved to Michigan and none of the owners I met there called their cars Shelby Cobras either.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by Cobra #3170

Just a bit of history, my 1965 purchase order specifically says 1966 427 Cobra it does not say Shelby Cobra. We never called them Shelby Cobras ever, there were however, Shelby Mustangs. None of the Cobra owners I knew wanted to call his car a Shelby anything because we did not want people to think we had Mustangs. This situation has been repeated with the Ford GT, if you tell someone you have a Ford GT they automatically think Mustang.
I have made this point before but could not resist bringing it up again, we also called them AC Cobras but again, never Shelby Cobras. I lived in California from the time I purchased the car till 1968 when I moved to Michigan and none of the owners I met there called their cars Shelby Cobras either.

This is how it has been told to me a number of times by owners from back in the day. AC wasn't a dirty word and Shelby built Mustangs.
Larry