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.

Ralphy

Ralphy: You are funny! :LOL: 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!!!? :eek: 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. :rolleyes:

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.

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. :LOL:

Ralphy

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

Again

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

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

Nothing!

Wonderful glorious junk
 

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?!

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

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?

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

John O

No where. I believe there are no Tiger replicas.

John O

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

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.

Is someone asked me if mine was a Cobra I would not hesitate to say "yes" - that is what it is. :)

If they want to know who manufactured it, I am happy to tell them.

and mine is mechanically far, far, far, from an original

chr

Now that's a false response that gets to the crux of this entire discussion. Your ERA is not a Cobra. It is a Cobra replica. Does ERA even call it a Cobra?

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

LOL

Ralphy

Agree ...
ERA Replica Automobiles
Manufacturing Extraordinary Replica Kits Since 1981

We know that buying any kit involves a considerable commitment of your money and time. Our goal is to protect that investment, as well as our reputation. The result: our standard kit has almost every part either hinged, latched, or fit before it leaves the E.R.A. factory. It's difficult to assemble this kit wrong!

They call it an E.R.A. 427, or E.R.A. 289FIA, or ERA 289 Slabside, but not Cobra.

I don't care what ERA calls it. ERA has to bow's to the judicial boots just like all the manufacturers. ERA supplied me with a very good platform to build my Cobra.

In my world it is a Cobra - a lot of them hand built by people who care about the history and charm of the story. When I see one going down the road I say "look Sweet Heart a Cobra". When she sees one she says "look a Cobra" and she doesn't know squat about Cobras, but she knows what one looks like. Do I think for a second it is a real one?- do I think for a second it is not a real one? - no - because I don't care. I certainly do wonder what make it is and if the opportunity presents itself, I am going to wander over to look at it. With any luck it is a hand built, high performance roadster, constructed in the spirit and form of the originals (some more than others) and that is what I look for and I enjoy seeing what others build.

Legal bickering means nothing to me with respect to Cobras. Shelby blew the deal when he lost the rights to Ford and all the lawyer's in the world can never repair that. The Genie was out of the bottle and the path of the Cobra was for ever altered. Shelby - Ford - and the courts worked out their differences, but for the layman on the street they will always be Cobras - Ignorance is bliss - so be it. I can think of a thousand things where daily ignorance is inexcusable - a Cobra is not one of them - YMMV.

Is my 2003 SVT Mustang a Cobra?

The MGB thing is a stretch :)