Used Superformance or New Backdraft from Vintage

[gary osborne]

Like you Ace, I am not one to work too much on my car. I have mechanics for that. I am sure I could have traded some skinned knuckles for the money I spent and be a little better off financially but if I wanted to work on a car, I would have built a kit. That said, the cars are pretty simple if you keep old technology. Furthermore, I have had my SPF for 15 years and put over 85,000 miles on it. For the most part, it has been problem free. What problems I have had have been drivetrain issues or routine maintenance and nothing to do with the SPF itself. It is still very tight and drives and rides like a dream…..way better than my C-6. Not only have I put a lot of miles on it, they have not been easy miles. I drive it where I want to drive it. It has seen many dirt roads and traveled from sea level to the highest paved road it North American and yes it has even crossed a few streams. The SPF is bullet proof and has a tremendous support system behind it with the dealers and SCOF. SPF has bent over backwards over and over on little things for me (like getting a new top that i never use anyway just because I wanted the newer style or jumping through hoops to get me a new windscreen etc.). I can call Lance at Hillbank or any of the dealers and they are there for me. As I said earlier, my car has not really had problems so I have not had to call on them much (other for frivolous things) but I know they are there to help if I ever do really need them….especially for something important.

I have a dear friend who is a backdraft dealer in Houston and he is also a great guy to work with and I think the BDRs are pretty nice cars. I would buy one if SPF was not available. However, if I ever buy another Cobra, it will be another SPF. I have simply had too much fun and good luck to even consider anything else.

Don’t allow your lack of experience or will to work on a car keep you from buying a Cobra. But don’t go into ownership thinking it is going to be like owning a vette where there is a Chevy dealer in every town and any mechanic can plug the car into a diagnosis computer and fix it. It is a hobby car and will require patience at times and a good mechanic that actually understands what all those parts are supposed to do without the benefit of a computer.