Why??

[Tommy]

Getting back to the question of why so many Cobra replicas are sold with low mileage, I'll offer two answers. First, no one needs a Cobra for routine transportation. Thus, it is almost always an impulse buy driven by the emotional back part of the brain rather than the rational front part of the brain. It feels really good to fantasize about one, shop for and buy one. Then, when the initial glow starts to fade, you discover that you can only drive it when you have have both free time and good weather. After a while the emotions that drove the purchase are sated and the rational front part of the brain begins to weigh the value of owning such an impractical and seldom used car. About the same time, the emotional back part of the brain will see something new it wants, so selling the seldom driven Cobra will become a means to having something else. .... BTW, I escaped this trap by being single and retired. I can drive anytime I like, and I do every time the weather cooperates.

The second reason I suspect many Cobras are sold with low mileage is that some people enjoy the appearance of their toy more than driving them. When you drive you car it will get dirtier and dirtier. If you are a real stickler for appearances, you can easily spend three hours cleaning for every one hour spent driving. I think some guys like that show car look, and that is hard to maintain when you drive it. So they clean it once, park it until the next car show, and ultimately tire of sitting in the hot sun all day just to collect cheap plastic trophies. That's when it goes up for sale.

These opinions are those of the author and may not reflect the opinion of anyone else.

[CowtownCobra]

I use to wonder about this too, but not anymore. After ~12 years and just over 27000 miles I've seen many fair weather friends come and go. Some get it, and some don't. Have a nice day

[FuzzyDiceRide]

The 385 series was a better engine imo . If I had wanted an FE I woulda put one in my car . I am a Windsor fan by the way. So I have a stroker 351 with over 500 hp. If you
can afford the all aluminum 427 FE that would probably be the ultimate in FEness.

[Rawkkrawler]

Several good points here...

If you have one, you'd understand.
It's mostly the journey when owning one, makes you smile every time you see it.
Pulling back in the driveway, you'll be glad it stayed together for the entire trip.

I've had both big and small block cars. The big block without question sounded incredible, but I love the small block. Something to be said about stopping buy the local auto parts store and picking up an "affordable" part.

I'm in Florida, I drive it year round. When it's close to 100 degrees, I drive it because I love the car, not because it's fun. Some CC members are fortunate to have significant others that share the same passion, but some don't. Tough to sell that nice ride in a Cobra when you're sweating and/or getting rained on before leaving the street.

Again, easy to ask questions as to why they can be a PITA when you only see them at the car show at their best. It's the behind the scenes part that most didn't know they were signing up for.

That said, I'll always own one.

[cycleguy55]

So, does a 408 or 427 small block really sound that much different than a 427, 428 or 429 big block? Not trying to stir anything up, just seeking opinions from those with experience with both.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

So, does a 408 or 427 small block really sound that much different than a 427, 428 or 429 big block? Not trying to stir anything up, just seeking opinions from those with experience with both.

Yes, a big block 427 sounds much different than a small block with the identical cubic inch displacement. This is because the sound is not a function of the bore and displacement cavities, but rather from the surrounding iron (and pipes, mufflers, etc.). Think of it as a bell, a large iron bell, that tolls at a perfect pitch. The beautiful sound of that iron bell is not because of the size of the inside cavity, but rather because of the size, curvature and makeup of the bell itself. Just imagine if that beautiful iron bell was only a half inch thick -- it would sound terrible, but the cavity beneath it would still be the same.

[twin turbo]

I think a lot of people end up selling their cars because how raw they are compared to modern sports cars. They are loud, you get wind buffeting in your ears, you stink like exhaust fumes, and they ride rough (relatively speaking). Doesn't bother me, but others are put off by it after a while. My biggest problem is that I'm always finding something to upgrade or tinker with on it.

[cycleguy55]

I agree, Cobras are raw - which is precisely the reason I wanted one. Modern cars are wonderful, but they also insulate you from the fundamentals of the driving experience. Both of our daily drivers are Infinitis (G35x & FX35) and, while they're great performing luxury cars, you're somewhat disconnected from what happens between rubber and road. Not so in a Cobra.

Driving the Cobra also brings the recognition they get wherever you go. I've lost count of the number of people who comment favourably, give a thumbs up or want to take a picture of the car. There's something to be said about driving a vehicle which resonates so well with so many people.

[LightNFast]

Originally Posted by Boon

Why do I see so many small block builds? Nothing better than the sound of a big block in a Cobra.
Why do I see so many cars for sale with low miles? Are people just building them for the fun of the build? Or does an owner just get tired of driving the coolest hot rod ever designed?

I'm kind of partial to the winning sound of the "small block" Cobras...

Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2012 – Shelby Cobra Race Results

Monterey Motorsports Reunion 2012 - Shelby Cobra Race





[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MK_IhFsqgAU]$7.0m Shelby Daytona Cobra Great SOUND! - YouTube[/ame]
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btqQrpnpXj4]Nurburgring Aug 2010 Cobra incar footage - Bill Shepherd Mustang - YouTube[/ame]



.

[Boon]

What would the actual weight difference be between a small block 408 and a big block 427?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Boon

What would the actual weight difference be between a small block 408 and a big block 427?

With aluminum heads, manifold, water pump, light weight internals, and aluminum flywheel, my FE is within 50 pounds of an original, all stock, 289. That's the equivalent of a few gallons of gas.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Boon

What would the actual weight difference be between a small block 408 and a big block 427?

Factory Ford 427 Sideoiler 650lbs
Factory Ford 351W 470lbs


Deduct for aluminum heads and intakes on both if attempting an apples to apples comparison.


Bill S

[Varmit]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

Factory Ford 427 Sideoiler 650lbs
Factory Ford 351W 470lbs


Deduct for aluminum heads and intakes on both if attempting an apples to apples comparison.


Bill S

with an aluminum block even better. I replaced my Roush iron block 351/427 with a Pond Aluminum FE block, alum. heads, intake, manifold and water pump with a 15 lb alum fly wheel. The things cracks just like a small block when you snap the throttle. Have to readjust the front ride height as the front end not sits higher with the lighter engine.

[1795]

Cobra's are what they are, pure brute force and an exhilarating driving experience. They are a race car pure and simple. If you are looking for luxury and state of the art electronics, go look elsewhere. If you are looking for a car that gets attention from just about anyone that sees or hears it, this is the car. The only vehicle that I have ever owned that has had hundreds of pictures taken of it by people just walking by.

They can also scare the sh*t out of you in a hurry if you are not careful. Maybe that is one reason some people get rid of them with low mileage, got their foot into it thinking that they were driving something else and had to throw out their underwear when they returned home.

[FuzzyDiceRide]

Hurricane 1121 427W by Keith Craft sounds real enough take a peek .
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GxuPRcIpSU&feature=youtu.be[/ame]

[mdross1]

One thing is for certain we all see our Cobra's from a different point of view. The only time I consider our car a PITA is when wanting a ride and something bothers me which by the way is hardly ever. We have owned our big block powered car for over 21 yrs, It has been a pure joy. For quite a few years drove it to work almost every day.

It has a top and side curtains love the look, the heater will drive you out of the car, look forward to every chance we get these days to put on some miles. It is a hot rod plain and simple a car nothing anybody could say will ever make me feel any different. It will be with us till the time comes when I cannot climb in behind the wheel. It goes like stink, sounds absolutely ballsy, the look says it all. A hot rod I have drooled over since the first time I read the article in a mag back in the 60's about the car being able to go from 0 to a100mph and back to 0 in 12.7 seconds.

[Tommy]

I'm not trying to be the Thread Police, but I find it interesting that the OP originally asked why so many Cobra replicas go up for sale with low miles, and most of the answers have been from members who drive them a lot. Perhaps if he had asked what made some guys drive them year after year, he would mostly gotten replies from NewYorkGuy and that woman who crashes her Cobra in the infamous video.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Tommy

I'm not trying to be the Thread Police, but I find it interesting that the OP originally asked why so many Cobra replicas go up for sale with low miles, and most of the answers have been from members who drive them a lot. Perhaps if he had asked what made some guys drive them year after year, he would mostly gotten replies from NewYorkGuy and that woman who crashes her Cobra in the infamous video.

The problem is that once those guys find out a Cobra was not for them, they then sell it and drop off this forum. It would be nice if we had a forum entitled "Talk to Me Before You Buy A Cobra" and had it populated with all the guys that dumped their cars within a year or 2000 miles of getting them. So, as a service to people like Boone, I try and bad-mouth Cobras as much as possible. If I can manage to steer him away from the Cobra hobby, then the Cobra hobby was never right for him anyway. And one day he'll thank me.

[kevins2]

The common denominator here is that you shouldn't think of a Cobra replica as just a car. It should be viewed as a hobby, at the very least, and probably more like a lifestyle if you drive it a lot. If you're not the type that would actually enjoy some of the aspects of the car that have been described here as a PITA, then you probably shouldn't get one.

As for mileage, I finished my car this past January and have almost 5,000 miles, so guess you can add me to the camp that drives them.

Lastly, listing "kicking some ass on the streets" as one of the primary reasons for wanting one is worrisome. Good chance it won't end well...

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by kevins2

Lastly, listing "kicking some ass on the streets" as one of the primary reasons for wanting one is worrisome. Good chance it won't end well...

Uhhhh, there was some pretty good ass-kicking going on shortly before this one....