Buying my first Cobra

[Kip Steed]

I am just getting into the world of Cobra's and I am looking at a West Coast Cobra. Just wondering what the general thoughts were about this brand? It looks awesome and has won multiple awards at car shows. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Ron61]

Kip,

Most of the kits now are good quality and the final determination is just how well it is put together and any weak points that may show up are corrected. Most of the kits now are really superior to the old originals except in price. If well built and using good parts you can make a great Cobra out of any of them

Ron

[Tommy]

What do you plan to do with it?
Are you comfortable working on it yourself?

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

I am just getting into the world of Cobra's and I am looking at a West Coast Cobra. Just wondering what the general thoughts were about this brand? It looks awesome and has won multiple awards at car shows. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

West Coast is a well built kit, but is the least Cobra looking of the bunch. Do you want the Cobra look in general, or do you want a car that more likely resembles and acts like an original?

What are you plans for the car? Weekend cruiser, road racer, drag strip, or show car/trailer queen?

Bill S.

[STEVE-O]

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

I am just getting into the world of Cobra's and I am looking at a West Coast Cobra. Just wondering what the general thoughts were about this brand? It looks awesome and has won multiple awards at car shows. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

If you dont want to get involved in building the car, there are lots of used cobras available and something to be said for having an already completed car. Not having to build, not having to find a builder, not having to wait for the car to be completed, new build issues already sorted out etc etc... All of these cars are pretty much well maintained, garaged and driven half the year with low mileage. Its really nice to see the car sitting there, removing the cover, saliva forming in the mouth, getting in it, turning the key and taking off!

[twin turbo]

May I suggest you find out if there is a Cobra club local to you and look and ride in as many cars as you can to educate yourself. I love my car, but these aren't for everybody. Cheers.

[raoulmc]

Just bought my used cobra couple weeks ago. Was a kit from a company that is now out of business. Had some work done at ERA in New Britain CT. They mfg. absolutely the nicest quality cobra you will find. I met both of the owners and had some work done by one of the nicest and most capable mechanics I have ever met. They went way beyond what I could have hoped for. You simply wont be dissapointed. Tell them Raoul from Tolland Ct. sent you. Happy motoring.

[cycleguy55]

There is a 'Community' for West Coast owners in Club Cobra - you should check that out and perhaps subscribe to updates.

FWIW, I have a West Coast that was completed in 1991. It has the original Mustang II front end (with Energy Suspension urethane bushings) and a Torino 9" rear. 460 CI with a Richmond Gear 5 Speed Street transmission. Lots of fun, though there are a few quirks to it (e.g. brutal seats with no lateral or lumbar support, Ford steering column with horn on turn signal lever, difficult access to brake and clutch cylinders, useless stereo, wide rear fenders susceptible to stone chips). I have a number of upgrades planned, including 11" drilled and slotted discs all around, remote reservoirs for brakes & clutch, PowerTrax No-Slip locker, better gas tank, steering column).

I certainly was aware of how the WC Cobra was a less authentic replica than many others, but I will tell you it gets lots of attention when I take it out. People gush over it and most have not idea how to tell whether it's a replica or an original, much less distinguish among replicas. With the longer wheelbase it's more of a cruiser and street car but, as I've told many people, I would have bought a different car if I was intending to take it to the track.

As other have said (and will say), decide what you want to do with it and go from there. Also, be prepared to get your hands dirty and work on it. I've been fortunate in being able to do almost all of the work myself, and expect to do most of the planned upgrades as well. I think Cobras are like marriages - they require a lot of work to keep them fresh, and sometimes it's dirty and unpleasant.

[Kip Steed]

The car was built in 1991 as well. I am mainly looking for a car to drive around town. Not much into shows and displaying it all the time. He has refreshed the motor about a year ago and replaced the Nash tranny with a Tremec 5 600. Also a new ignition and new rack and pinnion steering. Old one was leaking he said.

I noticed that the steering column was not like the rest I've seen and it doesn't have a tilt option, so it sits very low for my height, and the stock seats suck. The throw out bearing is leaking so he is putting a new one in. Because of that, I haven't been able to drive it yet, but it looks beautiful. I will try and post some pics, not sure how though. Because I know him, he is asking $32K for it. It sounds like a fair price.

I am not a guy who loves to work on cars, so I am a little nervous about buying something that I will always have to tinker with.

Am I barking up the wrong tree with one of these?

Thanks, Kip

[1795]

Kip, it is a rare cobra that does not require some tinkering with at one time or another. The amount and degree of tinkering does vary quite a bit. If you are looking at a car that historically needed a lot of tinkering, than that may continue. If you have a car that only needed minor tinkering and up keep it might be a better choice. It is hard to say. It is also difficult to predict how much up keep a car with only 500-1500 miles will require, as it has not even been broken in yet. Go slow, and look closely. Bill, Mrmustang, has a good list of things to consider. There are plenty of cobras out there.

Good luck.

Jim

[G-Pete]

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

The car was built in 1991 as well

To put it in words, all of the cars parts are a minimum of 23 (!!) years old. Most builders use a donor which has some mileage on it or it's a crashed and a few years old.

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

Because I know him, he is asking $32K for it. It sounds like a fair price.

No kit car that or other brand is worth $32k not running and that age with issues.

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

Am I barking up the wrong tree with one of these?
Thanks, Kip

In my opinion - YES!

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

I am mainly looking for a car to drive around town. Not much into shows and displaying it all the time.

Get a Porsche 911 (996) convertible. If you spend $30K you get a low mileage car with all bells and whistles.



You need to love a Cobra - otherwise she will bite you. Cobra time is not only on the road....






No offense, it sees to me you are not a Cobra guy - sorry to be so blunt, but this keeps you from a great disappointment.


GP

[Kip Steed]

Thanks for all of your help and input. I love the looks of the cobras but maybe it is the wrong car for me. I am more of the get in and drive kind of guy. Are there any cobras that are more that way? Not needing alot of work or they all that way?

[Buzz]

Hi Kip. A Cobra by its very nature is an old-school, lightweight car with a big, high performance - usually carbureted - V8, manual steering, manual brakes and manual transmission. Not much to them really in terms of systems and simplicity.

The problem is the big, powerful engine and the fact that the vast majority of replicas, with only partial exception of the "factory assembled" cars (they still require drivetrain installations) involve a lot of individually-sourced parts and assembly work. The final car is only as good as the work and parts that go into it, so there is naturally a very broad spectrum when it comes to actual quality and reliability.

Big power means big heat and big vibration. Nuts, bolts, metal lines, fittings, connections and wiring get constantly shaken, heated and cooled so things need to be checked occasionally, for safety's sake and for peace of mind.

You could build one with a very mild, smaller engine and an automatic transmission, but then it really wouldn't be much of a Cobra at all. These cars are what they are, but if you accept that and treat them accordingly, they deliver an experience like absolutely no other car on the road.

[Kip Steed]

Thanks Buzz. My appetite my be a little bigger than my stomach on this one. Got a little extra cash and I always wanted something other than my truck to drive around on the weekends. This cobra has some really nice parts with not donor parts according to the original owner that built it in 1991. But I really do not know anything about high performance cars other than they are tons of fun to drive. Maybe I should consider a newer muscle car or something along those lines.

[Tommy]

Kip,
Most standard mechanics today rely on the computer to tell them what's wrong, and they then remove and replace the faulty part. Carburetors, cars without computer systems and especially cars with parts from unknown sources are not what they do. There are people who can maintain hot rods like a Cobra, but the good ones tend to be uncommon and expensive. Imagine if you'd taken this car in for a new throwout bearing and the mechanic asked you what it came from. If you can't answer, do you want to pay him $100/hour to research it before he even orders the part?

I'd like to reemphasize something that was mentioned earlier. The original Cobras were pure race cars of 1960's technology, and the street versions were made only civil enough to meet the manufacturer's requirement to make street cars for that racing class. Many Cobra replicas are closer to 1960s race cars than they are to a 2014 Honda Civic. If you can't or don't want to maintain a Cobra yourself, I suspect you'll tire of it quickly. If that's the case, be sure to get a good enough bargain that you can resell if without taking a huge loss.

[FuzzyDiceRide]

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

Thanks Buzz. My appetite my be a little bigger than my stomach on this one. Got a little extra cash and I always wanted something other than my truck to drive around on the weekends. This cobra has some really nice parts with not donor parts according to the original owner that built it in 1991. But I really do not know anything about high performance cars other than they are tons of fun to drive. Maybe I should consider a newer muscle car or something along those lines.

Your first post :
I am just getting into the world of Cobra's and I am looking at a West Coast Cobra. Just wondering what the general thoughts were about this brand? It looks awesome and has won multiple awards at car shows. Any input would be greatly appreciated.


You need to get a new Mustang . You wouldn't like a Cobra of any make
imo . But for the forum here I will say I almost bought an ERA and now
I wished I had . I was going to paint my car Hertz black and gold scheme .
I finally got my clutch working and have almost 1500 miles and I am just
now getting the bugs out of my car . Tomorrow I will post some pics.....
Bill S. this guy is yanking your chain man

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by FuzzyDiceRide

Bill S. this guy is yanking your chain man

I am ?



Bill S.

[FuzzyDiceRide]

Bill you were nice enough to answer me when I asked the same question. The Cobra is a national icon and my replica is worth all the problems of owning a good replica of the ole snake..... go Mr. Bill

[Kip Steed]

Tommy, thanks for your input. I offered this guy $30K for he agreed to take that as well as replace the throw out bearing before I took possession. Is that a good enough deal on one of these so like you said, If I don't like it I wouldn't loose very much?

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Kip Steed

Tommy, thanks for your input. I offered this guy $30K for he agreed to take that as well as replace the throw out bearing before I took possession. Is that a good enough deal on one of these so like you said, If I don't like it I wouldn't loose very much?

I'd walk away from this one.


Enough said.


Bill S.