Why does every thread here devolve into a "Real" vs. "Replica" argument?

[LMH]

Originally Posted by ASO544

But isn't the process the same it was in the 1960s ?

AC LTD sends over body and chassis, SAI installed drivetrain, attached SA chassis plate and CSX # then sold car.

Now....

SPF sends over body and chassis, SAI installed drivetrain, attached SA chassis plate and CSX # then sold car.

Seems the same exact process other than those cars were titled by the year they were produced and the continuations are all titled as 65s I believe.

I do agree they are true "Shelby Cobras" ( especially the aluminum body ones) just as much as those built in the 60s but misleading to think or declare they are real 60 Shelby Cobras... They are really 90s, 2000s, etc....Shelby Cobras but we all know why they are registered as 65s

My $.02s

AC Cars Ltd built complete cars less engine and transmission, ( in general terms) not bodies/chassis. Shipping is by weight/distance. No reason to send drivetrain assemblies to England only to have them returned to the USA once installed. Unneeded cost. CSX numbers were assigned during production in England, not at SAI in California. ( "X" is export designation)

Bodies/chassis for late Shelby cars are supplied from KMS, not SPF as far as I know. SPF cars are officially recognized by current SAI as an official replica of a Cobra 427 or Cobra by contract agreement and are not suppliers to current SAI of anything, as far as I know. (Someone correct me on that if I'm mistaken.)
Larry

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by LMH

....

Bodies/chassis for late Shelby cars are supplied from KMS, not SPF as far as I know. SPF cars are officially recognized by current SAI as an official replica of a Cobra 427 or Cobra by contract agreement and are not suppliers to current SAI of anything, as far as I know. (Someone correct me on that if I'm mistaken.)
Larry

KMS supplies aluminum bodied cars to SAI (originally they supplied just the frame and body, now it seems KMS supplies complete rollers to SAI and at least some of them have billet aluminum suspensions too). KMS is not the only supplier of aluminum bodied cars to SAI. CSX1000 series have been sourced from 2 or maybe even 3 suppliers in England. Early aluminum bodies were also sourced from Kimmons.

Fiberglass cars from SAI were originally built in house, and later supplied as rollers from both Mexico and South Africa. Now they are only sourced from South Africa from the parent company that also makes SPF, but the cars sourced from South Africa are to Shelby specifications (like round tube frames versus square tube frames of the SPF).

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by LMH

AC Cars Ltd built complete cars less engine and transmission, ( in general terms) not bodies/chassis. Shipping is by weight/distance. No reason to send drivetrain assemblies to England only to have them returned to the USA once installed. Unneeded cost. CSX numbers were assigned during production in England, not at SAI in California. ( "X" is export designation)

Bodies/chassis for late Shelby cars are supplied from KMS, not SPF as far as I know. SPF cars are officially recognized by current SAI as an official replica of a Cobra 427 or Cobra by contract agreement and are not suppliers to current SAI of anything, as far as I know. (Someone correct me on that if I'm mistaken.)
Larry

Someone did, but I would have thought that someone professing to be "an expert" would have known this fact.

Originally Posted by 1ntCobra

KMS supplies aluminum bodied cars to SAI (originally they supplied just the frame and body, now it seems KMS supplies complete rollers to SAI and at least some of them have billet aluminum suspensions too). KMS is not the only supplier of aluminum bodied cars to SAI. CSX1000 series have been sourced from 2 or maybe even 3 suppliers in England. Early aluminum bodies were also sourced from Kimmons.

Fiberglass cars from SAI were originally built in house, and later supplied as rollers from both Mexico and South Africa. Now they are only sourced from South Africa from the parent company that also makes SPF, but the cars sourced from South Africa are to Shelby specifications (like round tube frames versus square tube frames of the SPF).

The Mexico link is really HST International whose offices were in San Diego and whose manufacturing facility was in Mexico.

The South African "parent" company is Hi-Tech Manufacturing, and they make lots of cars besides Cobras. And they did a few alloy cars along the way (notably, two of the alloy CSX9000 coupes [not the 50th anniversary editions] were built by hand at Hi-Tech. I almost bought one, and Lance said they could build another if asked.

[LMH]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

Someone did, but I would have thought that someone professing to be "an expert" would have known this fact.



The Mexico link is really HST International whose offices were in San Diego and whose manufacturing facility was in Mexico.

The South African "parent" company is Hi-Tech Manufacturing, and they make lots of cars besides Cobras. And they did a few alloy cars along the way (notably, two of the alloy CSX9000 coupes [not the 50th anniversary editions] were built by hand at Hi-Tech. I almost bought one, and Lance said they could build another if asked.

I never professed to be an expert. I do know a fair amount about original Cobras and the learning never stops. Something you could adopt as well.
As I stated before, I don't know as much about the Cobra 427 and even less about the current replicas sold by Shelby or SPF (except the SPF Leaf Spring), hence my posting. If I have questions about replicas from South Africa though, I'll be sure to ask you.
Larry

[Joe's Garage]

Originally Posted by LMH

I never professed to be an expert. I do know a fair amount about original Cobras and the learning never stops. Something you could adopt as well ...

True, true and true. You probably gave AC Cars some credit where credit was due, that doesn't sit well with some as you have seen so they lay in wait, being factual is irrelevant