Cobra/Roadster Manufacturers ...... Positive and Negative Aspects Of Individual Cars

[ASO544]

I realize there are a lot of Cobra/Replica manufactures out there with different qualities of builds/kits and individual tweaks they have made to their cars. What are some ways the companies have improved on the original design and some of the ways they may have went in the wrong direction when comparing them to the original CSX cars.

Also, what are some of the strength and weaknesses of the individual manufacturers cars/kits. This is no way meant to be a bashing session on certain cars/kits or "mine is better than yours" but just an informative thread based on people's knowledge and experience.

[LMH]

Thats a really big question! Do you have a specific replica manufacturer you're interested in?
Larry

[LMH]

Btw, there almost isn't (make that "isn't) a replica maker that replicates an original car down to the details. I remember David Kirkham fitting one of his hoods to an original for a customer and he was surprised how far the KMS hood was from fitting and they are the top replicators.
Larry

[RodKnock]

The major questions that I'd ask you is, what is your budget and does it matter to you whether your Cobra will be fiberglass or aluminum bodied?

[Tommy]

What the OP asked is a virtually impossible task that is surely destined to turn into what he said he didn't want. Let me offer two simple examples to illustrate the difficulty.
1. Some cars have Jaguar style inboard brakes. They reduce unsprung weight at the wheels (a plus) and they are much harder to work on (a minus).
2. Some cars are longer than others. Some see that as a minus because they appear less like the originals. Some see that as a plus because they could otherwise not fit in one.

It's almost impossible to agree on whether one particular feature of a car is a plus or a minus, so it is even more difficult to determine the overall pluses and minuses of multiple brands of cars that have seen multiple changes in manufacturing over time. I predict this thread will either die quickly or see a long, unpleasant run.

[Wbulk]

Please you the search function for "Best Cobra Kit" of something similar.

[kevins2]

Huge topic for one thread. Fortunately, all of this information is already in this forum in various threads and can be searched.

[ASO544]

Not looking to buy as I already have a BDR. Just thought it would be an interesting topic to get a lot of opinions on different cars/ kits and what people like and dislike about their specific car. It may be a great thread or die a painful death but it seems a lot of info could be gleamed for individual knowledge and future buyers and readily found in one detailed thread.

While I love my BDR, I've seen things I like on other cars I wish BDR had included in their build. I've always been a fan of the MK4 FFR chassis and wish the BDR had a similar setup.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by ASO544

Just thought it would be an interesting topic to get a lot of opinions on different cars/ kits and what people like and dislike about their specific car.

Well, if you're just looking for opinions, then Kirkham is the best.

[4pipes]

Steppin' in while Evan's cooling off?

[ASO544]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Well, if you're just looking for opinions, then Kirkham is the best.

Lol... No doubt they are on the upper rung of the Cobra world. In your opinion how does the aluminum body of Kirkham compare to the ones from the 60s as far as durability and thickness of the metal?

I hope to one day move up to an aluminum body car but that's a huge leap for sure.

The first Cobra I ever saw was when I was about 10 (1980) and my dad, who was a whole seller, had some cars at a local upholstery shop have some repairs done. Inside the shop was a real Cobra they were repairing the interior on. Immediately I was taken by the car. I'm almost positive it was a street 427. This car had seen a rough life and looked pretty rough with worn interior, missing paint, and lots of small dents. The owner of the shop they came over and I'm sure tried to explain to a 10 year old what I was looking at but I don't really recall what all he said. I do remember him pushing on some of the panels and they were pretty flexible. I left the shop that day thinking it was the coolest car in the world.

[LMH]

Probably the biggest improvement over an original would be Kirkhams use of aluminum for suspension parts. That said, some replica owners don't want improvements and would rather have the car more true to original. So it really boils down to opinion and desire.
I'm my opinion, the most accurate replica Cobras made were HiTechs in aluminum. Even those had thicker wall tubing for the main frame to improve rigidity.
Larry