$119,000 Cobra??????????

[LewPoberezny]

Can this car really be worth this kind of money?
Other Makes AC Cobra Convertible | eBay

[cycleguy55]

It's a genuine AC car with aluminum body, tonneau and convertible top and comes with two sets of tires. It seems like it's in pretty good shape. The price doesn't seem unreasonable.

[A-Snake]

Originally Posted by LewPoberezny

Can this car really be worth this kind of money?
Other Makes AC Cobra Convertible | eBay

Here is Hagerty's valuation tools.
https://www.hagerty.com/apps/valuati.../1985-AC-Mk_IV

[LewPoberezny]

Thanks, I did not think an Autocraft was genuine, 1986 with a 302

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

It's a genuine AC car with aluminum body, tonneau and convertible top and comes with two sets of tires. It seems like it's in pretty good shape. The price doesn't seem unreasonable.

[RodKnock]

I don't follow the AC MKIV market, but I don't think $120,000 is WAY off market. I've seen plenty of them for less than $100,000.

What I find funny in all these sales ads that folks write:

"I have it priced like a Kirkham roller. Kirkhams are great cars also, but it is my opinion that these are about as close to the original 1960's cars as you can get, in that the bodies were built in England, on the same bucks and jigs as were the original AC cars from the 1960's. Kirkhams are made in a former Mig Fighter jet facility in Poland....again, they do great work! But if you want a car that is about as close to the 1960's lineage as is possible without spending nearly 10x the money, an AC MK IV should be considered."


First, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? How the pricing of a Kirkham roller has anything to do with the pricing of an AC MKIV, I have no clue. I'd be looking at past sales of the MKIV, which is a running and immediately register-able vehicle.

Second, while the Kirkham body is made in Poland and the AC MKIV was made in England, the Kirkham is far closer in accuracy to the original and genuine article. The AC MKIV has many, many differences to make it available as a new car from Ford in 1980's.

Wow, where do I get this license to BS?

[Dangerous Doug]

"You can take the donkey to the top of the mountain, or you can take the tram. It is the same price." Ron White, "Worst Donkey Ride Salespitch, ever"

I think the idea behind comparing the price for the AC MKIV with the Kirkham roller price is all about comparing to the nearest alternative option.

Both are aluminum. Neither are "real" Shelby's. One is ready to run with a 302, and the other is going to take the GDP of a small country to complete. If you're in the market for a Cobra and were considering a Kirkham...

It IS interesting that Kirkham has become a standard by which others are compared. I would think there would be more to gain by playing the "AC" angle, the heritage, the spawning into the Shelby Cobra, the second act, blah bla blah.

But...

"You can take the donkey to the top of the mountain..."

DD

[Mils]

Truth is what we think is irrelevant. The market (or an idiot) will decide what its worth. As long as its honestly described and represented, then let the bidding begin. (I'm not bidding :-) )

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

"You can take the donkey to the top of the mountain, or you can take the tram. It is the same price." Ron White, "Worst Donkey Ride Salespitch, ever"

I think the idea behind comparing the price for the AC MKIV with the Kirkham roller price is all about comparing to the nearest alternative option.

Both are aluminum. Neither are "real" Shelby's. One is ready to run with a 302, and the other is going to take the GDP of a small country to complete. If you're in the market for a Cobra and were considering a Kirkham...

It IS interesting that Kirkham has become a standard by which others are compared. I would think there would be more to gain by playing the "AC" angle, the heritage, the spawning into the Shelby Cobra, the second act, blah bla blah.

But...

"You can take the donkey to the top of the mountain..."

DD

They're both aluminum. That's where the similarity ends for me.

A $100,000 kit car roller, which must go through various hoops to be registered in most states isn't the same as a legally register-able Ford product sold thru dealers in the 1980's.

And I'm assuming that there are recent sales of AC MKIV's to use for the best price comparison. I know what the seller is trying to do, he's using the Kirkham roller price of $100,000 to justify his higher price of $120,000, when other MK IV sales are less than $100,000.

Lastly, AC MKIV had so many changes to make them legal, say like 5mph bumpers and what has been described by AC MKIV owners as an anemic 302, etc., that a Kirkham to me is an apples and oranges comparison to me.

Of course, that's just my $0.02.

[Mark IV]

The AC Mk IV market is strong, especially in Europe. Nice unbuggered cars are selling in the 120-140K range. No, they are NOT a '60s Cobra but they are the genuine alloy version that could be bought over the counter in the 1980s.

[Dangerous Doug]

How many AC MK IV's were produced? I don't think I'd ever seen one outside of mention in my Cobra books. Surely there is collector value?

DD

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

.....what has been described by AC MKIV owners as an anemic 302, etc., that a Kirkham to me is an apples and oranges comparison to me.

Yes, but if one is looking to buy fruit, then both, either, or, an apple or orange may well do.

Just as long as they aint getting a lemon

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Dimis

Yes, but if one is looking to buy fruit, then both, either, or, an apple or orange may well do.

Just as long as they aint getting a lemon

Aussies. Who can understand them?

[Dimis]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Aussies. Who can understand them?

Too cryptic for you?
I'll try English next time

[twobjshelbys]

Nice bod but that interior is so ... so ... leathery. Yech.

[peterpjb]

in europe good MK IV are in the pricerange 200 t € especially in the lightweight version,

you must know, all cobras which were sold in europe in the 60th were titled as "ac" cobra, not "shelby" cobra, the MK IV is an official titeled "ac" cobra, so it IS a genuine cobra,

there are two versions, the imho ugly street version and the "lightweight" version which is more like the MK3

[Blue66]

Originally Posted by peterpjb

so it IS a genuine cobra,

oh oh

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by Blue66

oh oh

Well that is what Ford Motor Company who OWNS the trademark said! The AC MK IV was marketed as the "AC MK IV COBRA" outside of the USA. The US was an issue as Ford required insurance with Ford as "additional insured" and we couldn't find an insurer to do so at an affordable price.

So no, the MK IV is NOT a 60s "Shelby Cobra" but IS a "Cobra" as per FoMoCo.

You may read that any way it pleases you.

[TimG427]

The AC Autokraft MK IV is a pretty cool car. There are some differences in the doors and they have side marker lights and 16" wheels. Some folks have modified the MK IV to remove the side marker lights. Up close they are beautiful and they have "adequate" power with the 302. I was into these in the 80's. They are good cars for the money.

[Maricopa]

With a SPF 'glass Slabside in the classifieds for 97K I'd sat that makes this one a bargain....But of course both are ridiculously overpriced.

[RodKnock]

Many, many years ago, I kinda liked them. But then one look at that profile, and I told myself that I didn't want a "stretch limo" looking caricature of a "Cobra." And there's the SB in a BB body "hump" I couldn't get over.

Of course, no disrespect to the MK IV owners out there. Just one person's opinion.

And, in honor of Evan, since he can't be here with us, I'll say "It's all in the Registry."