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How to ask
I do not want to start a "is it real" post.
My question is when you see a Cobra and you just want to politely ask what kind it is, meaning SPF, ERA, Back-draft etc how do you ask? While I can identify some I am not good at identifying all of the other manufactures. I see one and want to strike up a conversation with a fellow enthusiast that I don't know. I was slightly embarrassed once when I kept looking over this car. It looked so spot on and no way was I going to ask "is it real", so I said, who made it. Turns out it was a CSX from the 60's. I just wasn't expecting that. Very cool guy and we visited for some time. For me, I now generally say, I have a Superformance, what is yours? Note embarrassing when the answer is a CSX from the 60's |
How about, "Tell me about your car."
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"That's a beautiful Cobra -- who made her?"
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Apologies to OP. I'll stay on topic. |
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I normally ask, what company made your car or did you make it yourself. I always look first at the body and if it is Fiberglass I know it isn't an original from the 60s.
Ron |
I apologize in advance if my contribution causes this thread to devolve into something we've all read many times before. But it is my opinion that the reason MOST random people asked the "is it real" question is not because they wanted a long winded explanation of the history of the Shelby Cobra marque and where my car fit into it. All they wanted was to know is if they had seen something so rare, unique and valuable that they could brag to their friends about it. For them, a simple yes or no was sufficient. ... For people who are willing to take some time learn about a particular car, be it from the 60's or later, the "tell me about your car" approach works well. So, for the OP, I think that is the way to go. ..... If you know enough about these cars to recognize a mismatch between the motor and the body style and you only want to know who made the car, then ask that.
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I've found most Cobra owners - myself included - are happy to converse with an owner of another replica brand. It's just a nice switch talking to someone knowledgeable and with a genuine interest in the marque.
Cobras with those curves are definitely feminine. Is it possible to have sexy and badass all in one? Absolutely. I'm sure they would rip your arms off for you if you asked them nicely enough :) https://img.cinemablend.com/cb/5/e/c...7296080539.jpg https://orig00.deviantart.net/8d0d/f...x1-da7s7va.png |
I agree that 99.9% want to talk about their car and the brand makes no difference because we all have the enthusiasm of the Cobra.
Some get so defensive of the "is it real" that it can at first be hard to broach the subject. I do like the "tell be about your car" approach. I suspect we all look at the other guys girl...er...a...Cobra and enjoy seeing what they have done to her...um....it. Someone in another thread wisely said in reference to the "is it real" that the person asking may well be in the market to buy or a Cobra or just wants to learn and does't know |
Buzz, as usual you are right on target!
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I usually can tell by now what most Cobras are/aren't within a few seconds, but when I stumble on particularly well done ones I do get very curious and I find myself looking for the owner. I usually say something like this: "Your Cobra is beautiful and well done - can you please tell me more about it?" Now, if I'm merely passing by it on the street a wide smiled thumbs up usually is the best approach. I hate it when people pull alongside me in passing at an intersection and ask if it's real or if it's a kit. A simple thumbs up will usually get me to rev the engine and show them some acceleration (:
Last year, I had a guy pull over in front of me at a stop light, get out of the car and approach me. I didn't know if I was getting car jacked or what...the guy just had to know what the heck I was driving. I don't think he's ever even see a Cobra replica before. He simply asked me what in the world that beautiful machine was that I was driving. He thought my car was the coolest thing he's ever seen and just had to know what it was. This guy was in his 50s or 60s, so I was very surprised. |
He's too young! Hah!
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I conditioned myself not to be sensitive to the "Is it real" question before I bought my kit (not sensitive about that word either). Like everyone else, I've been asked the is it real question many times and I simply respond, "No, it's a replica" and pause to see where they want to take it from there. To this day, my favorite response to "No, it's a replica" is "Well, it's nice anyway".
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I din't mean for this post to be a matter of telling if it is or isn't, please lets not go there. More like when we see a nice one and maybe we know it isn't but we do want to know what kind. You know, comrade in snake oil sorta thing.
To compare the different manufactures is all part of the fun. I enjoy talking with fellow owners. |
I found it is very bad in Germany where people suggest to the last second that it could be a 60s, ever after I elaborate nicely about how to ask.
The worst was a "1965" Superformance with a Jaguar XJ6 motor number as the VIN (and unknown chassis), built in the 70s and the prominent "H" on the number plate making it older than 30 years. My favourite: Is this an ERA? (name any make you can come up with) Then the owner realizes that you are a bit clued up. |
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