CSX vs. Superformance Body Mold
 

I know Superformance supplies Shelby with the Fiberglass body for the CSX cars. Is the body mold the SAME between the SF cars built and the CSX cars?

Tom

No....

X2

Even though SPF is building the CSX continuation series Cobra replicas, the two lines share virtually nothing with each other.



Bill

Not even close. If you saw the two next to one another, they wouldn't look anything like each other. Have you ever seen those Photoshop exercises where they take a picture of a beautiful woman and then "slightly" change the relationships between her eyes, nose line, chin, and eyes? And, with just a couple of very small changes, she is no longer beautiful.:(

and which of the both moulds is more original?

Are the difference between the molds just with the 427s? I know the chassis are different on the 427 cars ( round vs square tube) but the SPF used the 3” round tube and leaf spring suspension on it 289 FIA and Slabside just like the CSX continuation cars. Curious if those molds were the same.

The parent company of SPF (Hi-tech) is biulding the CSX cars. The body of the CSX car is very close to the original as well as the chassis. The CSX cars and the SPF cars are not even close to being similar.
That being said, the body & chassis of the, Kirkham, high-tech & CSX are very close to the original.

Wondering if anyone has pictures of a SPF car next to a CSX car to show the line difference?

Wait a second. There wasn't ONE original. The were "splashed" from different originals. Which ones is all described here somewhere. The reason the CSX and SPFs vary is the originals varied. Hand formed aluminum can never be 100% replicated so there will be variances between instances, plus the originals were evolving. The differences will be subtle. Think of them as "sisters", but not "twins".

I'll see your one, and raise you seventeen. Click here: Compare car profiles

Yes,

The SPF and Shelby 289s are the same save for some items such as the differentials, brake caliper markings and some other minor items.

Very cool. Thank you for posting.....

Do not agree, the SPF body is not even close to the CSX, Im not saying its a bad thing, but its different. As some one else said here the original cars varied in the overall exact dimensions but were fairly consistent in shape/stance.

The main difference That is obvious is the 4" round chassis vs. the rectangular chassis on the SPF / ERA. In terms of body what stands out for me is the snout, the SPF snout is smaller that the ERA/CSX, I mention ERA because the ERA 427 body was molded from Peter P. Original car. The rear fenders are the main difference for me. The rear fenders of the ERA/CSX/KMP to me are the most beautiful part of the car. I will try to post the ERA next to the SPF next to the shelby (CSX)
Car on the left is my ERA (sold) the car in the middle is Scott Beals SPF, The car on the right is Mike Bartletts CSX car.

note the stance and the rear fenders.

The differences are much less with the 289's. When my SPF289 FIA was being assembled they sent a photo of the frame and suspension from the factory and in front of the frame was a placard that said CSX on it. The 427's are different, but Had my 289 FIA at the last SAAC and several people who owned original 289's commented on how close to the original the car was. Mind you, I had added Girling brakes and the Salibury differential along with a vintage 289 and Webers.

Jim

Yes agreed on the 289s, do the SPF 289s have the round chassis? per original?

Yes, they do.

3" round chassis complete with transverse leaf springs.

Once again - my pet Cobra peeve re: body shapes
 

Actually the Superformance body (for their own SPF replicas) is based on the heavily altered and modified post 1983 Contemporary replica body, which was originally splashed off of CSX 3045. In '83 Contemporary sectioned and raised the rear of the body to compensate for a variance in the original heights of the fenders. They then had to lower and radius the rear wheel openings to compensate and close the gaps over and around the tires. Quite a few manufacturers copied the altered body shape in subscription to the fallacy that Contemporary was "the world's most accurate Cobra replica." That could have been true, but only before the unfortunate body modifications. As a result, one can see the flawed, arse-in-the-air DNA in brands like SPF, Everett Morrison and the previous generation FFR's.

SPF recognized this and made some attempts to mitigate the high-butt, chunky sided look but could only go so far with the existing chassis and packaging. The fiberglass Shelby bodies manufactured by the same company are based directly on an original CSX car and look completely different - lower, leaner and sleeker; with rounded rear fenders that the rear wheels actually fit into - as can clearly be seen in the photos posted above.

Edit: This is reflective of my personal preference for the original body shape and stance. There are many, many very beautiful and well built Cobras out there with the perky-butt shape and I'm sure their owners love them just the way they are. And let's not even go into the radically different looking Backdraft cars - these seem to be the hottest selling replicas nowadays - as newer (to the hobby) and younger owners who are unfamiliar with (and probably uninterested in) the particulars of the original shape - are the predominant buying demographic. If the hobby survives, who knows - that may well one day become the perceived standard for what a Cobra ought to look like. :CRY: :CRY: :LOL:

Those comparo pics are pretty awful.
A little bit of elevation really has an effect.
If the camera was placed the same distance at the same height, and preferable the same color and light, we'd be on to something.
The ERA looks more accurate than the Kirkham, and we know that's not the case.