Just me looking back at choices

[Michael C Henry]

I bought my car at Hot August Nights in Reno. I hada desire for a Cobra before I left for VM in 1970. When I returned I saw an original in LA and was reignited. My uncle found a 56 Cobra add in the local paper. It was a 1956 AC bristle with a 215 cuin. Oldsmobile aluminum V8 engine installed. I had it for about six years. It was broken and it did fit young family. I still wanted some thing too look forward to. Much family turmoil while out of town going to a school for work, I saw another replica Cobra and decided that was the thing that would save me from doing my self harm. I later told my wife that I'd give time to get things in order. I had a 428 engine the garage that I had built and moved out here. That when I turned 50 , I wanted to bring the Cobra thing back into my life. buy or build a Cobra replica. Thing got better we took trips together. We visited different Cobra replica manufactures and went to Hot August Nights two year s and I found this Replica. I had a good share of the money saved just for this. I sold my 428 and other things to this end. It makee me smile a lot but no soft top or side curtains, cut down air cleaners were issues for me over the long run.
We bought a little house and remodeled , didn't do much to the single car garage. Mistake, cant open doors and walk around car in garage. I built a nice shed to get thing out of the way but that is not enough The windshield was leaned back and later found it was off center. That turned into a can of worms breaking windshield and side curtain would not fit. The soft top kit I bought would not fit over my slightly higher roll bar. It goes on and on.
I did not address it all back when I when I was younger and more fit and able. I should have altered the mounting issue back then. The brackets to the cowl hoop weren't just right. I should have replaced those mounting plates and repositioned the windshield side ways and at the correct angle which is 57° from horizontal per EM. The shop I used side stepped that and corrected the wrong angle issue bringing the windshield angle bringing the stanchions up through original slots but now the windshield is now forward about an inch to a inch and a half forward of original position. now the soft top is short of the wind shield, will not fit over the roll bar and rear roll brace. So now the top will be recreated using my soft top as a pattern . I was on for using the hard ware. Now find that the intension is to take my soft top apart and use it as a pattern and estimate labor at $3,400.
When built the original builder went with a nostalgic intake system. The engine in a Cobra Replica sits almost level. Production car intake manifolds are meant for engines sitting at an rear down angle so now carbs are at an angle in a replica. I'd go with a hand built intake manifold for a large single four barrel like a Holley 4500 or I'd buy Webber sort of intake system. Fuel injection is now quite common. If carburation is desired a single large Id four barrel like Holley 4500 Holley, will let you have a great air cleaner and center fuel floats and secondary accelerator fuel squinters
I am with the people that think the front opening hood scoop is nostalgic but of little advantage. I've driven in the pouring rain and ingesting rain in on the air cleaner and or the distributor are a concern. If the car stops you are stuck with it. You can't walk away and expect it to be left alone. So I don't like my carb and intake manifold choices and hood scoop as it stands now.

So my conclusion is get it right as early as possible before you get too old.