Manual vs Auto - the choice is not an easy one.

[Dominik]

In the early days of Shamrock parts availability (manual transmission) was a challenge in SA. As was legroom in their "Mk1". Legroom didn't improve much later on, nor did their knowledge and skills. Once automatic, always automatic...

In 2002 they refused to even upgrade to knock-off wheels which were cheap from WAW/Wheelcraft. Anyway, I digress...

Not that there weren't a few manual cars.

With my 6'4" I didn't really fit in any Shamrock. Even with the seat padding reduced to Zero.

All else being equal, as in no parts sourcing problems or space, a manual is the way to go in this car. All you wrote about being told it's easier on the drivetrain and there is enough power is all BS. They just couldn't do it.

You can adapt a Toyota 21R (weak, but can be upgraded), Jaguar (scarce), Toploader...
GILO in Johannesburg has adapter bellhousings. Go with what they offer.

But first make sure you can add a clutch pedal. And a clutch slave cylinder between bellhousing and frame rails.

[Whodeeny]

A manual transmission is a major part of the Cobra experience.

[Snake2998]

Originally Posted by Whodeeny

A manual transmission is a major part of the Cobra experience.

I wonder if this love of manuals in sports cars is a part of the American driving culture where autos are the 98% norm in cars and manuals so rare as to denote sporty competent drivers with good driving skills and give rise to positive comment at car shows. Here in South Africa up to a few years ago manuals where the absolute norm in all cars and never built up the kudos for sports driving. Autos used to be almost by special order.

Hence many South Africans are happy with Autos in their Cobras - its maybe a mindset thing.

I must admit that it doesn't matter to me whether my Cobra is manual or auto but now that I have driven the auto for many years I am more than happy with it for 98% of the use profile - especially since traffic got heavier and hence trip speeds slower.

The tunable Vacuum module recently installed is also nice as I can now play with auto shift points. (Maybe need to install a remote adjustment knob rather like a remote brake balance bar adjuster so experimentation is easier another job for the job jar???)

[peterpjb]

If you want an automatic transmission, buy a Toyota Prius...

[DanEC]

It’s a personal preference but twice my wife talked me into buying autos for my personal cars. The first was a new 85 Corvette that I sold a 66 427 Vette to buy. It was booooring! Even putting louder mufflers didn’t help. Sold it after 3 years and about 3,000 miles to buy my current 66. Didn’t make any excuses for the fact I was selling it out of boredom. Twenty five years later I forgot - weakened and bought a used 2008 Mustang GT auto for a daily driver following all her - I won’t be able to drive if you get a manual BS. Again - boring. In somewhat a stroke of good luck another driver hit me a year later and totaled it without injuring me. So I went shopping for another one and told her that in no uncertain terms or conditions I was buying a manual transmission. I had had enough of this - I can’t drive a manual BS and she should stick to her nanny car. And I went through another Mustang GT and Shelby GT350. Now, since I’m retired and don’t have to commute or do much of anything else I don’t want to, I do drive her old leftover Highlander for a runaround to Dr appointments, and Walmart or Lowe’s. And that’s OK because I have sold off the Shelby and bought another old car and now have 3 other cars with 4 speed manuals I can drive for fun anytime I want to. But again, if an auto works for you, by all means go that direction.

[Harpoon PV2]

So Mr. Shelby, should have bought a Prius, instead of his last Cobra? Cheers, Dennis

[Dickey]

I just did a frame off refresh on a Shamrock Cobra and I thought long and hard about swapping to a manual myself. The hardest part of this project for me was resisting the urge to turn my fun little car into something way too powerful and challenging for my wife to drive. I stuck with the auto and I'm glad I did. It's much easier to drink my milkshakes and cruise around without shifting. I did the Lokar tail mount shifter with a fairlane boot so it looks just like a stick if you don't notice the missing pedal. I kept the th350 because is was freshly rebuilt and I think that decision was a mistake.I should have swapped to a 700r4 or similar OD trans. The th350 with the 3:30 gear is quick out of the hole but not ideal at interstate speeds.

[saltshaker]

I have a 700r4 behind a 428FE built with a corvette servo and governor. It shifts at 5500 1to2 and 5200 2/3…. I did it for a health reason but with a gated shifter it was a great choice.
Jon

[Harpoon PV2]

That sounds like a nice combo! Carrol had a 428 with a C6. He really liked the 428! I can't find the exact quote, but, he basically said, "how the hell can you tell the difference in HP, between the 427 and 428!" Cheers, Dennis

[Snake2998]

Originally Posted by saltshaker

I have a 700r4 behind a 428FE built with a corvette servo and governor. It shifts at 5500 1to2 and 5200 2/3…. I did it for a health reason but with a gated shifter it was a great choice.
Jon

I have a gated shifter on mine as well - great choice. My wife rolls her eyes and mutters under her breath "Men never grow up" when I shift across to the gated section at traffic lights when the road is clear because she knows whats coming.

[joyridin']

I personally like a stick shift, but if you are building the car for resale value or because of what somebody else thinks, you are headed down the wrong path right from the beginning.

It is amazing how many Cobras you see for sale with well under 10k miles. Heck, I put that on in 2-3 years and I live in northern Ohio, which seems to get about 3 weeks of total drive time a year. People buying/building cars for the wrong reason. It is their money of course, but it sure is a lot more fun to be out driving your Cobra than complaining about the fact you can't push in the clutch pedal because your killer engine running on race fuel required a clutch that is so stiff, Arnold Schwarzenegger would have a hard time pushing it in.

[eschaider]

While these cars are not investments we have none the less seen car prices for quality finished vehicles rise over the last decade or so. That still does not mean they are 'good' investments. That said, they can be bad purchases.

If you build a replica that is not (for the most part) visually similar to the originals, buyers are not as likely to want to purchase your car when you go to sell it (which could be sooner than you thought) and will likely assign a measurably lower value to the finished replica.

With respect to things like heavy clutches and properly designed actuating mechanisms, deliberately selected clutch assemblies can easily overcome these issues. Even if you choose to design your actuating linkages incorrectly, the use of something like the currently available dual disc clutches offered by firms like McLeod can significantly improve the driving experience. These types of clutches can handle 1000 HP power levels (some higher) with a pedal effort that is less than an OEM grocery getter.

Be deliberate and careful about how you configure and build your replica if things like driving comfort, resale value and personal safety are important to you. These replicas are not like the cars that Detroit builds for sale to the public.

As many have already said (or implied) these are hand made race car replicas replicating a pure race car from over a half century ago. They do not have teams of engineers driving them thousands of miles doing QA testing and vehicle refinements before you get yours, as Hal Copple so eloquently observed. All of that falls on your shoulders. Be careful what you ask for and then build. It might be antithetical to what you expected not to mention quite difficult to sell.

Closing comment / observation; Unlike back in the day, horsepower is easily created today. Do not overreach! These cars were World Champions and raced essentially undefeated with less than 400HP! A gazillion HP is not only not fun to drive, it is outright dangerous for you and those around you. The cars can swap ends on you as quickly as you blink your eyes. Big horsepower does not enhance the driving experience and puts you and others at risk.

Did I mention they can kill you? ...