Sold my Shell Valley Car to pay for an addition to my home in 1994.

Started the construction in 1996 of my Unique and bought SPF #343 in June 2000, while the building was in process.

Sold SPF #343 to fund the building of the DVSF Daytona Coupe which I won.

There are two Cobras in the garage now....only until the new owners of #343 pick it up and there will be two Cobras in the garage in early 2003. The FFR Daytona coupe and the Unique Roadster.

What happens then :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:


Who knows but there will be fun in the equation.

Tony R.

Mr. Wrench,

To answer your question, 15 years of being a mechanic at a dealership certainly qualifies you experience wise.

Fabrication skills, specifically welding, is not necessary provided you know a welding shop you can take parts and drawings to. For the most part these things bolt together, but sooner or later you'll want something welded, or some part made.

Do you work on your own cars at home? Is this a hobby to you?
If so, building one is still a labor of frustration. If it isn't, then you might be happier with a turnkey-, or roller like an SPF where all you do is put the engine and trans in.

I have always been enamored (hope i spelled that right) with cars, Cobra's and any Shelby car especially. I work on my own cars, have built a few perfomance machines, (2 Acura NSX's, couple of American made cars. All my experiance has been on Imports, 81/2 years at an Acura dealership. getting small things welded, (brackets and so forth) will not be a problem, i was just curious about major suspension items, mounting points, etc. as far as a hobby, not really. I have never done a complete kit car, but have done 2 full restos, one on a 67 rs camaro. (came home with just a shell and doors on the trailer, wife had a fit.) I do appreciate the info, Thank You.

Well Mr. Wrench, you sound like a true gearhead. You'll be among friends here. If you know how all the pieces work, than you can build the whole car. When you get stuck, or perplexed, well...that's what we're here for. Aahhh. The wonders of modern electronics.

The new cars are really amazing. They keep adding more and more electronic controls to them, makes it real hard to keep up. Before i left Acura, they had 1 car, the 3.5RL, that had 11 different control units, tied together and communicating with serial data. They keep telling us that it makes them easier to work on, but that is only true when they are working right. When they break, they are a mess.

Hey Dave, I asked pretty much the same question about 2 years ago. Here it is:

http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/show...&threadid=7756

It kinda gets off the subject, but the first few posts give you some ideas.

BTW, after all this time, I've got a FFR ordered with about $3000 in options that'll be shipped on 9/20. My donor is a SCCA American Sedan Mustang putting out about 347 HP. :3DSMILE:

I'm glad that this question came up. I've wonded the same thing myself. The answers have been interesting.

I would have to disagree with jack21 on one point. I don't think you need to have many years of car building or work to do a nice Cobra. I built my cobra a little over 2 years ago (took me 13 months) having never built an engine, car or anything like that. My auto experience had been changing oil, plugs and tires.

I never trailer my car and drive it all over the place, took a 300 mile trip this weekend. It has won a few car shows and I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone that has seen my car that doesn't think I did a bang up job putting it together. I even built the engine....a 428 FE with 6 two barrel carbs.

All it really takes is a desire to do a good job and the help of a few car savy people to help you along the way. When you tell people you are building a cobra the car savy people seem to come out of the woodwork. At least they did in my case.

Have no plans of ever selling it.

Wrench,

It would appear you have plenty of knowledge to build most any car available. Your expressed curiosity would most likely eliminate a turn-key car or rolling chassis.

Ask a lot of questions and take the plunge. You will never regret it. A Cobra gets 100 times more admiration and looks than an NSX. More importantly, it "feels" better knowing its' YOUR creation Even if you buy one to your specifications, it is your unique car and more fun than you can imagine.

What a Crock!
 

HORSE POOP!! Ya gotta start somewhere. Here's my first "hot rod". I changed the spark plugs and points on my 66 VW a few times and even rebuilt a Briggs & Stratton 3HP... right down to that double lobe lumpy cam!

I've recieved a few trophies already and even a best-of-show at the manufacturers open house. (it's been on the road for about four months and almost 6000 miles. Give me some time and I'll rake in some more) Built it myself. Here's what a beginner can do with "junk mustang parts"...LOL!!!! :LOL:


http://pws.prserv.net/accobra/images/cobra1.jpg

Since I have worked on Acura and Honda the past 10 years, I get a lot of people in the shop that want help to build their rice burners, but most are too broke to even buy the beer. One person brought me a magazine article that they spent $8400 on a honda motor,(just cams, chip and cold air induction) they gained a WHOLE 38 HP! Most of what i have done in the past is for friends that didn't know alot about cars, but wanted to "build" one. I guess i got sucker on my forehead. I do appreciate this forum, educational, yet entertaining. :)

...and again
 

Oh, and just so you don't think I got lucky, here's another "first"

http://pws.prserv.net/accobra/images/gags5.jpg

Ten years ago i built my first cobra ( era)waited calmly in line like you would at some hot nite club,tapping my index finger slowly every day,couldn't wait for the phone call to come and get my car.Its like waiting for your child to be born(may sound korny).I have had about 20 corvettes and numerous other muscle cars and believe me cobra fakes were no way in the picture.well...I wanted to build something clean and new,no rust,no dry wiring harnesses,rotton frames soooo here i go.now back to the waiting room with the rest of the fakers.got my car(ERA),built my car,drove my car.Got offered stupid money from some 20 yr old kid,said sure its for sale(tee hee hee)thought he was kidding!He has my car and i don't(silly me)next thing i know i'm back in the waiting room with all the other expecting cobra drivers and wouldn't have it any other way.Another ERA.Oh ya i just want to add one more thing...don't build a car that has the words" donor"
in it.

Doesn't ERA still use a "donor" jag rear. Last time I was there, I saw a big pile of jag rears out back. If you're truly trying to offer some value in your response, you may want to explain why you feel one shouldn't consider the "donor" as a choice for a build.

Here's another car built from "junk Mustang parts" from a "donor"

DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR DONOR

:LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL::LOL:

http://pws.prserv.net/accobra/images/bobaruba1.jpg
http://pws.prserv.net/accobra/images/bobaruba2.jpg

Comments like the one quoted above, are precisely the reason why I have gone from visiting this site almost daily,,,,,to only coming here about once every other week.

Why there needs to be this "mine is bigger than yours attitude", I don't know. I do know that it has gotten old, so I hardly ever post here at all anymore.

It's too bad, since I have over twenty years experience as an auto tech, you'd think I could spend my spare time helping out others with technical advice. ....Or I could help those considering track events, since I've been roadracing -instructing for many years, too.

Instead, I am "turned off" by those who feel the need to flaunt their "wallets".

Hey, if you can afford an ERA, Kirkham, CSX4000,,,that's great,,,,
good for you. It doesn't give you a license to treat the guy with a less expensive car like a second class citizen.

I have a friend in Kansas City with an ERA.
It is an absolutely beautiful car. I have looked at the car closely and have alot of respect for ERA and their product is top notch.
My friend is also a very nice guy, who loves this hobby and appreciates craftsmanship & a job well done, whether it be a nice cobra or a nicely restored studabaker.

My friend's ERA has a jag rear in it, (I believe) a subaru steering rack, a triumph (or other british car) steering column, and I think the wheels are from Trigo.
Obviously these pieces (whether bought new- or refurbished) come from sources other than ERA.

Why???????? because they work just fine and it would be silly for ERA to spend resources making their own diffs, in house, when the jag unit is available.
These cars are produced in low volumes, so if there is an existing part that can do a job properly and help contain costs,,,,,,it only makes sense to use it.

Now, the cobra I built three years ago (and recently sold), and DROVE to almost all of the Kansas City cobra club meetings(about 80 miles each way),,,,,,was built using a "donor" mustang.

I used the gas tank, rear axle, front spindles, brake calipers, parking brake, engine ,trans, fanshroud, and pedal assembly from a 1990 mustang GT to build that car.

I would take it on 200 plus mile little road trips without hesitation,
it averaged 20 mpg, and ran high 12 sec 1/4 mile times with BFG radial T/A/s on it,,,,I also won a regional autocross championship with the car.

I did clean, rebuild and detail all of my "donor" parts,,,,,and trust me,,,,,,my car was FAR from being junk!

In ten thousand miles , I never once had a mechanical failure with the car.
Althought I did have to pull over and offer help TWICE to other members of the club whose big block cars were overheating and giving them fits.

The simple fact is that the "donor" concept has made it possible for the "blue collar enthusiast" to live out his dream of building/driving one of these cars.

It is true, that I am not a wealthy man,,,,,therefore, having $1ook invested in a car is out of the question for me.
If you can afford to do that, again,,,,,great,,,,more power to you..........
but don't think for a second that you are any better than the hard working guy, who has saved money for years, and dedicated all of his spare time building the car he has dreamed about since he was a kid.

That guy deserves RESPECT for, being determined to live out that dream! ......and for those of you who look down on them as if you (or your toys are "better"),,,,,,,,,,,,, well,
You should be ashamed of yourselves.

Gumball....there is an A Sedan Cobra Mustang in my garage that is built to perfection, lightening fast, competitive, and will get you around the track as fast as the Cobra and do it much more predictably and gobs safer. $26k and it's yours.

ps....they sell 'em because they get tired of 'em....it happens...so shoot me.

Ready.....
Aim.......
Fire.......

Bang!!

TURK

wow,don't be so sensitive.You got me all wrong.
They all have donor parts in them and in most cases you end up with the same investment or close putting mustang parts in, then using a nice rebuilt small block,or a nice mild 390 to keep the cost down.keeping the drive train as close to original as possible. I am a blue collar guy (ten years to build the next car) and look for the parts deals that keep the cost down just like everyone else.So go easy, we are all in this together and when you see me broke down on the side of the road,with my( donor )car,I know you would still stop and help,you may giggle up your sleeve but you would still help

Kputz,
A "sedan" Mustang? Been hanging out in the formalin room too much again, I told you what would happen to those cortical synapses!:D Tell us about your Mustang !

What? Like CS didn't use a "donor" body (AC)? And "donor" engine (Ford)? Of course he did, THATS how you build a specialty car, hello!

Ernie