Why the fuss on "original" Cobras?

[Carroll DeWeese]

I intended that my comments were inclusive, not exclusive.

I would love the feeling of have an original Cobra. Those cars are the symbol of all things Cobra. They define the species.

I was reacting to some of the second-class feeling and inferiority that I detect among some of the replica owners and want-to-be original Cobra owners.

Cobra is not only a car. It is a concept: raw, revolutionary, individual, unique, sensuous, and classic. My replica is in the spirit of the originals. It is an original -- an original replica. No other car is exactly like it. In many ways it is more capable than one of the true originals. My wife and I are making changes to it that keep the spirit alive and overcome some of the limitations of the originals. It is an original expression of all that is Cobra and of us.

The replicas are replicas. They carry on the Cobra tradition. Each is part of a continuation series. Some are more accurate representations of the original. Some are virtual clones. Others incorporate technologies that Shelby would have used if they had been available. Many keep all the spirit of the originals but are more useable for cruising, driving, showing, and/or racing. Even some of the originals have been modified and are no longer entirely “original”.

All the Cobras – original and replica – are part of the Cobra community and tradition. We may debate big block and small block, show and race, and many other topics. But we all have a common bond. Each of our cars is original, if not an original. Each expresses our dreams, desires, and individuality. Each adds to the Cobra tradition. Each keeps the Cobra spirit alive.

I admit some so-called replicas miss the mark entirely. They do not have the look and feel of a Cobra. They are genetic rejects. These are few and far between. Yet they are a personalized reflection of their owners. They are original. I agree that they push even the boundaries of my tolerance. But they are part of our family – the black sheep perhaps.

We all should feel good – in fact great – with our “originals”. They let us each live and experience a dream in different and unique ways. They bring out the Cobra in us all. No one has a need for feeling or acting with inferiority or superiority. We are a living community of Cobra lovers.