ERA vs SPF

[BANDIT 1]

I think the one thing Turk and others are not thinking about is that the ERA and the Superformance Cobra's are made for two very different reasons. Everyone gets caught up in this "original" thing, they make the assumption that everyone wants a "original" Cobra or a exact "replica".

Let's look at some facts about the "original" 427 S/C Cobra...

1. The legacy to most people is not that the Cobra won every race it ever entered, the legacy is that every year up until the mid 1980's when a magazine made a list of the "Fastest Production Cars", the Cobra was always number one! (12.2 1/4 mile @ 118 mph/ 0-100-0 13.2 seconds)

2. The car is awesome looking (men respect it and women love it)!

3. A "original" Cobra is very expensive.

4. As legend goes the 427 S/C Cobra is a deathtrap, the race car drivers didn't even want to sit in the car. While some of this is contributed to the tire technology of the day, the rest is the 1960's Chassis design.

ERA COBRA:

I think some people have "hit the nail on the head" when they say that the ERA is the most authentic Cobra replica/kit car made (The Kirkham and Shelby "continuation Cobra's" are exact also...). They have kept to the original lines right down to the 485 - 500 Horsepower FE engined 427 S.O engine and fans in the grill. My only reasoning for not going with a ERA Cobra was very simple, most owners that I have met have 500 horsepower 427 S.O. 4 speed cars running in the low 12's with street tires (just like the originals). I also have seen some ERA's that the owners have as much money in them as the Shelby "Continuation Cobra" prices. If I was going to spend that much on a "exact replica", I would probably buy a used "Continuation Shelby Cobra" (or one of the "authorized" Kirkham Cobra's).

SUPERFORMANCE COBRA:

The Superformance Cobra's are built to be a "modern day" Cobra.
They use a race tested chassis and use all new parts. While the Superformance Cobra's don't look exactly like the original, that was never there intention (or else they would have the fans up front, etc...). While Superformance wanted there cars to look "close" to original looking, they didn't mind slight changes. With dealerships like the Olthoffs the Superformance cars get "raced" to the limit. Because of this heavy testing, Superformance comes out with many different upgrades (suspension, shocks, etc...) to make the cars even more faster and stable. I didn't need my car to be 100% exact, after all my Cobra has "modern" American Racing wheels on it. I think if someone wanted a Superformance Cobra to look "original" (to 99% of the people), all they would have to do is have the front fans installed and the car lowered. I felt that when I was done with my Cobra it would have atleast 650 horsepower (1,000 horsepower soon... Nitrous/supercharger). That is why I didn't buy a "continuation Shelby Cobra" or a Kirkham. If the Shelby and Kirkham Cobra's are almost 100% identical to the originals and with 500 horsepower the race car drivers of that era were afraid to drive these cars, what makes me think I can handle a "original style car" with 650 + horsepower? My Superformance Cobra with a 650 horsepower 520 c.i. Big Block drives as easily and predictable as any modern supercar (and that is with no traction control or any other modern systems).

It really comes down to this...

If you want a awesome looking "original" looking Cobra then the ERA is a no brainer!

If you want one of the fastest Cobra's (and live to tell about it), you go with a Superformance Cobra's. Ask the road racers which they prefer, a 427 FE powered 500 horsepower ERA Cobra or a "Stroker" 351 500 horsepower Superformance Cobra. Ask any Drag racer if they would rather have a 427 FE powered 500 horsepower FE Cobra or a 514+ c.i. "stroker" 600+ horsepower Superformance Cobra, the Superformance Cobra is the no brainer.

I had a 427 S.O. in my 1969 Mach 1, while it was a awesome engine, the 429/460 engine is much better than any 427 FE engine, Genesis Block, etc...

P.S. I tried to stay out of this one, however everyone is acting like ERA and Superformance set out to build the same "style" of a Cobra replica. The answer is they are both great at what they were designed to do...