ERA Plunge
 

After 5 years of drooling over cobras, going to Carlisle in the rain, and seemingly endless reasearch, I finally put a deposite on an ERA 289 FIA.

I drove up to Connecticut yesterday and spent about 4 hrs with Peter going over the details. The shop tour was great. Nothing fancy, but the quality and the attention to even the smallest details would amaze you. How about stainless steel gas tank straps? Something you will not see when the kit is assembled, but they will not rust. The icing on the cake was the license plate bracket with welded on nuts out of stainless steel and powder coated! So you can imagine how the rest of the parts for the kit are made. It was like walking through a candy store when you were a kid for the first time. Parts every where. I'll take one of these, and one of these, and oh, one of those... Like they say, what makes ERA stand alone from the other kits is overall quality.

Taking delivery around June 2005, still need to save a few more bucks to get everything I want. Counting the days.

Peter was great, as were the guys in the shop. They took their time and answered all my questions making you feel at home.

If you are debating over which kit, definately visit the shop before you buy, but make sure you include ERA to compare to the rest.

JUNE OF 2005????:eek: :eek: :eek:

Whats up with that. Two years from now?

Snakebit,
Two years or five years it'll be worth the wait ,build it ONCE and build it RIGHT !!!!!!Good luck with it...OZ:D

Snakebit,

Bring Peter a BLT, maybe he'll push it up by a week or two. ;)

Great people at ERA - and true craftsmen who take pride in their work.

Best of luck,
Jim

Congrats. You won't be disappointed. ERA and the people there are great to work with and make a top quality product.

By the way, did you see a green 427 while you were there- probably just a painted body at this point? How'd it look? That one's mine:D I'm heading up there Sat. to check it out and bug Peter.

ERA green 427
 

Yes, it just came back from the paint shop. Nice paint job! They comented that the lighting in the shop didn't do it justice, that it really comes alive in the sun.

There is a guy who just built a green 427 ERA with white stripes that shows up at the car show. Good luck with yours.

Thanks for the update. I guess I'll have to bring my sun lamp with me (or make Peter drag it outside:D).

Congrats on your decision to purchase a 289 car from ERA. To a individual, they are all fine people and a pleasure to work with. Their attention to detail questions and support after delivery is second to none.

Ted Cummings

You are going to love it...I love the difference in the car as compared to the more numerious big blocks. If you want any info on mine e-mail me. Joe

P.S. Is the date a typo??

Bummer on the delivery date!!!! Welcome to the clan! I'm envious that you took the tour. I decided the money could be better spent on the car itself rather than flying all the way across the country & renting a car just to spend a couple hours checking out the operation. Maybe someday when I'm out there I'll get the chance to swing by. Believe me though, if I had any doubt about the ERA's quality I would have taken the tour. I have seen many ERA's & they are all very nice examples of their craftsmanship. Well worth a few extra bucks! :cool:

Good Choice. Top shelf product. Top shelf people.

The choice of a 289 FIA is neat also. Not as many around. Neat.

745 DAYS and counting! Congratulations, and sorry it is taking so long!

Welcome to the ERA "family". I have had ERA 2047 since July 2000. It is a first rate 289 FIA replica. It always draws a crowd. ERA (Bob, Peter, Doug, Tony, et all) are great to work with. They a very knowledgeable and helpful. The wait will almost kill you. It took 13 months for mine to be delivered. But once you have it you will not regret it. It will be done right and worth the wait.

FIA Mike

Chaplin
If I knew your car was there I would have checked it out for you today,I was on my way there and got side tracked(by my wife to go buy flowers for her garden)shoot me now.I only live 20 min.from them.Mine should be back from painer in a few weeks

Oh,to Snakebit congrats to you on your choice this is my second car from ERA,I took a look around at diff other builders and still like an old girlfriend you can't forget...came right back again

find another project....
 

Snakebit,
You might want to consider a go-between project that will capture your attention for a fair amount of time while you are waiting. Yes, it's worth the wait, but at the same time it is a LONG...........wait. I bought the chassis and body mounted from ERA, and assembled the rest myself which cut down on the time some. I like the FIA as good or better than my 427SC. Good choice! ERA builds a fine car, and that's why there is a waiting list get one.

xcobraj-
Flowers for the garden . . . I know your pain. I am taking a ride up there Sat. and will post some pics when I get back. Can't wait to see it. **)

2 year time frame
 

Guys, I chose the 2 year time frame, not ERA, inorder to lock in the kit price and commit myself to the project. I have my game plan all worked out. What I need to do and how much I need to save each month, so I will have everything ready to start my ERA Project 2 years from now.

Like I said, I was drooling over this for five years and did a lot of planning.

I want to thank all of you for the encouragement and the
congrats. This site played a major part in my decision.
Thank you all for making this site what it is and sharing all your info.

Snakebit-
Two years is a lot of time . . . to get you in trouble. I ordered my car a year ago, and during that time, I have changed my order so many times that the car I will take delivery of is completely different than the one I ordered. I can't imagine what would happen if I had 2 years to mull things over**) **)

Chaplin, Snap some shots of mine if it's there! Should be! Peter said early last week that they would pick the frame up last week from the coaters & begin on it. He has been sayin' for the last couple of months that the body is there. I'm wettn' my pants with excitement :CRY: