Why the SPF, ERA, KIRKHAM, CSX Debate?
 

I'm new to the forum and I have a theroy why everyone is so passionate about debating which car is better/faster/sexier. This week I take delivery of my second Cobra a SPF 460/535, my first was an excalibur with a 347, and 150 shot of NOS. But I've also ownered a '01 and a '02 Corvette ZO6 and a '97 Saleen Mustang. I see one big difference in owning the Cobra vs. the Vette and Mustang. The Cobra's don't have any natural enemys. The Z06 had the Viper and the European sports cars, the Mustang had the Camaro Guys and dreamed about beating a Vette, but we Cobra people only have each other. I have never met anyone who "HATED" cobra's. You have the anti-kit car guys who just don't understand, but most of these guys are driving rusted out "ORIGINAL" Nova's. There seems to be a building competition with the Vipers, but the hatred factor seems to be missing. (I personally can't stand the Viper, but what do I know) So we come here a beat up each other...Which is actually fun.:D

So here is my $.02 on the subject. I looked at the SPF, ERA, KIRKHAM, and the CSX. I drove all of them and they are all Spectacular machines!!! And anyone who has one should consider themself lucky. I finally chose the SPF because the car fit my needs, and future plans for the car a little better than the others. I was also impressed by the "One lap of America" stuff. But I honestly knew it wasn't a huge decision because I couldn't make a bad choice with any of the cars. But as I am a SPF owner now, of course I think it is the best car out there. (They make you sign an agreement upon purchasing the car, stating you will post that sentence at least once on this board!)

Anyway keep up the great debate here boys, but keep your eyes open for some of those silly Vipers cruising around, they all need a taste of our venom.....:MECOOL:

Everybody is passionate and proud about their cobra. They're all great cars, as well as cars not even mentioned here. Some people take the remarks more personal then others. There are differences between the cars, differences that mean more to one person than another.

Actually, I enjoy reading the debates.

But now, the weather is nice, and I got to change my oil.

Spoony says:

(They make you sign an agreement upon purchasing the car, stating you will post that sentence at least once on this board!)

Ah HA!! Just as I suspected, it IS a conspiracy. I'm pretty sure if you buy a CSX your also required to say, at least once,

"It's real". (A legal document no doubt drafted by 'Real 1').

,,,,motor on. :rolleyes:

Ernie

Big block or small block? :)

Spoony....naahhh, they're just a bunch of bitc***! :D
petek...........:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL: **)

There is no reason for us to hate the Viper owners, we enjoy seeing them in our rear view mirror...:D

Funny stuff Spoony! I agree they are all good cars. Let's face it. We are all a bit competitive, or we wouldn't be driving these cars. When I went through the long process (many years long) of deciding which manufacturer, SPF was new on the scene (so I didn't trust them yet), Shelby wasn't making them again yet, and Kirkham . . . well I never heard of them before this forum, so I don't know if they were around then. I'm just thankful that I didn't have these choices to muddy up my decision. It was tough enough as it was. The ERA had the most legroom and the most solid feel on the road of the ones I tested, while retaining that authentic look. That made the final decision easier and I have never regreted it. I love my ERA and the people at the company are great. But if I was making that decision today, for the first time, it would be a whole lot tougher with so many great cars to chose from.
I cohabitat nicely with the Vipers and the Vettes around here. We have a mutual respect for each other. No time to argue which one is better, I need to go drive my car!

Something else that's funny....
 

This thread is in the "Bay Area Cobra Club" forum. So far, all of the posts are from people (including me) who live thousands of miles from the Bay. Now that's funny !!!

By the way, Superformance rules !!! And small blocks are the best !!! And you just can't beat a blue Cobra, especially Galaxy Blue. And some of the greatest Cobra owners are named Tom, especially those who live in Ohio.:LOL: :LOL: :LOL: :LOL:


Tom:3DSMILE: :3DSMILE:

Re: Something else that's funny....
 

Moderator Note..
Thanks Tom... never noticed.:o
...thread moved to All Cobra Talk, out of respect for the Bay Area boys.

Ron
ClubCobra Moderator

I presume by leaving out Contemporary you are conceding that Kirkham, ERA & SPF are #2, 3 and 4 among "best of" :LOL: I appreciate the fact that all of you cannot own Contemporary, as their numbers like the original Cobras are limited and frankly out of reach of many of our club members and that must be terribly difficult to take. At least you can get Kirkham, ERA and SPF on E-Bay..

Regards,

Actually Charlie I had 72 hours to decide if I wanted the car I bought (found in a garage about to be repo'd) Some of us are lucky that way..:LOL:

Hey SCOBRAC,
you are correct, all of us cannot own a Contemporary.

But if we wanted three, there are two for sale on Cobracountry and one on Autotrader right now. A few weeks back there was one on eBay too as I recall, and a few others listed on ClubCobra a while back. These below are priced between the mid 30s to mid 40s right now, with and without FEs. Not a bad car for this price range, and if you don't mind hunting a bit for parts. Take your pick. :)

CobraCountry: (48K) Blue
http://www.cobracountry.com/cobra4sa...a-welch-il.jpg

CobraCountry: (42K) Red
http://www.cobracountry.com/cobra4sa...ompsonG-ca.jpg

AutoTrader: (35K) Red
http://adcache.collectorcartraderonl...2/48414852.htm

Since there are so many choices out there and I am sure like me, all of us went through a lot of research before we made our decision my guess is that some of the debate is defending your own personal decision. As others have stated, they are all great cars and I would be happy with any of them. Just my .02 worth.

cooney-----maybee those are COUNTERFEIT KNOCKOFFS! :LOL:

There is a very nice Contemp with SO for sale in NorCal for anyone who is looking. It is loaded!

Allan

Spoony,

Good points all and more truth than most are comfortable with! Me, I got the ERA because I was lucky. Why lucky you ask? Well I had little or no idea what I was doing. Kinda like it was with my first wife. The difference is that I still like the ERA!!


Cheers, Pete C

Like Charlie, I didn't have as many choices when I decided to have a Cobra. Spf wasn't around as far as I know and Kirkham was just an article in a magazine about some guys who were going to build Cobras in a Polish Mig factory. There wasn't even a glimmer in Shelby's eye for his new CSX cars either.

To me the purchase of one of these cars is about three things. The big one is budget. Not everyone can afford a Kirkham or CSX or even an ERA. That doesn't mean that a given individual wouldn't like to have one or doesn't like them. The second consideration is intended use. Driver? Racer? Show car? All of the above? Third, at least for me is authenticity. How close is it to having construction and features like an original? A lot of people don't seem to give a hoot about originality, so they opt for things that make them happy, such as unusual engines or colors that suit their particular tastes that were never seen on a Cobra.

More power to all. If somebody bought a kit Cobra and made a street rod out of it, so be it. If somebody thinks theirs is "real", so be it. There's room for everybody and this is a big country.

Of all of the things I despise it is car snobs. I've been exposed to it with the Corvette guys, the Porche people, the Ferrari crowd and the hotrod and custom boys. Not all of the owners of these marques act that way by any means. There are enough who do though, that it leaves a nasty taste in one's mouth. I finally got where I just avoided those crowds.

I had over $80K in my car and the very last thing I would ever do was make sombody feel like a second class citizen, because theirs wasn't as "good" or "expensive" or "original appearing" as mine.

The point of all of this is that, there really is no good reason for the debate, other than to pass time. After all, Cobras or not, they're still just cars.

Everyone who owns or has owned a Cobra, original or otherwise, has an ego or they wouldn't have one in the first place. The trick in my book is to keep the ego under control and just enjoy the car for what it is and the enjoyment it provides. In short live and let live.

Al

Well said A Snake,

Sometimes it's a fine line in standing up for your car and crossing the line into an ego trip. Whatever car you might have. For some reason, I'm not sure why, the Cobra's seem FAR more "approachable" to the general public than any other "cool" car I've had.

Is it the owners? Maybe that big silly grin we tend to carry around?

Ernie

Spoony, good post however I am lost as to how someone can love Cobras and not love Vipers. I, as do a couple of the forum members have both a Cobra and a Viper, the reason for this is because I could not make up my mind as to which I like the most. In my mind the Viper is just a modern day Cobra anyway. Anytime the viper club gets together and the cobras show up its like a family reunion everyone is happy. Both great cars.

By the way, if you get tired of being asked is it real or orginal, try (for the Viper) hey what kind of grounds effect package do you have on your Toyota?

The Spitz:D

I think Al hit the nail on the head. When someone pulls the trigger on the checkbook for a totally extravagant and completely unnessessary luxury item ;-) like a Cobra replica they need to believe the money they just spent went for the best car possible.
I bought a Superformance. That's why ERA is the best:D
--Mike