Cobra choice help wanted

[landerson]

Guys,

First, I apologize for the length of this posting, but I really could use some feedback. Thanks in advance.

I’ve been considering buying/building a Cobra for a while and it looks like I may be able to swing it sometime in the near future. As a typically anal engineer, I am involved in a comparative analysis of the various kits that are within my price target, that being under $30K for the completed car. Admittedly that narrows the field somewhat. Before I start with the questions, let me give you a little background. First, I intend to use the car primarily as a street driver, although I may do some autocrossing. I live in the Charleston, SC area, which can have some surprise showers that are real frog stranglers (downpours to you Yankees), so weather protection is a must. Also, the summers here can be brutal, so an effective A/C is almost as important. Ok, now for the questions:

1. Power steering versus non-power: Can PS be fitted along with A/C? Does it make the car too twitchy? If so, can proportioning valves resolve that? How heavy is it to drive around town without PS?

2. Underbody versus side exhaust: Does anyone have any experience with underbody exhaust? If so, what are the pro’s and con’s relative to side exhaust?

3. Carburetion versus fuel injection: Pro’s and con’s please.

4. ISR versus live axle: Is the addition of IRS worth the extra $2K that I’ve been told it costs? What problems with drive shaft binding have been seen on live axle cars?

5. Platform(most kits) versus backbone or tube frames(FFR and RUCC): Have any of you experienced stress cracking due to your body being a stressed component? Have any of you been involved in an accident with a platform frame car? If so, how did it hold up? Other than a steel hoop to hold up the cowl and dash, what other safety reinforcements surround the passenger compartments in your cars? My wife used to work in an ER, so she’s very conscious of safety considerations. I must admit to some concern about the performance of a platform framed car in an accident.

6. I’m not crazy about the stretched looks that some kits have. Do they really provide that much more comfort? Do the dropped footboxes in some of the 90” wheelbase models compensate? I’m 6’, 185 and don’t like to feel cramped.

7. Just how effective are those A/C units I’ve seen for Cobras? Given what they cost, I’d hope you could hang meat in there.

8. If I went with a kit that was not available partially built from the manufacturer, but I didn’t want to do the whole job myself, are there any builders in the southeast that can be recommended?

9. Any comments regarding component vendors I should avoid or ones that are recommended?

At this point I’ve pretty much narrowed it down to Factory Five, Lone Star, Backdraft, RUCC (if they're still in business), Shell Valley (maybe too expensive), and MidStates, although I'm open to other suggestions. I really love the looks of the ERA 289FIA street version with underbody exhaust, but ERA’s kits are too expensive for me.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. Again, thanks for your help.

Lane Anderson