Working on mine is like building a ship in a bottle.Radiator comes out from the bottom,after all the sheet metal. The trans tunnel was solid and transmission goes back just far enough so tip of input shaft is in scatersheild.The clutch and throw out forks have to be removed to get scatter sheild and trans in or out. Hood scoop isn't very functional and cant get descent air cleaners on tunnel wedge w/2-4s. In the NorthWest a defroster would have been a plus.A convertable top and sidecurtains will add lots of days to the driving schedule. 11.5 comp ratio is a challenge for pump gas, 10-1 would been a better choice.Trunk needs a drain The new seat belts will be the quick or cam latch type,because of the frequency that they will used in street driving (Click- it or ticket )=$100 plus.Fuel injection would be my choice if I didn't already have any induction. I'd go for function over accuratecy, it's a replica that some will poo-poo.Wiring with the glass fuses and weather not a dependable combo.Money and sweat willl change most everything.

Matt,

Don't own one YET, so though I can't answer it, I appreciate your question. I want to know this stuff too. Got my first ride in one last week, still giddy. I was worried about leg room (6'2") but it was really pretty decent. The guys here in SoCal drive them year round with great big grins on their faces. Tulsa can be pretty rough during winter, huh? As stated eariler, that'l probably be your biggest gripe. Bad weather. You could uproot and move to Excaliber's place, but then you'd probably have to hock the Cobra just to get groceries. Now that Ahhnold is running our state, maybe they won't make it illegal to own anymore. Buy your Cobra, move to Cali . . . till the dems take over again.

Good luck!

MT

As im getting ready to put the cobra away for the winter you had to ask what I dont like. I dont like all the attention at red lights and gas station. My cobra is my getaway, after work I start her up and drive to freedom. Ill drive for 2hr. with my wife and we never speek untill we get home. I love the heat the wind and exhaust is my sound system. I love my cobra, thers nothing like it for fun fun fun.

Lets face it, these are not very practical cars, but they sure are a lot of fun. Where I live, the authorities have decided to put up stop signs everywhere they can so it 1st gear, 2nd gear, maybe 3rd gear, then on the brakes and back down to 1st. I am beginning to think that I may pull out the toploader in a year or two and drop in an AOD. Easier around town and less revs on the highway.

Getting stuck in traffic on a very hot day is no fun. My engine doesn't over heat but this type of car does get quite uncomfortably hot in traffic. I figure it is a small price to pay.

As a couple of others have said, I hate it when someone blasts their horn so that they can give me the tumbs up. It scares the crap out of me sometimes. :CRY:

Gotta love the Cobra and everything that comes with it.

Wayne

Tulsa winters are really not bad. We might get 2 or 3 good snow storms per winter but in between those snow storms are bright sunny days! :3DSMILE:

I must tell you guys that I was surprised by everyones answer about all the attention you get when driving the Cobra. I thought people had more respect than that. But I guess not. :(

Thanks for everyone answers, I feel its good to know the pros and cons of a car before purchasing one.

THAT MY COBRA IS NOT FINISHED! :-)

After having my Superformance car delivered to me nearly one year ago, the car still waits for its motor to be completed (should be any day now). Many of my friends who have seen the car can't beleive how patient I've been. Like my Fiancee said....."there are many guys out there who have waited a lot longer than me to be able to get their dream car."

Best of luck with your decision!

Matt,

You've posed a good question. Most people would've asked the boring same-old, like "which kit is best" and "what do you like about yours"... instead your question makes us think and forces us to be objective. Smart man...

Let's see... some cons...

1. Gas Mileage

Now, this might seem like a "DUH-HUH" answer, but you'd better be ready for it. If you choose a killer motor like I did, you WILL be stopping at the fuel pumps a LOT. I'm not whining about it (small price to pay for the fun), I'm just warning you. I get about 6 MPG on average... and that's not the cheap gas, either.

2. It Ain't Your Honda

Remember: This is a 1965-technology car. Yes, my replica rides just fine, but if you're expecting a soft, cushy, comfortable ride on a regular basis you'll be in for a very sharp learning curve. As mentioned before, this car can be a brute... and, as also mentioned before, this is both a pro and a con, depending on your mood.

3. Attention Getter

If you'e not in the mood to spend 15 minutes at the gas station talking to Mr. Billy B. Local about the Falcon he had when he was in high school, you better not pull the Cobra out of the garage. The car does get a tremendous amount of attention. If you're in the mood, it's wonderful. If not, well...

4. Noise

I absolutely love my pipes. For all intents and purposes, they're wide open. But they can become tiresome to listen to after a while (again, your mood will be the judge). Also, they can cause tension between you and your neighbors. This hasn't happened to me personally, but others on this site can tell some stories. The car has a VERY high likelihood of grabbing the attention of Capt. Paul O. Ficer who's been able to hear your car coming for the last two miles...

5. Not Lockable

This is simple: Don't leave anything in the car that you're not willing to have stolen. This hasn't happened to me yet, but it's just a matter of time, I'm sure.

6. Did I mention gas mileage?... I did?... Good.

7. Upkeep

Again, we're talking 60's technology here. You should expect to spend more time than usual re-adjusting your valve lash or tweaking your timing or replacing your fouled plugs. Almost none of which you would EVER have to do for a daily driver. I enjoy it, myself, so it's not so much a con for me, but people are different.

8. Sunny Days Only

Now, I KNOW some of the CC guys are gonna give me some flack for this one... :LOL: it's a long story... anyways...

Be prepared to have the car sit alone in the garage during those weeks when you REALLY need to take it out just to unwind and relax, but instead it's raining, so you have to wait. Or worse yet, you get poured on while you're out somewhere.

Now... with all these cons, would I prefer to have something different? HECK NO! I prefer what Ferris Bueller said...

"Oh, and about the car... it is SO choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

======EDIT======

9. How much did that cost ya?

I can't begin to tell you how many times I have been hit with this question. Surely there is no other car that garners this question more than a Cobra. It can be VERY annoying to have someone ask this, especially right in front of a co-worker or friend. I handle it differently every time, but I always try to be nice and cordial, even if the question is not. Sometimes, the question doesn't bother me if I know that the individual is seriously interested in acquiring one himself or herself, but that is rare.

10. Big Brother (and everyone else) is watching you.

You need to be "on" at all times. It's almost like you're a celebrity or something. Don't snap at anyone. Don't give someone the finger in traffic. Don't cut someone off. Don't cuss. Don't adjust your crotch. Don't pick your nose. Don't... oh you get the idea.

Matt -
The pros and cons depend to some degree on why you have a Cobra. You need to decide why you want one. Is it:
1. The desire to build your own car?
2. The desire to have a car that inspires awe and admiration in the eyes of strangers?
3. The desire to drive a car that saturates every sense every time you drive it?
4. The desire to race (e.g., SCCA Solo II)?
5. The desire to spend your free time and money repairing or upgrading or just tinkering with your car?
6. The desire to win trophies at car shows?
7. Etc.?
If you'll tell us why you want one, we can better decide which characteristics are pros and which are cons.

There is one con that deserves special consideration. It is very tempting to drive a car as light, powerful, short and eye-catching as a Cobra aggressively. So, many of us struggle to balance the urge to drive aggressively with the need to drive safely. If you are not the kind of person who can control the urge to drive aggressively on public streets, I ask that for your safety and mine, you not get a Cobra.

So I don't come off as a complete jerk, let me add that my favorite thing about my Cobra is the sound. My Corvette sounds good, but it's not in the same league with those side pipes.

Tommy, You bring up a very good point. I've really never thought of why I wanted one (in detail). I've just always known for the past 20 years that I wanted one. My dad is a chevy man, so I was born and raised chevy, but deep down I yearned for a Cobra. No Vette could satisfy me, I really don't know how to explain it.

To answer your questions...
1. The desire to build your own car?
No, I would only purchase a prebuilt car. I don't have that kind of time or patience to build one.

2. The desire to have a car that inspires awe and admiration in the eyes of strangers?
No, only to inspire myself. I've often thought when building my dream home there would be a window looking directing into the garage from my living room, so I could stare at my car when ever I wanted.

3. The desire to drive a car that saturates every sense every time you drive it?
YES!

4. The desire to race (e.g., SCCA Solo II)?
Not really. Well, ok maybe some times. But not the the money, just for fun!

5. The desire to spend your free time and money repairing or upgrading or just tinkering with your car?
No, I would hope to purchase a complete car just the way I would want it. Is this a false hope? I know exactly what I want my Cobra to look like (blue w/white stripes, chrome sidepipes, etc...).

6. The desire to win trophies at car shows?
No, I doubt I would want to show it off like that. That is not important to me.

Matt -
The good news is that a Cobra will provide all that you're looking for in a cruiser that saturates the senses. Mine has been far more fun than I ever imagined it would be. I also think you'll be able to find a car that looks very much like you want.

The bad news may be ongoing maintenance. Since you don't want to do this yourself, you'll want a car that is either very reliable or can be easily maintained by a local mechanic. As every Cobra replica is constructed of unique components, it's very difficult to generalize about them, but many of them require more maintenance than contemporary cars. Part of this is due to the fact that they replicate 1960's technology; part is due to the fact that many Cobras have high performance parts (e.g., engines) that are not optimized for reliability; and part is due to the fact that we often allow these cars to sit idle for weeks due to bad weather. The bottom line is that you need to find a trustworthy mechanic who won't mind working on a car made of a wide selection of custom parts and parts from several other cars. When you find your mechanic, have him check out your car before you buy it.

Good luck with your search.

You may have misunderstood my answer (or I wasn't clear). I don't mind working on cars, I just don't want to build one from scratch. I would buy a rolling complete car less engine/tranny thought. I thought about putting a LS1 and 6speed in there, I do have access to cherry pickers and all the tools I need. We just got finished rebuilding my dads '57 fuel injection and installed it a couple of months ago. My dad also has installed modern engines into old muscle car, so he is familiar with all the wiring harnesses and ECU's.

Would installing a LS1 eliminate alot of the maintenance or would it still require a lot of babying? It would also give me pretty good gas milage, right? Better than 6 anyway, maybe in the mid teens?

Keith raises a very interesting point about people asking about the cost. The first couple of years I had the car, very few, if any, people asked how much a car like this costs. Now it very often is the very first question asked. I quite hoinestly find this question to be rude and it really is something about the Cobra that I do not like. It is one thing if someone asks a bunch of questions about the car then politely inquires about the cost. It is something else when a total stranger comes up and says "What does that cost?"

When this first happened, I gave a straight answer. Now I say whatever comes into my head. I don't try to be a smarta$$ about it, I just try to avoid a straight answer.

I just bought a "66 Mustang and I told my wife that it is going to be so nice not hearing those two annoying questions over and over. 1) What did it cost? 2) Is it real? Don't get me wrong, I love my Cobra, I enjoy telling people about it, and I don't mind the attention it gets but the constant questions about the cost are getting to me.

Wayne

My answer to the rude types...
 

"If you have to ask, you can't afford one" :3DSMILE:

And Matt, you will never, ever, ever find the exact cobra you always wanted, already built... %/ ;)

Sex.
That's what I hate.
No, not sex silly...
Sex in a Cobra.

I hate that!

TURK

Turk,

Kinda like bad pizza, right?

Paul

Once again.....
It's not finished!!!:o

No cup holders! LOL

Probably the horn-honking on the freeway is the worst thing. Scares the bejeesus out of me! My MPG is 10 around town; jumps to 18 freeway! (but I did NOT buy the car for its MPG; NO ONE did!) 6000 miles annually, per insurance, IS a bummer! Idling in traffic on a hot day is VERY bad...get the cool air hoses for the footbox!! As for the people who ask "How much?", I tell them how much it would take to replace my fiberglass Cobra with an Aluminium Cobra, or roughly $80,000!! (I dont think people want to know literally how much the Cobra cost, but the 'ballpark figure' for them to enter into Cobra ownership; we could say "I couldnt replace this car for $40,000", or whatever amount you choose.) For me, there arent THAT MANY cons to driving my Cobra, and they are VASTLY outweighed by the plusses!!! I love the heck out of the thing, both driving it and just looking at it in my garage, or across a car show, or a parking lot, etc...

THESE CARS NEED RETRO-FIT ROLL-UP DOOR WINDOWS AND A MECHANICAL DROP-TOP.
MANY OF US WOULD SAY TO HELL WITH THE EXTRA WEIGHT AND SPRING FOR THEM.
ORIGINALITY BECOMES LESS OF AN ISSUE WITH EVERY YEAR THAT PASSES.
I HAVE HAD NO RELIABILITY ISSUES. I'M ON MY 2ND COBRA....

SPEND YOUR MONEY FOR YOUR OWN TASTE. GOOD LUCK...

B. SMITH

Hmmm. Actually, nothing.

;)