Getting started

[williej911]

Hi there, I'm very new to the Cobra Club website. I'm very impressed with all of your Cobra's. I'm looking at getting started on building one for myself. It's been one of those dreams to do this for quite sometime. I was quite over whelmed by everything I've seen here. I'm wondering if any of you can give me a push in the right direction. I've found a couple of sites that sell kits, but I need to know what not to do, and where not to go. I'm looking at this company called Factory Five, are they a repitable company.
Any help would be great.
Thanks Willie

[Edley Rondinone]

Willie, some questions for YOU first!
1. How much can you spend?
2. How much work can you do?
3. What do you plan on doing with the car? Cruise, show, race, ?
4. How much time/space/effort can you spare?

[williej911]

Edley,

These are all very good questions. I think the question in regards to the money has alot to do with what I want to do with the car. I plan is to use it for cruising. (for now anyway). I would love to race, how ever (dare I say it?) I'm really not sure my wife would let me.

How much work can I do? I'm very comfortable with doing it all but the Wiring, and paint.

Time, space and effort? I have nights, weekends and every stat holiday to spend on this. Space I have 1200 sq. ft. Effort, I always give a 110%.

This is my dream. I told my dad when I was 5yrs old that I was going to do this. I'm 33 now, it's time.

I hope this helps you with getting me pushed in the right direction.

thanks for showing intrest in my cause.
Willie

[Hal Copple]

willie, the best way to find out for yourself if the FFR replica is the best one for you is to talk with FFR owners and builders, they can much more accurately tell you costs, time, choices, and give you a perspective on what you are about to undertake. There are replica gatherings all the time, so you could see the FFR car, and others, so you can make the right decision. I would look beyond any brochure or website, and check out the actual cars.

The best way to avoid disappoinment in such a project is to very clearly understand and accept the cost, effort, and time. By the way, many of us have found our wives have sometimes resented the time and money we spend on our hobby, and begin to demand their due, like jewelry, vacations, furniture, so many of us have finally just addded these costs to the cost of the Replica.

Typically, wives or girlfriends expect about 50 cents on the dollar, so having parts delivered to your office, and hiding receipts becomes commonplace.

Enjoy the ride...

[tfarhood]

Willie,

Your profile says that you are from BC. British Columbia I assume. If that is the case, I think you should read this post first and ask questions to the people that are mentioned in it.
Canadian cobra owners...

As far as kits go, FFR is a fine kit. Most kits are good, it all depends on what your intentions are and your abilities. FFR works great on budget if you use a donor Mustang, but a donor is not required. Other kits come pretty complete less engine and tranny. Some kits are partially assembled, some are not.

There are a whole lot of questions you need to answer before narrowing it down.
1. How much money are you willing to spend?
2. How will you drive it? Is performance important or is reliability important, or both?(there is a price for everything).
3. Is good looking important, or authenticity?(again, a price for everything)
4. Independent Rear Suspension or Live Axle? 4 wheel disk brakes?
5. No top, soft top, hard top? (It gets cold up north).
6. Etc., etc., etc....

Unless you really want to do the build, sometimes you can find a second hand Cobra road ready for less than building it.

Try searching through some old posts here to help define your priorities. Decide more specifically what you actually want and ask the question again. You will get more replies with specifics that will make you choices a lot easier. Try to locate some Cobra owners locally and visit them if you can.

Good luck in your quest, and welcome to the madness!

[williej911]

Hal,
Your so right on the wife issue. I found that out when I bought my truck last year. That one cost me a huge reno and new furniture.

Thanks for your advice. I will plug ahead slowly at this, because I don't want any costly mistakes.

Thanks again.
Willie

[williej911]

tfarhood,

Thanks for your insite, I will take all your suggestions with me as I move forward into this adventure of mine.

Yes it does get cold up here, I've got 5 feet of snow in my yard right now. So my driving time on something like this is limited.

As far as local owners, that might be tuff. The area I live in is rather small. most of the car buffs around here are into vets. Don't get me wrong vets are nice, but it's just not for me.

I will push ahead with this and plan plan and plan some more.

Can you tell I like to research? I'm a paramedic so I have to be that way.

Thanks
Willie

[pgermond]

Willie,

Someone told me when I strated my research, "Whatever you plan on spending for this project, double it." Good advice, because that is what wound up happening to me!

[klayfish]

tfarhoods point about a used Cobra is a good one. If you really want to build it yourself, by all means you should. But if not, the used Cobra market is a buyers one right now.

As for FFR, I should say first that I own one, so I could be biased. But yes, they are a reputable company. You'll find that one of the biggest things that FFR owners say they love about their cars is the "family" that FFR is. Owners support each other, get together and such. And the Smith brothers (the owners/founders) are class acts. But that isn't to say there aren't other great cars out there. As the others said, it's what is important to you that will be important in the decision. Do you care about exact originality? What motor do you want? How much work do you want to do? How much to spend? I agree with doubling your original estimate, partly to keep the wife happy?...see below

If you build it yourself, the wife is likely to get a little upset at some point. But the first ride in the car will change all that. I didn't build my car, so my wife didn't have that problem. But my new motor cost me a new wedding ring for her. She actually likes the car and enjoys riding in it.

Steve