Average Age?

Very well said, Alan. Most appropriate, and a good story. Hope you participate in the rest of the forum.

Regards, Art

Alan,

Bravo!!!! Thanks for your honesty. You hit the nail on the head, you knew what you wanted, it didn't have to be the cream of the crop, you got it, built it and now you're enjoying it. This is what it's all about.

This is not a hit against FFR, so guys, please don't get crazy about Alan's comments. This is what we ALL should be able to do, identify the warts on each of our cars with the same objectivity that Alan has just displayed.

Kudos, Alan,

John

I'm 47 (and a grandfather). I know what you're all thinking -- with a name like Enzo I should be driving a Ferrari.

Since I was a teenager I've been fortunate and I had mid-year stingrays, corvettes (restored a couple), mustangs, a porsche, and once I even owned a GoGo mobile, (if anybody knows what that is)

In my early 30's I started thinking about the Cobras. In my late 30's I was getting ready to follow in the family steps and get a Ferrari when my wife told me -- you've been talking about building Cobras for a couple of years now, if you don't do it now you never will.

I built two Cobras and fell in love with the whole Cobra affair. I walked away from a corporate job (I'm an engineer) and started up a business doing something I love. All my friends around here have Cobras and they spend alot of time at my house -- they say its like a candy store.

Of course once you fulfill one dream another creeps in there and last year I ordered a GT-40. Can't wait to assemble that one.

I suppose I will need to buy a Ferrari before I die to keep the family happy.

Regards,

Enzo Alibrandi/Finish Line

What a website! This is like a candy store too! All these years, since I first sat in an original, white 289 with two, four-barrel Webers, in Santa Rosa, California, I've wanted a Shelby Cobra, thinking that there weren't many more like me! Almost bought a red one in 1970 that was beat and belching smoke....for $6K , but needed the money for a house and new family. Now I am 52, divorced, and still carrying the Cobra torch. I have a '67 Mustang with a coveted 289, and two Volvo 1800's. Took the grill out of my oldest 1800 (sport coupe) because it looked more like a Cobra that way! Given that I've compulsed over having a Cobra for 33 years and think Carroll Shelby is the great car Guru of the western world, I think it's time to get one. Have struggled between Kits and the CSX-4000 series and have concluded that the Kits are the "best buy" of the two (this feels like a sacreligious statement). Still I am considering an all-Shelby-parts 351W engine to salve my guilt! So, at the upcoming kit car exhibit in California's Knott's Berry farm, I will fulfill this lifetime dream that I obviously share with you fellows!

Randall Klein
Los Altos, CA

Greetings all! I'm 49, started thinking seriously about obtaining a Cobra about five years ago when I stumbled across a kit car magazine. I had heard of and seen photos of Cobras ever since I was a teenager, but I had never actually seen a real or replica 427 S/C until I went to Run & Gun 97. I was totally awed! I had decided earlier to buy a replica but I knew nothing about them. I found a website that was maintined by a guy from Holland that had s list of Cobra owners around the world. I contacted some of the owners and asked a ton of questions (Neal Jackson was one of the people kind enough to write back, thanks Neal!) That got me started on the right track to deciding what I wanted
in a Cobra. Intresting as well, I decided to make a video about Cobra replicas to help me decide what manufacturer to buy from. Since I make television programs, commercials, and corporate videos for a living, it was fairly easy to get started on the video. I started interviewing people, filming Cobras in action and writing a script. After my first R&G, I had pretty much narrowed down my choices of manufacturers. I happened to find a pro built Midstates Cobra for sale in New Mexico that the builder was willing to sell for a
good price. I bought it sight unseen (except for four photographs) and he delivered it across country to North Carolina. I don't recommend buying a Cobra this way, but it worked out well for me. I've driven my Cobra for nearly two years now, putting 5000 miles on it. I'm still working on finsihing my video, which will be ready by mid April, but driving, maintaining, and (sometimes) racing my Cobra has given me a tremendous insight into living with a snake in my garage. Unfortunatly, my wife doesn't share my enthusiam for Cobras, but since owning one, I've met many other Cobra owners or enthusiasts in my area.
Actually, my wife does like to go for late night rides if the weather is nice and I
don't rev the engine much past 4000 rpm!
My two teenage daughters tolerate my snake only because it attracts the boys! My next Cobra will probably be a 289 version with under the car exhaust, no stripe or roll bar, and a stereo! I know, it sounds like I'm getting soft, but I DO love my wife and I would like for her to enjoy my toys as much as I do.

Hi Jim,

Welcome to Club Cobra - it's a great place - lots of nice folks here.

I remember the emails and your video idea from about 2 years ago. Glad to hear the video panned out and even more happy to hear you got a Cobra.

Enjoy Club Cobra!

Neal

Well I am 31 kinda young I guess but I have wanted a cobra since I was 14 and saw one on TV. "That has to be the Coolest car that was ever made." I thought I guess I haven't changed really I still think it is the coolest car ever made. I got lucky with mine, Well I guess it is all in how you look at it really. This past summer I had the misfortune of getting hit head on by a drunk driver. It destroyed my svo Turbo powered 4x4 Ranger. Not to mention put me in the hospital for three days. All the usuall broken leg, nose, concusion, Bruised ribs You know the usuall. I had a real bad experiece about 7 years ago with a semi that drove over the car I was in and his Insurance co. tried to say he did nothing wrong.Yea right (7 revocations of his licence and a fellony kidnapping charge this guy is a saint, RIGHT!) Any way contemplating this prob again I hired a lawer brfore I was even out of the hospital Actually a guy I knew anyway they didn't even try and fight just wanted to know how much so I ended up with some extra cash And I decided to finally fulfill my dream. As a matter of fact I just got the call yesterday from FFR that my car shipPed. Now I am frantic trying to get everything ready. Well gota go and do some more.

Happy Wrenching!

jpp,
Sorry to hear about your bad luck with the accidents, good to see you could turn it into something cool. I too am building a Factory Five car and am almost done(at the painter now), and I also share your childhood dreams about "THE COOLEST CAR EVER MADE". I see you're from St. Louis so I expect to see your car, or at least you, at Run & Gun this July.

Chris Perry
Toledo, Oh.

Great Site. I liked the Cobra Forum also, but felt a little intimidated. I admire their allegiance to FFR, but feel that they sometimes come on a bit too strong against other makes. I decided against the FFR as it was not right for me. I chose to go with the Unique 427 S/C. To me it was the best performance / value Cobra available. Besides, the Weaver's are great people to work with!!
I'm getting off on a tangent (comes with old age). I will be 49 in three weeks and have always been a car nut with Mustang's, AMX's, etc. Besides the unfinished Cobra, I have two '91 SHO's and a '74 TVR.
I am in the process of starting up a Cobra Assembly business since my company is up and moving on me. Fortunately, I will be able to get a lump sum pension payout and a 14 month severance check. The Cobra business will be to supplement my retirement income. I know that you will never get rich doing this, but if I can get it to pay for some extras like medical insurance, I'll be happy. It helps that I can do all the work including mechanical, electrical, painting, etc in my 24 x 32 garage. My overhead will be very low. I figure that the only risk I am taking is with my time.
I'm glad to see that there is such a wide range of ages and backgrounds in the Cobra "family". Keep up the good work.
Bruce

jpp,

Welcome to Club Cobra! Never too young to appreciate Cobras, kit or real. Sorry to hear of your bad luck with other vehicles. Glad you apparently are ok and were able to make some good out of it. Gotta watch those Insurance people!

Enjoy this site and also your car!

Neal

Bruce,

Welcome to Club Cobra!

Your Cobra assembly business sounds like a good concept - Good Luck with it!

About your reference to "old age" at 48, almost 49 - I take exception to that remark, since I am also 48 , as are a couple of others here. I don't (and I think they will agree) think "old age" will hit for another 40 or so years! Perhaps when you reach an age wherein you no longer enjoy Cobras - maybe that will be "old age". Think that will ever happen?

Enjoy the Club!

Neal

HI! I am 27yo.
I have wanted a Cobra since I was 12 or so. I was fortunate to find a very cool guy at a local car show who let me sit in his real 427 Cobra and started it up !! The rest is history....

I'm 21 and picked up my Cobra kit back in October. I've been playing with older Fords and late model Mustangs since I was 16 and figure I better have fun with the cars now so when I get old like all of you I can go fishing. Just some humor.

Hey lets not knock the forties. My dad always said I was the biggest kid he ever saw and would never grow up. I told him that I hoped what he said was true. Age is what you make it. The cars actually keep me young and in touch with the younger kids especially at the car shows. Just ask Art, he knows exactly what I mean. It is a good feeling when a bunch of teenagers come up to my car and say how cool it is. My thirteen year old daughter begs me to pick her up at school only in my Mustang and not the Toyota, and I always ablidge.

David 43 going on 19

Neal - A tip of the hat to you of the "old guard".

hyghlndr,

Welcome to Club Cobra!

Your story about Cobras is similar to mine - I too only sat (and rode) in one kit Cobra and was hooked on getting one. But I have been admiring them for decades.

Enjoy the Club!

Neal


Velvet Hammer,

Welcome to Club Cobra!

How nice that you are able to have a Cobra kit at your age! Maybe all of us "old" people should start a "Tips On Fishing" thread, for the benefit of others.

Enjoy the Club!

Neal

[MY 401K]

Guys,
I turned 67 on 3/18 and I can't ever imagine not being able to drive my Snake. My wife is right when she says that " I'm Obsessed". Every year I do a little to increase the HP (500+ RW) and it makes me feel like a teenager again. What Ponce De Leon was looking for, I found in my SPF. Of the 45 Cobra owners that hang at Nick's place on Saturday mornings, there are 3 of us that are 65+ and we all drive them like we stole them.
God Bless.....
John

[Freebob]

Great thread... going since 1999. WOW! I guess I am one of the oldsters at 69. Bought mine in 1998 as a running machine. Car was assembled in Mexico a few years earlier. I am currwntly redesigning the chassis from the firewall forward. I started putting large engines in small cars in the 50s. A Buick 215 in a lotus elite, a 215 in a Morris minor pickup, Helped put a hemi Chrysler in a '56 Continental for Bill Harrah in 1960. I will post pics sometime soon.
Bob

This website continues to be a candy store; even has some great humor except from "Velvet H" . FISHING? FISHING! It's a great past time, but it's awfully low speed! Although I love the smell of the outdoors and the sound of flowing water, I think that blowing off doors and the smell of rubber burning is also "poetic" in it's own way.

Glad you found this Velvet, it should make for some lively discussion with us old guys!

Randy Klein
Los Altos, CA

Thank you all for the welcome and you bet your boots that car or not I will be at run and gun.

Thought I would jump in here. I'm 43 and first fell in love with cars when my Dad took me to a sprint car race at Winchester in Indiana when I was 10 years old. That's when I became a race car fan. I go to Indy every year (although it's not the same now!) and the era of the 60's is my interest, hence the Cobra. Lance