Average Age?

Well, I'm the baby of the group at 22 I suppose. Then again, I don't even own a Cobra.... yet.

I've wanted a Cobra for 10+ years, ever since my father and I visited the Contemporary Classic's shop in Mamaroneck, NY. Well, now that I'm out of college, have a good job, and not much of anything to hold me down, I'm thinking about getting that Cobra. My girlfriend/fiance is oddly supportive - good, as I'd have a hard time deciding between her and a Cobra

Carl, I think I've got you beat! I'm a New Yorker, born and raised. I've lived in Nashville for the past 4 years and I'm about to move to Houston. Ouch!

Sincerely,
Aaron

Was hot on the 68 - 72 Corvette during those years. Had 2. Didn't really know what a Cobra was until one blew away my '72 LT-1 one evening. Of course it was an original. I was hooked. Now some 27 years later I have a fake and feel great. And... only one year B-4 my 50th.

Now I won't have to go thru the mid-life thing... beat it to the punch.

I have had Cobra fever since I was a little girl. Dad was a bow-tie man but I loved anything with that much brute hp and that great looking body (289 FIA and 427).

Husband rekindled the flame by mentioning he really wanted to build one when we were both 28. FFR1049 arrived May of 96' and was on the road in 3 months. Since then we have autocrossed it (husband was 2nd place Rookie of the Year in FFR1046), open track raced and most recently drag raced. And, YES I race it too. He installed a Vortech S Trim SC in her this past spring and WOW what a rush! Won't be loosing Cobra fever for a long time.

OOPS, meant to type FFR1046, not 1049. Hey, where did the edit message button go?

I am 34 and was biten by snake just a few years ago. I have been working on cars for about 11 years, but was never really interested in building one until I saw a Cobra replicar in my area here. Since then I've been getting every Ford magazine available and Kit car magazine around, gathering information. I just recently bought Eccential AC Cobra,(can't remeber the author). And oh boy the fire is lit. The pieces parts are starting to gather, and better yet the wife support is there also, despite the fact she wants a 3000GT.
Still researching the actual kits to find just the right one for that fateful day! The only other fateful day was the day I married my wife. How lucky was I!!

According to my figures the average age is 41.5 years. But the stories have been incredible! I hope this thread never ends.

Thanks!

Scott S.

Traveller:
Did you take delivery of the C5? http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/3683/c45.jpg

wtcobra:
The memebers of the vette club are so self-absorbed in their own egos that they wouldn't even notice a Ford powered vette in their midst...lol They will notice when I smoke their doors on the autocross track though.

Dear DrivinWest, read my thread about "Texas - Hot & Muggy", and don't move there!!!! But if you don't listen to common sense and do move there, think long and hard about driving an un-air conditioned, un-roofed, heat-absorbing aluminum interior after you get a taste of the wonderful Texas weather!!!! Ciao!

I am new to Club Cobra & it looks like I'm
one of the oldest...I'll be 61 in Aug. I'm a
retired Mech Engr & have built cars all my
adault life(mainly streetrods). When I retired I built a retirement home in St. Cloud Fl. w/a 5 car garage.I put a hydr.lift
in one of the stalls & purchased new mig
& tig welder along w/a 10 hp air compressor.
I ordered a E-M kit June 7th with a Must II
front & a coilover rear(subject to change)
It will be their new King Cobra(6"longer).
I think I will have a blast building & driving it.......cheers Don

I am 45. I saw my first Cobra sitting on the Ford showroom floor in 1965 in Arlington, VA for $6000 new and I was hooked. Saw them race at Daytona that year too.

Building an F5R now but will have a real one before I am 50 if this stock market keeps up.


Steve
#1550

Here's my story:

It was back in '86 when my father took the family to British Columbia, Canada. We were driving the "sleeper" midsized family sedan - a 1983 BMW, It was a race-prepped-inline-six, turbo charged and intercooled by BAE in Torrance, CA. with 16" rims and, Suspension Technics suspension all the way around, cross-drilled rotors, adjustable engine management system, etc...it was a 12 second FAMILY FOUR DOOR in street tires even with air conditioning. Off the line or on the Hwy, where "turbo-assist" helps even more, I never lost a race (call me lucky). NOS...no problem....they could only race till there bottle ran dry...and from the start....I had NO problem hooking up the rubber...

I was at a stop light (my parents wereback at the hotel sleeping) when a red 427 Cobra pulled up slowly from behind me. I remember seeing a 427 emblem and black stove pipe painted sidepipes...and that was it. I'm sure I would of given him a run for his money.....after all, we were at a stop light.....in the street and not on the strip...the battle was more like who can hook up the tires first....except I just sat there looking at the curves, listening to the engine as the sound flowed out through the pipes. Up until then, I only heard stories and seen pictures of 427 Cobras. I guess you can say I lost the race right there....(100% intimidation)...because we just rolled through the intersection and then rolled through two more stop lights...finally I figured I'd catch him by surprise. So at about 15 mph I hit the gas....and I was off like a bolt of lighting and I figured he wouldn't catch me...by the time he realized what was happening our family four door would be way ahead of him. I WAS WRONG...HE PASSED ME SIDEWAYS as he was shifting into 4th. Real or replica....I wanted one after that!

In '89 I bought my Cobra kit....one year later....I was flat broke....so I decided to put into storage....now it is '99 and I am scraping enough money to buy all my parts at once...I'm 32 years old and I plan to give myself a b-day present next year come April.

[This message has been edited by Robert Duran (edited 06-21-1999).]

Robert,
Great Story!
Do remember if the Cobra was yellow with black stripes? Hm...... maybe it was Enzo

roger

Was once 52. Older than Neal and above the average age. Feel great kinship with "old" guys who were around to see the Shelby Cobra when it hit the show rooms, but prefer SPEAR fishing to line fishing . Waiting for my Cobra Chassis to be delivered in Late July to August. Own or have owned a motorcycle, driven around Los Angeles; Bug-eye Sprite; '70 Volvo 1800 E; '67 Volvo 1800S (grill removed to look a little like a Cobra-- good enough for a virtual experience) and a Ford Explorer with trailer hitch to tow the Cobra.

Now this thread should be back at the TOP!

[This message has been edited by Randy Klein (edited 06-29-1999).]

Now I'm 53, and don't believe this is a middle age crisis thing. It's more like delayed gratification sine I've wanted a Cobra this badly since I was 18!

[This message has been edited by Randy Klein (edited 01-23-2000).]

i'm 32 years old. I built my first cobra 5 years ago and second 2 years ago

i always like european styling and handling with american V8 engine like jensen, tiger, tvr, cobra etc.


[This message has been edited by Ozgur_Tan (edited 07-04-1999).]

It's been awhile so I thought I would drag this one out again.

Scott S

It was about 17 years ago when after being laid off from a steel mill I was painting cars at home trying to pay the bills. I painted a austin healey with a 350 chevy v8. I thought this car was it. After a little serching I found a Cobra and in my eyes it was the ultamate car. Now at 43 YO. I have a one. It should be on the road next month.



[This message has been edited by Dave Keller (edited 08-15-1999).]

Like many in Club Cobra I vividly remember
the first time I saw the real item. The year
was 1967 and this car crazed kid was riding
with his father in the family sedan.

We passed the Miami, Florida Deel Ford
dealership and there it was. Sitting in the
main showroom was a beautiful, blue, Shelby
Cobra. That car, and the dreams of owning
one never left.

Over the years I'd owned some nice cars.
A 1962 Corvette, A 1967 Camaro convertible,
and the usual stable of boring, day to day
transportation machines.

The harsh realities of economics, moving,
college, and job changes put a damper on the
dream, but the spark of hope refused to die.

Last year while sitting in an airport, I
leafed through a Classic Roadsters sales
brochure that had been left on a coffee
table. Within one week I was test driving one. Just as imagined....loud, powerful,
sexy, and mind bogglingly quick. The spark
had burst into flame once again.

The search began in earnest, so much to learn...read...study. Two months (and lots
of phone calls and e-mail later) I was the
proud owner of a Midstates.

Only a Cobra owner can really appreciate
the satisfaction that driving one of these
cars can bring to it's owner. The thrill
has not diminished with time. I still grin
like that car crazy kid every time I sit
in the cockpit, turn the key, and hear the
big block Ford roar to life. The noise, the
vibration, fact that you must DRIVE this
car every second...that is the Cobra experience. Nothing else even comes close.

If you're new to this forum, if you haven't made the decision to build or buy your car, let me encourage you to not put it off. It's everything you imagined it would be...and more.

My drivers license says that I'm 42 years
old. However, because I own a Cobra I'll
always remain a grinning, car crazy, kid.

Okay this is my first post on this forum. Only found Clubcobra because of reference to it by someone on the other forum.

I've always been interested in fast, gas-guzzling or otherwise speedy cars. In college I owned a '66 stang, then a '68GTO, '75 Vette and finally a Porsche in '80. Finally marriage and it was the Volvo era, ugh!! In highschool I wanted an Austin Healey but didn't have the money. Later I thought about a Cobra but again money and timing were a factor.

After pharmacy school I bought a huge store and life changed. No more cars, dreams or speed, just work.

A year ago I began having angina (chest pains) and decided I needed to see a cardiologist. He confirmed my suspicions, I needed by pass surgery. No way I said, I'm too young. Searched high and low and found a wonderful non-invasive cardiologist in San Diego and he confirmed I have a severe case of coronary artery disease but he could treat me with medication and surgery probably wouldn't be necessary. Said that without drug treatment a major heartattack was several WEEKS away. Suggested I get out from under the stress. Three months later I sold my store (am now semi-retired), bought FFR#1605 and in a week or so will have the body on. I would say that FFR#1605 has kept me away from the grim-reaper (no more stress) along with the prescribed beta blockers. My wife is happy 'cause I'm still here and seem to be in reasonably good health.

Life is good!

Mike

Oops-- I'm 55.... and going!!!

Mike,
Welcome to the club. You'll find that everyone here is helpful and very friendly.
I see from your post that you and I have something in common. We both started building our cars after being diagnosed with a serious medical condition.
Two years a ago I was told that I have a lung disease called Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficincy ( Aka Genetic Emphysema ). My lungs are pretty much toasted, I have about
38% lung function remaining. The good news is that medication is available that will slow but not stop the disease. The bad news is that is costs $2,000.00 per week
( no typo $100,000.00 a year ).
After hearing this news and that I would need a lung transplant sometime down the road I decided not put off the things I wanted to do. One of which is building a Cobra. I have been at it about a year and I'm planning to take two more to complete.
Building the car has been a wonder stress reducer for me.
Once again welcome to the Club and if you have any questions I'm sure that you will find someone here that has run across the same problem and will be able to provide you with an answer.
take care of yourself,
regards
roger