New to the Cobra world? Have you always dreamed of having a Cobra? Read carefully.
 

edited 9/8/2007
If you are going to invest money in a Cobra, make sure you can handle the roughness of the car, research for years before stepping in and know everything about your choice. (even if you choose the best of the best) Don't blindly trust any name brand, see it, experience it and ask lots of question from owners, both present and past.

See what the completed cars of your choice actually sell for used and don't spent much more than that, even if you have no intention of ever selling. This will leave yourself room to get out, just in case something unforeseeable happens. You can always upgrade later, once you know Cobras are for you. You won't really know until you own one; as they are rough in a way that can't be described and must be experienced; and they require lots of TLC.

The Cobra was not for me and I learned numerous hard life lessons, but I still love the Cobra and always will. I just don't need to own one anymore. The day my car left, was a sad day, yet with relief.

I will be glad to answer any questions directly and share my experience with anyone. I am always glad to help.

Some of you were right and I did not, could not, would not see it before I owned one, that a Cobra is not for me.

Thank you all for your input.

I changed my post, because it was being misinterpreted much too often and causing much upset.

For those who have understood, thank you for the kind words.

I will no longer be reading any responses and this is my last post in ClubCobra. However, I will be available via email for any questions.

Thank you! And all the best! Farewell.

Rob

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Part 3
 

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This should be stickied so it stays where people can see it.

Sorry it worked out this way for you, but this is information people need to consider before they build or buy one of these cars. There is a reason that the last original 427 Cobras sat for a year or more before they sold, even then most people weren't willing to live with a car like this day to day.

Thanks for posting it,

Kevin

I believe if you performed better due diligence on the entire industry BEFORE you bought that first project, BEFORE you chose a horrible engine builder for your second project, and BEFORE you decided to go neck deep into a very realistic, all aluminum high-end build (which, by the way, ended up looking quite well), then your results would have been SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT and your expectations wouldn't have been squashed by the hard and cold ball peen hammer of reality right between the eyes.

Enjoy the simple cruises with your son and your new Corvette (they are very nice and fun, just not over-the-top like a Cobra) and hopefully you'll teach him the right way to go about planning for future projects so he doesn't make the same mistakes his Dad did.

-Dean

Totally agree.....
 

I think I agree with most of the observations you make about a Cobra, but by far the biggest problem is having to inject botox in my cheeks to wipe the smile off my face every time I get in it.:)

I got bad news, the corvette will lose 50 percent of its value in 2 years. Your business plan was severely flawed from the beginning, in fact, I do not believe I have ever come across more missteps in planning.

I really don't mean to sound cruel. I really don't. But, the phrase "more money than sense" comes to mind.

Sorry,

Dave -

Sorry about your misfortune! You got all the bad luck in that deal it seems.

Much of what you described for maintenance and trouble shooting is nothing
unexpected from an "old" car. I refer to my 1948 Ford truck in my posts because it has taught me oh too well in that end.

I enjoy the older cars with a passion and can't wait till I can begin working on my Cobra and enjoy it's old time feel. I currently can't drive my old truck right since I moved and left it with my parents etc., and currently drive a 2006 Toyota Matrix...it feels like a luxury car to me and I hate it! lol

My point is I think they are made for some people and not for others..you either have a knack for that sort of thing or you don't.

Hope you enjoy your new Corvette!!:)

David

???????? is this the first 3 cars u have ever built,ever here **** happens,i kinda thought that was the rule.After seeing James Yale,s car id put it up against a vet anyday for fit and finish!!!JUst dont cry a river over things that dont work out.Our car isnt perfect far from it,but we can be proud we didit ourselves and im not paying some shop 120 bucks an hour to work onit either.THe Busted knuckle wrench gang!!!hhhhoooooraaaa

I followed your for sale adds here and ebay. I saw the price drop and cringed myself. I have to say it made me nervous. I have been looking at different makes for sometime. I've visited FFR/ERA and looked over all I see at shows. The Kirkham cars have always been my favorite. I have never seen one in person but they are gorgeous in the images I've seen. I admire their attn to detail. I recently ordered one. I am on a bit of a payment schedule though. Your experience frightens me more than a little. I think you went overboard on your last build. The car was/is outstanding but alot of the expensive bling was not reall necessary. My car as ordered was $54,000 without the powertrain. I think that it better to start with a more modest build. The $5,000 Kirkham differential is around $4,000 more than a rebuilt Jag rear. These things can be eliminated b/c they won't have that much return value. As far as the driving experience I hope mine is more pleasurable then yours.
chris

My Experience Was the Exact Opposite
 

My experience having my Cobra built by ERA (100% built by Doug and the boys) and my FE being built by Danbury Competition was the exact opposite. The build went smoothly, the engine is exactly what I wanted, and the car is an absolute pleasure to drive -- even in stop and go traffic. From the financial side, both ERA and Danbury Competition were a dream to work with. Once we established a mutual trust relationship with one another, a handshake was all the agreement we ever needed. And looking back, I can't recall a single conflict. The key to building a successful Cobra is to surround yourself with the right people, and then listen to them and take their advice. Somewhere on the ERA website I'm quoted as saying "...having driven my car now for xxxx months, if I could go back and change something on it I wouldn't. The car is perfect in every way." I still stand by that comment.

First off, I have to say I'm sorry that you went through what you did. However I feel you brought some of it upon yourself.

In my case I researched the he!! out of these things before I bought it. I had a pretty good idea what I was getting into and that is what I wanted. I know the maintanence on this will be high, but that gives me a reason to go to the garage and tinker. It takes my mind off of a high stress job, that eats me up unless I have a toy to play with.

Hope you enjoy your Corvette as much as I'm enjoying my Cobra.

With all due respect, I think you had no idea what a high performance or race car is all about. Corvettes are great (I've had mine for 22 years), and you are better off with it. Your expectations of a Cobra were purely romantic. They are hot, noisy, rough riding and they rattle. They are very expensive and not intended for profitable resale. So what else is new? I also noted that you don't work on your own cars, which is not conducive to owning a Cobra. When and if one of my kids or my girlfriend were to tell me they don't like my car (Cobra) I will tell them they don't have to ride in it. I have it for me! I didn't build it for profit or resale. If, God forbid, something happens and I have to sell it, then that's tough sh_t for me.
This guy had some tough luck I'm sure, but to dump a Kirkham for a Corvette tells me he wanted the Corvette all along.

Sounds like - unfortunatly - you learned too many hard lessons all at once. Sorry it didn't work out for you.

But, you're absolutly correct about what a Cobra really is. Yes, it's the coolest car ever built. If watching one go by doesn't raise your pulse just a little bit, your serum testosterone level needs adjusting. Driving one at speed just makes you laugh out loud.

BUT - it's loud. It's smelly. It's hot. It's cold and wet. It can be a bumpy ride. There's no stereo, A/C, or power anything. It's a seat, a motor, 4 wheels, and that's about it. You can't just jump in and go. You'll be constantly messsing with it to get everything just right. You'll easily spend as much time under it as you do in it.

Above all - It's the perfect car for me.

And as Hal Copple has so elegantly stated, "A Cobra is about as crude as a medievel battle axe and attracts more attention than a dead body in a parking lot." :D

Amen, brother!

You hit it right on the head, pal. Yeah, my car is too loud, too cramped, too hot, too smelly, too rough, and too powerful. In other words, it's just right. Meets my expectations perfectly. :MECOOL:

Hey, us retired guys have stress too. It involves the stress of boredom. This is my fourth Cobra and keeps a dream alive. I love to go and look at the cars or at least I will when the carbon car gets back here. I will have an extremely accurate car for a lot less than an aluminum car but far better than a fiberglass car.
John

The gal that started this thread should ask her husband what he thinks, rather than asking her kid in a car seat.

I am sorry for your woes.

My, our, experiences, probably in large part as a result of differing expectations, have been very different. Yep, we had a few "issues" before delivery but nothing serious and in hind sight probably just normal snafu's. We have had very few problems since delivery.

I enjoy the very basic nature of a Cobra and it has lived up, or down, to my expectations. We have traveled up and down the east coast in it. Yep, Savanah was a tad warm in June and the Dragon was a bit brisk in November. Having made both trips in a "modern car" and in the Cobra.........for me there is no comparison. The Cobra trips were much much more involving and much more pleasing to me.
I think that it would be wise for anyone to carefully weigh the pros and cons of such a large expenditure. I also think it would be wise for a prospective purchaser to very carefully consider his, or her, expectations of the Cobra experience.
I wish you well with your new car and hope you have a much more pleasant experience.
Mike