Which Company makes "best" replica?

[Chaplin]

Thats right Pat, if it's a Shelby, it is a Real Cobra.

[ENTDOC]

I agree with that, but the thread has drifted towards them being categorized as such, so I lumped them in. Should be " best cobra available" to avoid confusion.

[Chaplin]

Well, if it is "best cobra available", then it can only be a CSX car since they are the only Real Cobras made. Everything else isn't a Cobra. Do some searches for posts by Real1, and you will see what I mean

[ENTDOC]

Originally Posted by PatBuckley

Good answer, Chuck - I agree with the ranking but I do not think that the Shelby cars are replica's.

Evan, did you read any past my response? Pat beat you to that comment several pages ago. If you will read further you will find my reasoning for including them in the list.

[xlr8or]

Originally Posted by ENTDOC

Evan, did you read any past my response? Pat beat you to that comment several pages ago. If you will read further you will find my reasoning for including them in the list.

Chuck that is beyond reasonable to expect him to read through the thread for any details when he sees a chance to jump on the REAL argument.

[CSX 4039]

Originally Posted by ENTDOC

OK, I will bite.

1. Csx 4000 aluminum car

2.Kirkham

3. CSX fiberglass car

4. ERA

5. SPF

6. Unique

7. FFR (if new body style is available)

8. the above are "money not in the equation" picks

An older CSX is hard to beat. They've got all the original brand OEM stuff, body and frame made in America, before it became too expensive and was placed as expensive options...

[Power Surge]

Originally Posted by CSX 4039

Hey, nice license plate

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

ERA is a car engineered in the 1980's, and thus in my opinion is a better car than a Shelby or Kirkham, which use the old style round tube ladder type frame (high flex) and are as close to the original as possible. It all depends on what you want. Close to real...Shelby (name brand) or Kirkham. Real looks but modern engineering...ERA. High volume factory (assembly-line) build...SPF. All the others fall somewhere in between, but are not necessarily less of a Cobra. It may well depend on the person who builds each individual car.
Everyone has an opinion and they mostly differ from one another. I'm sure the Shelby guys and Kirkham guys will not agree, but that's what this forum is for. Whatever your choice, it will be the right choice for you.

[ENTDOC]

using that logic, the FFR was engineered in the nineties and thus superior to the ERA. I am glad someone finally figured out how best to judge these things.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by ENTDOC

using that logic, the FFR was engineered in the nineties and thus superior to the ERA. I am glad someone finally figured out how best to judge these things.

That's not what he meant (and you know that). What he was trying to say is that if the Shelby name is not important to you, and an aluminum body is not important to you, ERA is the best engineered and built Cobra -- period (assuming the boys in New Britian did the building, that is). The argument definately has merit, but that's not what this thread is all about.

[Mattnshilp]

What is the difference cosmetically between an ERA and an FFR/BDR?

I can certainly understand that engineering (on the inside) makes a HUGE difference in price and quality. But shouldn't they all look pretty much the same?

My goal is to enjoy a "Cobra" style replica that I can drive down the street and feel like I am driving a little bit of Americana. If the front fender flare comes out 10 degrees instead of the real Cobra's 12 degrees, that doesn't bother me. I guess that's why I want to know what the difference is cosmetically. I need to know if the difference is enough to justify (in my case) the added expense.

And, how about safety? Are they all about the same in that regards? Will an ETA handle a crash better then an FFR?

Thanks again!

-Matt

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Originally Posted by Mattnshilp

What is the difference cosmetically between an ERA and an FFR/BDR?

I can certainly understand that engineering (on the inside) makes a HUGE difference in price and quality. But shouldn't they all look pretty much the same?

My goal is to enjoy a "Cobra" style replica that I can drive down the street and feel like I am driving a little bit of Americana. If the front fender flare comes out 10 degrees instead of the real Cobra's 12 degrees, that doesn't bother me. I guess that's why I want to know what the difference is cosmetically. I need to know if the difference is enough to justify (in my case) the added expense.

And, how about safety? Are they all about the same in that regards? Will an ETA handle a crash better then an FFR?

Thanks again!

-Matt

Visit the ERA website yourself. They have a page that compares several Cobra profiles.

[JWheaton]

Originally Posted by Mattnshilp

What is the difference cosmetically between an ERA and an FFR/BDR?

I can certainly understand that engineering (on the inside) makes a HUGE difference in price and quality. But shouldn't they all look pretty much the same?

My goal is to enjoy a "Cobra" style replica that I can drive down the street and feel like I am driving a little bit of Americana. If the front fender flare comes out 10 degrees instead of the real Cobra's 12 degrees, that doesn't bother me. I guess that's why I want to know what the difference is cosmetically. I need to know if the difference is enough to justify (in my case) the added expense.

And, how about safety? Are they all about the same in that regards? Will an ETA handle a crash better then an FFR?

Thanks again!

-Matt

Matt,

First stop ETA, it is ERA.

The average onlooker will either have no clue to what you are driving but think it is cool or loud or both, or they will know that it is a Cobra (and think it is cool or loud or both).

The differences in cars go beyond 10 or 12 degrees.
Here is a link from ERA that compares Superformance and ERA
http://www.erareplicas.com/427/spf.htm

You can see some of the visual differences in this link. Although even in this comparison some of the camera angles and shading make a difference.
http://www.erareplicas.com/427/profiles/index.htm


The safety difference is this, your ability as a driver. Any Cobra that get t-boned will create issues for the driver or passenger. Overall, however most hold up well. There are plenty of pictures of wrecked Cobras that will give an indication of what happens in the passenger area.

Before purchasing my car I talked to at least 10 people who had owned 2 or more brands of Cobra with one of those brands being an ERA what their thoughts were. I can only recall 1 of those people having difficulty with choosing the ERA product. I would suggest that you find people who have owned or have extensive experience with 2 or more brands. Those people can provide you real differences.

Sounds like you have time to do the research. Good luck and enjoy.

My choice was ERA. I was up at the ERA factory prior to making my decision and met a guy who I thought was picking up his new car. Turned out his car was about 17 years old. I ended up purchasing mine already built. My car is now 14 years old (from end of build) and has no problems other than me as a mechanic. I have no regrets and will probably place an order for a street version 427 within the next year.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

I visit ERA almost weekly (I'm treated like family) and I see the many updates used in their design and construction every time I'm there. They constantly update their car. Within the last year alone they have more refinements than most builders/constructors have in a lifetime of Cobra building. I'm not taking anything away from the others, just stating my own opinion and observations.

[Jamo]

Hell, I would take my old Butler in a head-on smash contest with anything else anyone is talking about here. Nothing has ever been built stronger.

Anybody building an above-ground pool could do a fair job of making a typical replica out of glass.

...and then there is pure, unadulturated classic metal beauty and advanced engineering that has never relied on a junkyard for it's parts list. Kirkham.

Sorry...every other make requires an explanation, including a Shelby (requires a treatise actually). You only need to look at a Kirkham to know the truth.

[ICBomber90]

[quote=Jamo;847376]...and then there is pure, unadulturated classic metal beauty and advanced engineering that has never relied on a junkyard for it's parts list. Kirkham.
[quote]

Must be great to have $80k+, best replica is the one you can afford because at the end of the day someone has to pay the bill....

By the way I love EVERY junkyard part in my Cobra because without them no Cobra for me!!!

[RodKnock]

Ernie, we all have our own equilibrium when it comes to the original versus modern scale. I tend to want something that has near original appearance, but if something can be improved for safety, durability and/or strength, then I'm personally all for it. I mentioned two "improvements" from Kirkham that I didn't like, but I'm sure there are many others who don't care about those two items. The latest gauges were an improvement (accurate electric) that I thought appeared close enough to the originals, but now I have a very small digital readout for the odo and fuel level. The black leather steering wheel? Not a chance.

While I'm sure the Kirkhams are attempting to meet the demands of their customers, I'm also sure that there's a profit motive as well and there's nothing wrong with that.

Now I believe I'm off course, since the person who started the thread never mentioned the Kirkham as a possible choice.

[Jamo]

I cannot lie...it does give me a woody.

But anybody that knows me and has read my stuff here knows damn well I appreciate them all. I drove a Butler made in 1981 during the late 90s through 2002, competed and won several autocross championships in it, drove it across Death Valley and beyond with mi amigos and replaced parts that broke from rebuilt or new parts from various car mfgs...and I swear the woody I got from it was every bit as big as the one I get now.

[xracerbob]

I ordered mine at the end of March. In 2007. It is just now going back to ERA from the painter. However, I ordered mine at the worst possible time when the backlog was pretty heavy. Mine was started in late September. The paint has been done for a while now, there just wasn't room at ERA. But from everything I've seen along the way, it should be worth it.

[bret a ewing]

Contemporary did the same thing with their S/C model. Virtually identical from the outside, much different on the inside.
Speaking of structural strength, any of you guys with jack pads ever actually use them or are they just cosmetic?