Another problem, and we all know it, is that the term "kit car" leaves a bad taste in one's mouth and conjures up visions of the dune buggies we made out of barely-functional VWs. It's very easy to turn up a nose and snidely remark "Oh, it's a kit car?" A lot of us would like to avoid that (CSX owners and non-owners alike).

I totally agree. I NEVER refer to any Cobra as a kit car, even if technically it is.

I see your point Bill, AC was a manufacturer of cars, had been for many years/decades. How they got the job done might be compared to Honda's being built in Tennesse, or where ever, with parts from Japan and all over the world. Point is, when the car is done, it's a wholly manufactured car called a Honda legal in all aspects of the market where it is sold.

As opposed to the continuation Shelby's, which are in every sense of the word a component vehicle, assembled by the buyer or his agent. It is significant that the buyer assumes the liability for licensing and registration of said vehicle at his own risk because the car was not made by a recognized vehicle 'manufacturer', like Honda, or AC/Shelby was back in the day.

A corporation owns the 'Shelby' BRAND NAME and will continue to make "Shelby's" after Carroll has gone horizontal. Maybe they will continue to be a great product in the future, maybe... Just like Saleen's continue to modify Mustangs, but Mr. Saleen himself is no longer with the company. Saleen's are trading on the BRAND NAME, maybe there a great company still, maybe. Schwinn builds mopeds in China. The Chinese are trading on the BRAND NAME, those mopeds sell for considerably more money than the SAME PRODUCT with a different name. And I mean IDENTICAL product(s) in every sense of the word and in many cases superior to a Schwinn in fit, finish, engine assembly and overall quality. But that BRAND NAME sell's.

Shelby continuation Cobras, for the most part, are a quality product and will likely continue to be for many many years to come. Maybe... Kirkhams are also a quality product, with a respected brand name, but it doesn't carry the weight of a Shelby brand name. That could change, in time, SAI is doing a remarkable job of tarnishing the brand name, will the product follow suit? Suit, hmmm, now there's an interesting term... :LOL:

Just for what it is worth we will insure these as an "original" vehicle as long as they have a 17 digit VIN on them, which in most cases they do. Does this mean they are really original, not really, but from an insurance standpoint you do get a better rate.

Robbin
Midwest Classic Insurance
www.cobrareplicainsurance.com
1-888-271-4000

My 77 Jeep CJ7 had 9 digit VIN # and it was an original AMC Jeep.

My insurance company at the time wanted more #. None to give.
The excepted the VIN # when I went to the Jeep and read it of the plate and title that I had in my hands.
I guess you just have to add a bunch of zero in fromnt of the #.

Robbin,
Can you clarify some of your post?
"When we will insure these..." What cars are you referencing? Any new component car?
"Insure these as an original vehicle as long as they have a 17 digit VIN on them..." Originals do not have 17 digits nor do new component CSX cars?

You get a better rate because you used 'incorrect' terminology on the policy?

Vehicle ID numbers today have 17 digits. The number changed to 17 I believe in 1980 prior to that there were 13 for quite a few years prior, I think the number 13 started in early 60's but may not have been used by everyone. Prior to that they were low and did not have a lot of information tied to them as they do today.

Robbin
Midwest Classic Insurance
www.cobrareplicainsurance.com
1-888-271-4000

I corrected the post to say "we will insure". Production cars produced after 1981 (I think that is the correct year) have 17 digits in the VIN. If the car has 17 digits then we consider it original. We insure original cars as original no matter what year they are from. Early production vehicles will not have 17 digits and we know that. Kits or Replicas also will not have 17 digits so they are not rated as originals.

There is no "incorrect" terminology used to lower a rate.

Robbin
Midwest Classic Insurance
www.cobrareplicainsurance.com
1-888-271-4000

I think what Robbin means by "original" car, is that they will insure the car as if it was a production car, and not a home built deal. I don't think he means original as in they'll insure it as a 60s Cobra :).

This doesn't make sense. What does 17 digits have to do with anything.

If you have a Focus the insurance company can find all the info on the car.
If you have a component car with 17 digits in the VIN # the insurance can find no info on the car.
so you are telling us that they only look at the the 17 digits and don't check the VIN# for ABS, Side inpact bars and air bags for a better rate?

That doesn't appear to be what he is saying Sal. A "production" car today is defined as having a 17 digit VIN. Component cars do not have 17 digits.

"Kits or Replicas also will not have 17 digits so they are not rated as originals."

Yeah, that's his point. I think he's saying that as long as your component/kit car has a 17 digit VIN (which means it was state issued), they will insure it as a production car, and not a specialty built vehicle.

In other words, if you come to him with your VIN being ERA999, it's getting insured as a home built car. If the DMV issued that same car a 17 digit VIN, he'll insure it as a production vehicle.

Sal, Is your VIN something other than CSX4241? :confused:

Not me, I'm just a bat boy.

Tony,

I was told by the underwriter they would insure a car that has 17 digits as a production vehicle and it would get a better rate than the normal replica/kit does. We do not look at air bags and such when rating collectible vehicles, although that trend is also changing. These are collectible vehicles not daily drivers. Daily drivers rates are triggered a lot more by the vehicle and componets it is equipped with.

Robbin

Nope, that's my VIN. My car is titled as a 1965 Shelby. That's how I got it and that's how I plan to keep it.

Believe me, I'd change it if I could. It should say 1966!! :LOL:

Sal is correct when I use the word "original" I am thinking of it as a non-modified, non-replica, non-kit type vehicle. I will let you all fight it out if CSX are or are not original vehicles. I just know we insure them as, here I go again, a production, let's try that, vehicle if the VIN is 17 digits. Do I agree with the Company, not really, but that is what they are willing to do.

You would be surprised at how many times I get an email from someone with a Cobra replica that tells me it is a stock vehicle and no modifications. I guess the parts on it are stock but they came off the 1995 Ford Mustang.

Let's face it there are a lot of Cobra replica/kits out there sporting a 1965-67 year on the title but the kit was just delivered to the house about a year or less ago. As far as that goes there are a lot of 1932 Ford Coupes out there made of fiberglass, did not even know they built a fiberglass car in '32. And it goes on and on from there.

Hey I have to pack for London, got to go.

Robbin
Midwest Classic Insurance
www.cobrareplicainsurance.com

PS Guess this is why I drive a Gremlin :)

Sal, Not picking on you but, you're saying you're paying more for insurance because the car wasn't issued a 17 digit VIN by the state while other cars just like yours have 17 digit state VIN's and thus can pay less for inusurance.

I know you're going to say that it's titled as a '65, but the VIN CSX4241 never existed in 1965. It didn't exist until what 2002 or so?

Didn't CS try something like that some years ago? :3DSMILE:

Now, what did you say the name of the guy on second is?