Real vs. Replica, Classic Motorsports Magazine Sept issue

[tkb289]

Just read the Replica vs. Real comparison, interesting reading. Based on the motor horsepower ratings alone, it's not surprising the Replica was faster. I think the gist of the article was, with 40 years of technology, a 'modern' equivalent of an old school car will likely be faster and perhaps 'safer' and easier to drive. But ... not necessarily 'better' that the original ... same but different if that makes sense.

To Doug's query about a Car and Driver article on Listers (have not found the article just yet) ... I went looking through my back issues and came upon another interesting Cobra comparison not mentioned in this thread, but probably well known to Kirkham enthusiasts in CC.

The article is 'Cobra vs. Copy' (Car and Driver, June 1998) by Patrick Bedard. They compare a Kirkham 427 S/C with the Kirkham family's Shelby CSX3104 ( powered by ... " a pure racing tunnel-port 427 in place of the original" ). The overall performance numbers were close, but more interesting were the comments. In essence, the conclusion was that the 'Copy' did a good job in matching the original in a wide range of categories. More importantly however, it captured a lot the the character and feel of the original. I think it's the raw look and feel of the original cars that makes them so special in the first place. It's the same raw look and feel from replica cars, that make them so appealing to own and experience, at a fraction of the cost of an original.

- Tim B.