Yes... It's for sale
 

A couple of you have noticed that my car is listed on Ebay, and yesterday at the Penske Museum Cars and Coffee, it was one of the topics of conversation.

Yes - I've decided to list it and see if there is someone out there who wants it.

and NO - I'm not going "Cobra-less". It's just that this car has never been what I truly wanted. I've wanted a 289 style car since day one. This car kind of just fell out of the sky and into my lap, because the guy that put me in touch with the seller knew that I could successfully bring this car out of its 10-year hibernation and get it back out onto the road, where it belongs.

And I have - It's been a VERY fun year getting all the bugs worked out of this car, and making the improvements that have turned it into a far better car than it was, and having a fun, reliable, weekend play-toy. I've loved every one of the almost 4000 miles I've put on it.

But it's still not the FIA car that I want. %/

So, I've put it on the market at what I think is a fair price (a price that you could never build an equivalent car for) and see if I can find it a new home....

...and then I'm going to go out and buy the Cobra that I want (or I'll build it, if I can't find the right deal on a finished FIA).

But, as long as this one's in my garage, I'm going to keep putting miles on it, and I'm going to keep doing road trips with this group, and I'm going to keep on enjoying it...

Wish me luck.

Good Luck..

What he said

AZ Bob

What they said

Good luck with the sale of the Cobra. It looks great.

eBay listing: Shelby Cobra Replica Soft Top | eBay

Hey Robert I know a guy named Pete that might be interested, where can I see it?

Hey Pete -

I'm in Gilbert just south of the Santan mall - a short drive from Ahwatukee on the 202

I'll send you a PM with my address and phone number. If you don't get the PM, then let me know your email address and I'll email the info to you...

What would Pete do with two cobras, a viper, and a girl friend?

Answer: Anything he wants..

Well... It looks like my car might still be available when Pete Miller gets back from his vacation this week...

30 watchers on Ebay, but no active offers (one guy made me an offer that I verbally accepted; but immediately after I accepted, he disappeared - no deposit, stopped answering his phone, stopped replying to my emails and Ebay messages, total dick-move :mad: )

I've also had at least 5 other "VERY INTERESTED IN YOUR CAR" type guys who loved the car ("If I built a Cobra, it would look exactly like yours!") - But again - *poof* - They eventually disappear...

A few have also been in the "I love your car, but it doesn't have enough horsepower" category.

I suppose they don't realize that you could bolt nearly 100 more HP onto this car for 2 grand, in one weekend, just doing aluminum heads, intake, throttle body and fuel injector swap (you wouldn't even have to change the cam), followed by another dyno tune...

They also don't realize that once the tires break loose, it doesn't really matter whether you have 300HP, or 3000... This "weak" 300 horse small block incinerates the rear tires just as easily as any big-block would... :cool:

(Hmmm- maybe I should run out to the airpark, and post a quick burnout video to youtube... :cool:)

This morning I sat down and priced out exactly how much it would cost to build a car equivalent to this one, using the least expensive Factory Five base kit:

Factory Five Roadster base kit: $13,000.00
Kit transportation (best case) $1,200.00
Running/driving 5.0 Mustang Donor car from Craigslist (best case): $3,500.00
Professional bodywork and 2 stage paint/clear, wet sanding, and final polishing (best case) $5,000.00
Mustang clutch kit $150.00
Mustang 8.8 rear disc brake conversion $400.00
Mustang 8.8- 5 lug rear axles $400.00
Mustang 8.8 rear posi differential $200.00
Mustang 8.8 rear-3.73 gear set $180.00
Professional differential rebuild(5 hours labor) $350.00
Mustang front hub 5 lug conversion $200.00
5 lug Rocket Racing Sunburst wheels $1,200.00
Cooper cobra tires (295/50 rears, and 235/60 fronts) $650.00
Dry cell Battery and cables $180.00
Front end alignment $100.00
Fluids, filters, tuneup parts, etc $500.00
Arizona- title and registration $60.00

Basic Build Parts and service total (best case): $27,270.00

Additional/optional stuff that comes with my car:

Basic Mustang engine rebuild, plus perfomance cam) $2,000.00
SCT perfomance tuning chip $250.00
Professional Dyno tune $400.00
Factory Five Convertible soft top kit $3,400.00
Factory Five Tonneau $500.00

Depreciation for 5000 miles (.28 per mile) $(1,400.00)

Absolute best case cost breakdown to build a Factory Five equivalent to Moore_rb's car, in your garage, from a kit: $32,420.00


If I end up having to list it on Ebay again, I think I'm going to post this price sheet in the ad description, so people can see that my asking price is fair and reasonable...

I mean, who wouldn't pay a few hundred extra bucks to get their car NOW, instead of busting their knuckles for a year, and paying the exact same amount (or very likely MORE)...????

right? :confused:

All your calculations and efforts are good, BUT.....You need the guy who loves the color! Then, BAM! Sold!

AZ Bob

Agree- the color is probably reducing my potential market somewhat -

Green and yellow have both always been "love it or hate it" color choices for cars....

Hang in there Robert, I am sure the right buyer will come along. Your car is in excellent condition and has a lot of nice features. I have had the same experience on e-bay with non-serious buyers, although not with cars. Do you have it listed elsewhere?

Nice Cobra replica. Whomever acquires the car from you will be getting a great deal on a car that has many extras and has been restored and debugged to a reliable driver.

I sincerely hope you do acquire the next Cobra of your dreams. You are an asset to the Phoenix Cobra Club and we do not want to lose you.

Phil

Looking for a Cobra?
 

Thanks Bob!

Excellent resources - I've got my car out on several of those places, but I will definitely spend some more time spreading my ad around... :)

I'd like to list it on CobraCountry, but first I have to get the right sun conditions necessary to take a set of Photos that will pass Curt's very stringent photography guidelines :)

Too bad we have so little sunshine here in gloomy AZ.

I too am partial to the 289 cars...,

Annnnd.... it's gone. :):):)

Well, not completely gone yet. But it is on its way out of here. The deal has been struck, and the arrangements are underway...

Now if you'll all excuse me, I've got some phone calls to make, and some scrambling to do, or I might not have a ride in time for this Years Coronado Trail run... %/

Atta boy, Robert. Where's it going?

Plenty of time before Oct.2nd.