New rules announced to allow street rods to be fully registered

[sambo]

Many more hot rodders (with connections) than there are Cobra builders Rog!

[Donunder]

Originally Posted by sambo

Many more hot rodders (with connections) than there are Cobra builders Rog!

Which begs the question -- what are our cars exactly?

Replicas of the "real" Cobras of the sixties is the answer. And expanding on that, why are they then not considered by us and the authorities as our version of a hot rod? They're home or factory built specials in the shape of a Cobra. How does that differ from a home or factory built special in the shape of a 34 Ford?

I sometimes wonder if we're not being a bit precious and kidding ourselves about our cars. Sure, we love 'em, and sure they look fantastic, but are they simply our version of a hot rod? Heresy? I don't think so. Perhaps if we threw our lot in with the hot rod scene and adjusted our thinking a bit, we too might be able to access the build and approval process that seems to make life so much simpler for the hot rod guys.

I acknowledge the Shelby continuation cars have the right to be considered in a different light but how many of them are there in Australia? Perhaps we should realise that for the good of the Cobra "industry" in this country, and so that future Cobra replica builders will not be squeezed out or drowned in a sea of restrictive red tape in the years to come, it might be time to again revisit the idea of approaching the hot rod association and asking to throw our lot in with them. It's not a case of eating humble pie. It's a means by which our sons and grandsons will be able to build fabulous Cobras well into the future.