Looking to buy my first Cobra 427 S/C in Oz

[Beejay]

Originally Posted by CobraAddict

Thanks for the great comments. Yeah I can imagine now after looking at some 360 pics that what you say makes sense. These were certainly not million dollar cars in their day rather very average built hoon cars bordering on our kit cars of today with very little quality in them. So they would have certainly been bastardised in their day. Nowadays those bastardised cars have become classics and any early mods they had are now considered 'original' and no one dare strip one back to its basic factory release format.
Still was interesting how S/C's have not shown this trend. They are all very true to the 'supposed' standard. I guess they were all basically track cars and so no fancy trim was considered a benefit hence no S/Cs with roadster bumpers or ashtrays or chrome pipes

I am assuming that your comment above referred to the kit cars of old. The kits available these days are very well engineered and are light years ahead of the originals. Having said that I am sure all of us would have a 60's car if we could afford it!

The Superformance is a great car too and may be your best bet.

Cheers,
Ben

[CobraAddict]

Originally Posted by Beejay

I am assuming that your comment above referred to the kit cars of old. The kits available these days are very well engineered and are light years ahead of the originals. Having said that I am sure all of us would have a 60's car if we could afford it!

The Superformance is a great car too and may be your best bet.

Cheers,
Ben

Yes indeed I was referring to the originals. Cars of today are a whole different ball game. I have been perusing a Kirkham manual (more like a book with 301 pages) with a detailed pictorial chronology of the building of one of those amazing things. My god the engineering involved is outstanding
Not to forget our own Absolute Pace here in Oz.
One would have to ask as they still Cobra's or a next gen Cobra decendent !


At this stage I'm still looking at Superformance as it ticks almost all of my boxes taking into account what I am looking, bang for your buck and that I am in Oz! But boy does that Kirkham look good....... It adds boxes to my list that I didnt know I wanted.

[Dominik]

Depending on the registration and licensing issues, would you consider building your own from authentic components, like chassis, body and parts?

That's what I do here in South Africa.

390 stroked to 427, 4-speed Toploader, Salisbury differential, knock-off wheels

The original frame accepts the MGB steering rack, which you can get in LHD or RHD.

[CobraAddict]

Originally Posted by Dominik

Depending on the registration and licensing issues, would you consider building your own from authentic components, like chassis, body and parts?

That's what I do here in South Africa.

390 stroked to 427, 4-speed Toploader, Salisbury differential, knock-off wheels

The original frame accepts the MGB steering rack, which you can get in LHD or RHD.

I am certainly open to all options. As much as I would love to do that (and no doubt save money), and I have the ability, however unfortunately not the space or gear to be mounting motors and transmissions into chasis.

What bodies do you use. I guess Superformance given they are made locally to you ! At this stage I am also trying to avoid a stroker and get a BB 427 however that is also open to suggestion.

[Dominik]

I took a mould of the only Contemporary which was in SA. Quite authentic, except for the drawn down front fenders to clear the XK-E suspension with wheels. Actually, SPF used that same car for their very first Cobras.

Supply is bad though even if it is my own mould, for a few reasons.

And would advise you to buy an original chassis from the former Hi-Tech owner in USA (NOT Superformance, which is also called hi-tek).

I look him up if you want to got that route.

Fitting a motor shouldn't be a concern. Buy or rent a cherry picker :-)

[CobraAddict]

Originally Posted by Dominik

I took a mould of the only Contemporary which was in SA. Quite authentic, except for the drawn down front fenders to clear the XK-E suspension with wheels. Actually, SPF used that same car for their very first Cobras.

Supply is bad though even if it is my own mould, for a few reasons.

And would advise you to buy an original chassis from the former Hi-Tech owner in USA (NOT Superformance, which is also called hi-tek).

I look him up if you want to got that route.

Fitting a motor shouldn't be a concern. Buy or rent a cherry picker :-)

If you do have the details of the ex Hi-Tech owner I would be happy to contact him. As I menyioned I am investigating all options as so that when I do eventually make a decision it will be as informed as possible !

Why do you recomend his chassis over SP? If he is the ex-owner I would imagine they would be the same or very similar !?

[Dominik]

I PM'd him in the other forum. His Name is Tom.

A bit of history:
Tom ran a company called Hi-Tech in the early 90, building original chassis in the US.

Hi-Tec (spelling?) Automotive in South Africa, at a first glance, has nothing to do with Tom.
They build SPF since the mid 90s and Shelby since 2006(?). You can't buy parts from them, only complete rollers.

Tom still builds the odd chassis in the US and he does a much better job than I do in SA.
Basically, you get what you pay for :-)

And, if someone here can help me out, Bruce also builds original chassis in the US. And there is a third one, also in the US. I check for that source.

I sent you a PM with my mail address because historically, since a handful of years, I battle to log in here. You find more under the Scratchbuilders forum where we discussed chassis builds.

To recap, I have a chassis here in Cape Town based on the Cobra Restorers drawings, I have the mould from the Contemporary. My chassis is ready to the point to take a fibre body, but I compromised a bit on originality.

I am also completing a LHD based on the same chassis.