Brand New - Looking to Buy

[MUSTAV]

Gday all
Currently i am a Mustang Mach1 owner, but looking to sell and buy a Cobra.
Just like to know few questions -
Being rather large - like 100kg and 185cm, how much room is there in the cockpit and leg room

Looking at a DRB at present - 302 - Auto with torana diff and steering is this the normal??

And is there anyone who can assist me in inspecting this and other vehicles - in Qld, and what do i look out for

Cheers
Scotty

[Mrs flatchat]

Grab it ! its a bargain --we have its sister (or brother) You'll look big in it but the fit is easy . The diff and brakes may need to be upgraded at some stage and that is a cheap fix. Good luck

[Aussie Mike]

I'm 105KG and 182CM tall and I fit just fine in my Classic Revival. I reckon they have probably got one of the roomiest cockpits of the 90" wheelbase cars. This is probably due to their smaller transmission tunnel.

Cheers

[T.L.]

Scotty,
I had the same issue, but I'm 115kg and 194cm. I have ordered a stretched Harrison, it has 4" extra in the body. I ended up going down this route after tryring on several, and found their cockpits to be uncomfortable, and that would translate to unbearable for anything longer that an hour drive.
I ended up looking through the top bar of the windscreen, and driving with the wheel stuck down on my legs, and just a crappy driving position.
I have not found one for sale, and decided to get one made to suit me.
Good luck.

[MUSTAV]

Thanks,
I guess in one respect i can loose a few extra kgs( which is on the cards) though cant do much about the height

I am going down today to have a sit in it, drive, etc, so i guess i will know today

Cheers

[LoBelly]

heh...puppies.

those extra kgs help you get through the corners a bit quicker at ShelbyFest (track runs clockwise)

LoBelly

[MUSTAV]

I drove my first Cobra, and very hard not to impress - ( looking at trading my Mustang 1970 Mach1) i actually fit in the car pretty easy, heaps of leg room, i think it would be more difficult if it was a manual, but quite comfortable driving an auto - love the power to weight, even if the 302 is a mild engine.

No power steering which i found weird, any other dont have PS

The Cobra i drove was a DRB, 1999 - does this mean they make there own chassis and how do they compare with other kit cars

Paint work is pretty good although there are a number of cobweb fractures in the f/glass I dont know as i have never owned a f/glass body, I wonder if they are repairable???

Brakes are not as responsive as the Mustangs, so i will investigate this more

Car has soft top but didnt view it, are they a hassle to put on, i know they look a bit so so, but better than being rained on i guess.

$50k, is this what they are worth, obviously there are lots dearer and few cheaper - 8000kms on clock

Any thoughts much appreciated

Scotty

[Tenrocca]

Scotty - I know little about the drb but there are probably more of them then any other make in OZ (??) and they seem to go pretty good at the nationals. They have an unusual shape though and not as pretty as most in my opinion. All cobras used to look the same to me before I saw a of different ones and became more aware of what looks right.

I would say more cobras do not have PS then those that do. A few guys who have changed to PS on the classic revival reckons it has made a huge improvement and CR now recommend using PS on their new chassis, which apparantly has more cabin space then the older model Im still building.

Im sure some others can chime in with more info.

Cheers

[richardferguson]

Originally Posted by LoBelly

heh...puppies.

those extra kgs help you get through the corners a bit quicker at ShelbyFest (track runs clockwise)

LoBelly

Can't argue the results, Michael.
You da man

[gjkrv8]

Hi Scotty,

I've got the latest 2008 Classic Revivial, and it's pretty roomy in the cabin.

I am a short a$$ so leg room wasnt going to be a problem, however I did find that the seats you use can make a big defference.

I borrowed some MX5 seats and found they put you further forward in the cabin as they have a fairly thick back. My current SAAS seats are a deep bucket and they bring you a lot further back. So for a tall person they would help a lot.

The new CR also has round tube chassis rather than square tube and this has enabled the floor to be lowered slightly. This does mean you have to be careful about underbody exhuast etc, but not too bad.

Hope this helps.

Rgds

Gregg

[Merv and Sharon]

Scotty,

I got an extended body Harrison. They are pretty popular too. I am the same height as you and with Warwick's seats I have tons of leg room. The floor is also low and I don't sit too high in the body which can be an issue with some Cobras.

Merv

[PCC]

Being a DRB owner I agree with others that they are not as authentic as other Replica's, but then again putting a Holden light weight donk is not either.

My own personal pros and cons concerning my car are..............

Pros:

- Plenty of leg room;
- Ride very smooth - helps that its got jag suspension;
- Looks the part, especially to the majority of people who have no idea the difference between a Harrison, Classic Revival etc etc;
- EVERYONE loves a Cobra


Cons

- Handling is average, but I'm comparing with an STI;
- Battery in passenger footwell, but it could be moved if I was a#$ed;
- Driving in rain is like driving on ice!
- QLD summers also restrict drives due to the HEAT.

What ever you choose if its second hand then first point of call (in my experience) is the wiring, then quality of finish.

The paint crazing you mentioned could likely be from the primer finish on fibreglass reacting to the top coat. Often happens as the car ages (especially when in teh QLD sun)

[BMK]

Mmmm all these 100KG Cobra owners - .. mid life spread...

[boxhead]

Hey Bernie, I resemble that remark.

[Mando]

Id be happy to resemble that remark!

Regards.