Fords Suck, Chevs Rule!

[Carroll DeWeese]

Whenn I said a "political quote" earlier, I was referring that it implied all cars were equally good. Yet the title was at the other extreem.

I work for GM and I think that we have great products and technology. At the recent 2003 Detroit AutoRama, the GM presence was really felt with all kinds of exhibits, performance parts, etc. whicle Ford and Chrysler were barely visible. The Chevy engines dominate with the custom car crowd compared to Ford. Even Shelby would have had a Chevrolet engine in the Cobra if GM had accepted his proposal. They did not and Ford did, the rest is Cobra history.

In the attempt for authentic replicas (an oximoron) Ford engines rule. The originals had Ford. However, in the quest for the spirit of the Cobra, a variety of engines and setups are welcome. Shelby was trying to get the most performance possible at the time with the technology available. I like seeing Corvette and Viper engines in the Cobra replica: the Corvette was the Cobra's nemesis and the Viper was an attempted Cobra on steroids. Keep the exterior in keeping with the original -- it is classic and priceless. Put modern technology under the hood. Combine the best of old and new. Stay within the spirit but experiment: the original Cobra was an experimental car.

The Cobra was near perfect in its day and it will be classic forever. Yet do not force it to be frozen in time. Let its spirit live. There is a place for using modern technology and differnet approaches to achieve the Cobra ideal. Some will succeed and some will fail. But room exists for the attempt.

Well, I am ready to get hammered from the purist.