From slabside to Brock Coupe......

[Wild Card 289]

What a great forum this is!
Although I´ve owned (built and since restored twice) a 289 slabside for nearly thirty years now, it was my recent purchase of a Brock Coupe that led me to discover this amazing source of Cobra information and enthusiasm.

My name is Stephen, and I grew up near Cambridge, UK, but now live near Stuttgart, Germany.
Back in 1980, I was the fifth customer to buy a BRA Cobra, and the first get one registered. The car has taken me all over Europe, on many exciting journeys. apart from the hot laps round Brands Hatch, Silverstone and the Nurburgring, I have followed Stirling Moss in his famously fast 300SLR along much of the Mille Miglia route from Brescia to Rome and back (during the early years of the MM revival it was possible to mix in with the competition cars, particularly with powerful "classics" that the italian spectators loved to see being driven fast!).
The car has been reliable, fast and capable, although by todays standards it is by no means an accurate and faithfull replica. Back then, I did my best with what I had, and could afford, and loved every minute of it.

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading here in forum about new guys getting into their first Cobra (pre-owned or a kit) and enthusing about the fascinating experience these cars offer.

Here are a couple of shots of the car.

It is getting its third motor (a 300hp RPI Rover 4.6 liter) uprated suspension, and finally a set of FIA wheels that it should have got a long time ago!

Sorry about the motor (which started life as a Buick....oh dear!) but it is aluminium and weighs only about 300lbs.

To celebrate the start of my second half (50th birthday), I had the Brock Coupe SPC 0145 shipped in from Ohio. That car and it´s fuel injected 427 has made me feel like I´ve just discoverd Cobras all over again, and it is wonderful.
Keep the forum (and the Cobra enthusiasm) alive!

Stephen

[rustyBob]

welcome to CC Stephen.............your BRA Cobra is one fine looking ride

[1985 CCX]

Cool Slabside!

[somedayaurora]

Welcome , My first ride in a cobra was a Dax , british kits are great , I guess AC being british might be part of that eh. Love the BRA .
SDR
________
Health shop

[Got the Bug]

Welcome to CC and congratulations on the arrival of the Coupe!

[tkb289]

Originally Posted by Wild Card 289

...... The car has taken me all over Europe, on many exciting journeys. apart from the hot laps round Brands Hatch, Silverstone and the Nurburgring, I have followed Stirling Moss in his famously fast 300SLR along much of the Mille Miglia route from Brescia to Rome and back ......

Stephen

Welcome to Club Cobra ... you came to the right place!

Sounds like you have had some driving adventures that most of us could only dream about. I am getting close to getting my replica Cobra on the road, you have a 30 year head start on me!

It must have been quite an experience following Stirling Moss, bet you wish you had a movie/video camera on your car

Have fun with the Coupe, I would imagine it's a bit more comfortable in the rain than the Cobra.

- Tim

[Wild Card 289]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

The BRA has been modded and hotrodded in every possible way, over the years. It has been repainted four times and I know every nut and bolt on the car. Here´s a couple more shots. The pitlane shot is the Reims race track, on one of the 400 mile trips to the Le Mans 24 hour. the workshop floor shot shows the components that are my winter project.

There are some amazing Cobras (and GT40s) on this forum. It has been an eye opener just getting up to speed on what is around.

Keep it up!

Stephen

[Wild Card 289]

To round the story off, here´s a couple of shots of the Brock.
What a fabulous car it has turned out to be. It needed alot of sorting, but it really is a sensational drive. There are going to be some great long-distance adventures in that one!

Stephen

[somedayaurora]

Wow that is nice
SDR
________
Baha'i faith advice

[Wild Card 289]

Originally Posted by tkb289

Stephen


Sounds like you have had some driving adventures that most of us could only dream about. I am getting close to getting my replica Cobra on the road, you have a 30 year head start on me!

It must have been quite an experience following Stirling Moss, bet you wish you had a movie/video camera on your car


- Tim

Although there are some great roads, locations and events over here, there are so many places I would love to experience in the US, too. Whenever I was on some amazing stretch of US roadway, surrounded by mind blowing scenery, it was in a rental Mustang 6 cylinder or an SUV.....

I do have an edited videotape of one of our Mille Miglia trips (somewhere, on video8 tape - I don´t even have the camera anymore). We were a group of 9 cars - including an Autocraft MkIV, BRA 427, 64 E Type, Morgan +8 and a couple of 911´s.
The miles following Moss were spectacular.
Must dig that tape out and get it digitalised.
Thanks again for the warm welcome.