New guy about to buy kit....questions.
 

Hello everyone, new guy here. I am thinking about buying a ac cobra kit car that is advertised in my local classfieds. I have always been facinated by ac cobras and have been wanting to build one but hasnt been in my budget until I recently found this one. It is a glass shell with no doors or hood and a steel chassis set up for mustang II suspension. I can probably get both for under a $1000, which seems very reasonable.

My only concerns are that the seller says there is no markings of any sort on the chassis or body and he purchased the chassis and body seperatly, used 20+ years ago so they are probably not the same mfg. Is this something to be concerned with? will doors and hood from other mfg fit? Please give me any input on this project. could it turn into a headache? or is it a very good deal?

Thanks for any help

Robert

Robert,

If the car is not complete (at the very least body), I would walk away from it. Without knowing a manufacturer, there is no way to tell if parts from another car could be made to fit what you have on your hands. Do you have pictures you can post? That would help you help us attempt to figure out what it is you are looking at. Same goes for a location of where you are as perhaps there is a local Clubcobra member who can go look at it with you and offer his/her guidance.

Personally, sounds like a project that may never make it to the road, why else would the owner be selling it so inexpensively.

Sincerely,

Bill S.

There are a ton of issues here. First, I think you need to do some self evaultion and really understand what you may be in for. This may be a good deal in the hands of the right person or a nightmare for someone that does not know how complicated it can become or may not have the varied skills it may take to finish the car. It looks like you would have to do some design and fabrication, some fiberglass work, and so on. Have you done this type of thing before? Do you know how to weld? A lot of guys that can take just the parts you have described and make it into a reasonable car have been doing this type of thing for years. Also consider, a lot of those old frames and bodies may not have been build very well. If you can tell by looking at it if it's a good designed frame and the body is good then that's a start. If on the other hand you don't know, then this may be more dificult than you think, and this may be your learning experience.

Good luck.
Wayne

Thanks for the replies, yes I can weld, I have built a few cars. Did a frame off on a 1970 olds 442, currently building a 1969 landcruiser fj40 sping over conversion, 350/sm465/205 100" wheelbase on 37" tires, I have 4 linked a few trucks, z'd frames, channeled bodys. Most of my experience comes from rockcrawlers or air ride suspension setups on trucks. I have owned a few mustangs with basic bolt ons and perform my own basic mechanic work. I feel confident with plastic body fillers and performing metal body work ( dent removal, rust repair, shaving door handles etc.) Fiberglass wise i have a decent amount of experience with jet skis, boats, fiberglass bumper repair.
Along with my experience I have a good friend that has years of experience building hot rods that is always wanting to help on my projects. He works for a local hot rod shop and is currently building quite a few projects for himself, he has a 57 chevy with a lt1 0n a art morrison chassis, a 1936 ford pickup with a built flathead, 97 tacoma with a custom chassis supra powered with a 6spd and a narrowed 9", a 29 model a ext. cab pickup made from a 29 sedan and pickup powered by a sbc 400 with 4 delorto carbs with a 42" roof. I help him out and he helps me out, So I am not too worried about the experience needed to complete it more so if it is a good deal or not, and if other panels are usually interchangable.

I appreciate the replies and I am waiting on pictures from the owner and as soon as i receive them i will post.

Thank you

Robert

Robert,

Is it really for sale for $1,000? One of the biggest issues that you'd have to face, would be registering the car after it's completed. In nearly all cases, you would need to produce an MSO from the manufacturer to register the car. If the seller doesn't know what he has and/or the car has never been registered, it may be impossible to register it.

thank you for the reply, registration is something i was concerned with as well, it could deffinetly turn into a major issue. The seller told me $1200 cash over the phone, so i feel pretty confident it could be gotten for $1000.

thanks

robert

Robert,
Here in Ca, registration is a very big issue. This could be one of those cheap bodys that Cicuit City used to have to show off sterio systems. If it is, you do not want it. You will probably never be able to register it.

Good luck.

Check out the built thread; "owner built on a budget" by HRAY. He had all the parts necessary. You sound like you have all the skills that you will need but sometimes the wierdest things can bite you in the butt.