Yet another new Guy
 

Hi,
I've been scanning around here for a bit and decided to jump into the fray. I recently joined another Cobra forum and quickly found out that if your not one of them then your pretty much a loner. I'm planning on building a Cobra in the fairly near future (I hope). With there being so many manufacturers out there, it's going to be tough to decide which one to go with. With one of the larger companies I've heard countless stories about problems with back orders.

My first choice is to go with a company where I can actually go and check out their facility without spending a fortune on air fare and motels. Does anybody have any recommendations of a mfg. within say 1000 miles of central Ca.? I'm not totally against another mfg. but I'd rather spend my $$ on the build than shipping and airfare.

Thanks,
John

John,

First off, if you have a particular manufacturer in mind (ERA, FFR, SPF, Kirkham, Hurricane, Unique, etc), let us know....Do not get stuck on "having to visit the manufacturer" as there are some truly east coast based companies that you will miss out on.......Instead, ask here, we encompass all makes and models here without fail. If there are issues with a particular brand, this forums members will tell you about it.....


Finally, welcome to the madness.....Once you are bit, you are hooked for life :cool:

Yours in Fords,

Bill S.

Thanks for the welcome! I'm considering a Pacific Roadster but know nothing about them. They were a primary consideration because of their West Coast location. I posted up on another forum nearly identical to this one and got quite a few emails and PM's from builders warning me away from the brand that supported the forum. I haven't ruled anybody out. I'm not informed enough about any mfg to say one is good or bad. It's a lot of info to sort out. I was able to take a ride in a Factory Five machine and I have to say that it was awesome. Beautifully built. Fantastic! He also said he had about 60k in the build.

I'm wanting to build a daily driver, nice but not extreme. I'm torn between a 4.6 and the 5.0. I know old school and am lost in computer stuff but I still am leaning on a 4.6 or 4.6 DOHC. So many decisions ,,,,, so little time.

John

Some the best on the east coast
 

redmt John Some of the best companies are on the east coast. The best thing you can do is make a list of what you want to do. This is first then follow the list
What type and style of cobra??? SC, FIA, Are you a large person? Leg room?
What do you want to spend on it for money?? What ever number you come up with add 20-25% more for total cost. Taxes, insurance,State registration.
Motor cost are the biggest thing. Small block, big block, DOHC,SOHC, or SOHC CAMMER.
Body type Aluminum, Carbon fiber, or fiberglass?
Light weight car like a spec racer from FFR or Backdraft. Or heavier car Like ERA, Uniques,Contempory, and others.
IMO the most important thing is the engineering of the car. Fit and finish is nice but strength and safety come first.
Donor drivetrain needed for the car.
How much of the car are you going to do? mechanical background??
There are some nice used cars for sale that will save you alot of time and waiting to build. The down side is not knowing what condition the internals of the drivetrain are in.
John CC members are here to help. You are looking or asking for alot of info. The best bet would be to go to the west coast kit car show (Knottsberry) and see all the different companies and take alot of pictures and compare notes on each.
I will tell you the adventure is a hell of a trip. This is one of the ONLY things I know where no matter how unset you are, 10 minutes in a cobra and the problem don't matter and you end up with a silly smile you can't get off your face for hours.:) The wife will never under stand.:eek::rolleyes:;):).
Last note, remember you get what you pay for. Cutting corners show up when the project is done.:o Rick L.
If you are buying a car for a investment, you are lucky to beat even at best.

I think part of my problem is going to be that I don't know what's out there and what's available. I know what I want, maybe. I want a reliable daily driver type. I don't need monster HP. I want a relatively simple build , nothing exotic. I saw one BEAUTIFUL machine where over 1000 hours was put into the electrical alone. Fantastic hidden job. I'm basically an electrical idiot. I'm a very good mechanic on the old school stuff. I can make anything "go". Strong knowledge of Ford engines(old school) manual gear boxes and running gear. Strong background in common sense mechanics.
I think I would like the newer style 4.6 DOHC strictly from an appearance angle. They look cool but it's back to the electrical/computer thing. What's greater looking though than a 302 with Webers? I don't have the knowledge base in these cars to make an informed decision. I'm right at 6' and 225, so while not real tall, I'm no midget either. I'm going to be 59 next time around so a little comfort like heat and air and probably a soft top will be in order also. I sort of know what I want , just not how to get it all together. Too bad the next Knotts Berry show isn't until next year. I'd like to be well into my build by then.
I really would like some recommendations for manufacturers, and why. I've been warned off one of the big ones by several dis-satisfied customers, all gripes were centered around missing parts and little to no customer service after the sale. I don't want to deal with that sort of problem from 4000 miles away.

John

It's been said a hundred times on this forum, "cheaper to buy than to build in today's Cobra market."

Drive today and change things in the winter.

But if you want to build then take make a list of the things you want in your Cobra. Search the companies and narrow down the list, then go visit.

The best thing is asking the guys on this forum.

Welcome to the madness.
Dwight

I just bought used in March. If I had decided to build, I would never finish. If I did finish, I would be spending more time and money fixing everything I didn't do right. There is a lot of electrical and wire stuff in these cars - you better love every aspect of building. I bought a Cobra located on the east coast and had it shipped to Washington State. I think I saved maybe $10k by buying it on the east coast. There are a lot more Cobras for sale back east than out west and the price shows it. In today's market, you are paying your hourly wage to build. Yes, for every hour you work on building your own Cobra, you are paying out of your own pocket to parts suppliers. Plus it was fun to fly around to buy a Cobra. Good luck!

redmt,

First and foremost, welcome !!!

If you want to get an overview of different Cobras in one place, take a look on Cobra Country ...

http://www.cobracountry.com/home2.html

To buy or build is an interesting question ... but as the guys said above, go to some shows and take a look around ... I doubt you will find (2) Cobras exactly alike.

These cars can be had with a top and a heater, don't know of too many that have A/C, but I am sure it's been done.

Best of luck with your quest :)

Here comes the blood bath again
 

redmt John Every guy here thinks he has one of the best cobras. I"M NOT going to get into which company's make the best cobra. The question is what kind of money you have and what you can afford??
You asked about a west coast company because of wanting to be able to get in touch with the manufacturer if there is a problem. I think this narrowed down the list.
Motor wise, the new stuff is nice, DOHC & SOHC mod motors. The problem is fitting them into a cobra and having room to work on them. You have knowledge about the old stuff, A last 60's early 70's motor like a 302 or 351 stroker work be a good fit for what you want. You also have the ability to wrench on it. Car with FI system, you need alot more knowledge if you have a problem to repair. The KISS method is the better method to use.
A/C, Power steering, Hard top, or Soft tops are all very easy to have dome on the car. Vintage Company makes complete AC system that will bolt on any car with a little work. Radios and speakers bolt behind the seat.
I don't know how flexable you are but, %/ Getting into a cobra with either a hard top or soft top and hot side pipes requires some REAL LIMBER joints.:eek::rolleyes:
Have you thought about exhaust system, under car or side pipes?? Here's another issue to address. Ear plugs are needed on drives if the car has a radical motor.
Sounds like you are going though your second child hood.%/:rolleyes:;) If you want to talk about this off the net, send a P-M and I will return to call you. Rick L.

Check out my build site. I walk through the steps I went through to pick a kit. While you're there you can get a good look at a Lone Star.

http://www.pflanzer-aviation.com/RedVenomCobra

B&b
 

Hi John Bryan here from B&B mfg please take a little time and look at our cars at www.bandbroadster.com over 30 years in the business I can get you names of customers In CA for you to talk to and go look at their car we build everything in house so I can offer you a complete kit for about 14,000 or I can build you a turnkey minus this is painted wired, interior installed everything done just add your engine and trans, tires and wheels for 25,000 Or I will build you a complete ready to go 302 5 speed car original style wheels all done 35,000 if you have any questions please feel free to call at 417 472-3547

redmt....first off set a budget and stick as close to that budget as you can ( the little stuff adds up the fastest ).....if you are going to use it for daily transportation then consider keeping your project AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE..a mild small block and 5 speed will scare the water out of most anybody you take for a ride...a mild big block (FE) will do even better.....do your home work and ask a lot of questions.....and theres nothing like being able to say "I built it in my garage"....

Great site!! Thanks

Bryan, I put in a couple calls to you today. Left 1 message. Nobody home?

Regarding wiring: ERA has a wiring harness that they make in-house for the kit. It is just like a factory harness--everything just plugs in! The harness covering is even wrapped in opposite directions after a branch point. NO stringing wires, cutting, crimping, finding space for a giant "universal" fuse box--just a simple, direct, well-thought-out approach with no problems and with fantastic attention to detail, just like the rest of the car.

Welcome to the madness. I'm new also. I knew that if I did a build it would consume me so I chose to buy. What is better, or best is opinion. Make your self happy. Set a price range, compare your build vs. buy? What is your time worth? The satisfaction?
My car is not the color combo that I thought I wanted. The motor was ok but tame. The price was right. I could change to engine when the time came, but the car was in almost perfect shape. The price was right.
You can spend as much or as little as you want (you'll spend more) but as all of the guys have said it all goes away or get better when you strap yourself in,fire it up and go for a drive.
GOOD LUCK!

redmt, I started seriuosly looking for a Cobra about 4 years ago when I was about your age. I finally bought one for my 63rd birthday......it's absolutely fun and I kick myself sometime for waiting. Oh by the way, I changed my mind several times before I bought, but the itch always came back! That said, just make sure it's a feel want. There's a lot of cars out there for sell, many from guys who thought they wanted one. Several have said buy it instead of build and I totally agree. The market as you can see on CobraCountry sure looks like a buyer's market with some really nice cars available. As I have said in other posts on this subject, this site is probably your best internet source of information as you complete you search. Hopefully there are guys locally who I'm sure will share their knowledge. Between those 2 approachs my search turned out very well! Yours should as well!!

Good luck.........just use your old school knowledge and common sense to tell if it's the right one! Oh, forget the A/C and top, you'll see why when you get one!!

Cutting Edge is right here in the central valley.
www.cuttingedgereplicas.com

I have had quite a few cobras and have driven many more. Some are awesome some you should steer clear of. Do a search for Hurricane and look through the build thread.

I would also be happy to talk to you about your decision. You can send me a note through the forum. It is important to be clear about what you are looking for. As Rick said, everyone thinks their car is good, especially the manufacturers, assembly shops and salesmen. Do your research and reach out to some of the members here on the forum. Some of us have been down the same road more than once!

Last but not least, welcome to the madness!:JEKYLHYDE

I went and saw another brand this morning. This is getting easier! It was fairly easy to rule this one out. Welds on the frame were NFG and after 45 hours in a body shop , it still looked like I would expect it to come from the factory. Maybe I expect too much!?! That's 2 down and how many to go? While the size was larger than stock, I think it may have lost a little something in the morph.

I looked at the Hurricane online and it seems to be an interesting kit. I'd like to see one in person. One thing for sure is that I'm gathering a LOT of information. I'm not too sure I can remember it all or put what I do remember to good use , but I'm being educated none the less. Rick Lake filled in a lot for me in a call last night. Thanks again Rick.

Next week I hope to get up North again and see a Shell Valley and a Street Beast. The quest continues,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

John