new guy from NY (upstate)

[blown871]

Ok: a pretty 'broad question 'but for the first time buyers... what is the thing that 'sold' you on your first Cobra? :
Price?
Manufacturer?
Re-sale (due to the manufactur?)
Motor? (wish you had a SCREAMING small block or love the originality of a 427 ?
--
Open to your thoughts.. as I take this path....in the upcoming months..

Thanks!!
B

[Jim Kellogg]

Some thoughts from my "first time buyer" experience back in 2001.

There wasn't much available in a prebuilt roller version back then. Some mfg built their own in house, but those pretty much built to order, except for Superformance which was available from a dealer's showroom floor or built to order (color/options).

I started my "due dilligence" back in 2000, and narrowed down to ERA or Superformance. Factory Five was in the running, but my calculations showed that it would cost close to the SPF and ERA after I figured in new components and the time to build, and there still was a big difference (no fender liners, rough fiberglass under the rolled edges, ect). I looked at and drove several cars from different manufacturers. For me, the SPF and ERA were in a class of their own back in 2000-01.

I went with Superformance, and have never regretted it. The resale is there (although I will probably never sell), the build quality is excellent, and I have driven mine more than most - over 80,000 miles in all 4 seasons including snowy upstate NY roads (with which you are familiar) on a daily basis for several winters. The owner's group - SCOF (and their many events they put on) is a huge plus for me. Check my gallery for some winter driving photos

I started with a Ford Motorsports 351/385hp crate motor, and am now running a Roush built upgrade of the same motor. I do love the sound of a SCREAMING small block, and my next motor will be more of the same. Lots of power is nice, but with huge HP numbers you can't get on it and stay on it for long on the street - if you want to keep your license. I will look for decent TQ numbers (450-500) and a working 8,000rpm redline for my next motor.

Look at the cars. Drive them - if possible drive a couple of cars from each mfg you are researching.

Everybody is looking for something a little different in their Cobra. You mission is to find out what works for you, and ultimately what YOU want!

Have fun :-)
Jim Kellogg

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by blown871

Ok: a pretty 'broad question 'but for the first time buyers... what is the thing that 'sold' you on your first Cobra? :
Price?
Manufacturer?
Re-sale (due to the manufactur?)
Motor? (wish you had a SCREAMING small block or love the originality of a 427 ?
--
Open to your thoughts.. as I take this path....in the upcoming months..

Thanks!!
B

What sold me on my first Cobra (a FFR MK I bought turn key) was a price that was too good to pass up vs what the car had to offer (beware these days of such a deal unless you know what you are looking at)

Forget about buying with resale in mind, treat the car as the toy it is, not an investment, no matter what a sales brochure or used car salesman tells you.

Motor, I've now owned everything from a bone stock 5.0L 225hp Cobra replica, supercharged 347 strokers, 351W/385HP crate engines, 428CJ's, 427 sideoilers, and even one 427 Tunnelport powered Cobra replica...To date, 24 Cobra replicas in all. SPF, ERA, Contemporary, FFR, AC MKIV, and Unique. Have helped buy, sell, trade another 60+, and this as strictly a amateur

With that said, and all kidding aside, again I'll state for the record, do not get caught up in the HP wars as a 200hp motor in one of these cars is enough to kill you. No matter what else you have owned, no matter how much HP they have been, they are not anything like a Cobra (real or replica).

What you as the potential owner needs to figure out is the following:

1: What is your intended use (IE: weekend cruiser, drag racer, road racer, show car, or ???)
2: Which body style do you want (not sure of the differences, you need to go to a larger Cobra event and look around)
3: Do you want a solid axle or IRS rear end?
4: You want something to tinker with or something that requires little to no maintenance.
5: See #1

That is about it in a nutshell. As for buying, a used Cobra, CLICK HERE and follow it to the letter.

Good hunting and if you have any other questions, just ask.

Yours in Fords,


Bill S.

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by blown871

Ok: a pretty 'broad question 'but for the first time buyers... what is the thing that 'sold' you on your first Cobra? :
Price? ...

B

Welcome onboard. You have picked a great car and a great place to learn and associate with others with similar likes.

The thing that sold me on a Cobra was a combination of the cars appearance, which I simply don't have the words to adequately describe, a ride in an original 427 SC in 1965 at the dealership, and a general belief that you wanted the largest motor in the smallest car you could fit it. The Cobra added the seductive ability to turn left and right to its impressive ability to go down the road in a straight line (most of the time).

Sadly, I couldn't afford that car (unbelievable looking back) and bought a new Plymouth Street Hemi. In retrospect it was probably the right choice because I don't think at 21 I would have survived the Cobra.

It took essentially 40 years to get my Cobra and although I would have loved to have had an original (for all kinds of good reasons) I think the replica was a far more practical choice - on any one of a number of different fronts.

You will get a lot of opinions about what might be best. Take the time to go out and find different manufacturers cars and get a ride in them. Drive them if possible. You will begin to find likes and dislikes your have for each. Pick the one that lights your fire with the least number of dislikes.

If ever there was a vehicle with a timeless vehicle design, the Cobra is certainly among the top of the top ten of all time. There will be people who will not even know what a Cobra is but will stand in admiration of yours when they first see it. When you feel bummed out, for whatever reason, there is absolutely nothing that can begin to compare to the attitude adjusting quality of a road trip with your Cobra - it just makes all things right again.

Take time to do your research (turns out it's a lot of fun too), be deliberate and in the end I'll be surprised if you can narrow it to less than two manufacturers that you really like. When you finally get to your short list, pricing may be the tipping point that allows you to choose.

Enjoy the ride and the journey you are about to begin. It will be among the best of your life.

Ed

p.s. Remember the big pulley goes on the bottom ...