My search has begun....
 

I have been a car nut most of my life and typically have a toy or three in the garage. I am down to one toy and have an empty spot in the garage that I need to fill. I have lusted for a Cobra for years and feel now is the time!

I won't be the first time poster that asks what is the best replica. Enough have done that and I have looked at most of your posts/recommendations. I narrowed down my search to five, then three and now two. My goal is to find a finished car for a great price but if I can't find one in roughly six months, then buy a new one.

My top choice is a BDR, followed by Unique. If I come across an ERA or Superformance, they were three and four and could go that route. The big draw to these is the IRS. If I buy new, it will be the BDR.

I saw the BDR that James Yale has in his shop right now and talked to James about the different "kits". He helped confirm my decision.

For now I am just starting on my journey so I will have more questions than worthwhile contributions but I guess everyone has to start somewhere. Thanks in advance for any help along the way.

What IRS issue that you mentioned is unique and/or superior here, might I ask.

Cobra Country is your best resource I think. BTW, I've had a BDR for the last 4 years. They're a good, mid-range replica (not kit) which hold resale quite well.

I want a car with IRS as their primary design. Most of my cars have been European so I like/want the IRS as opposed to a solid axle. I like the Jag setup on a couple of those but I am also very partial to the BDR BMW setup since I own and have owned BMW's and am a big fan of their stuff.

At the end of the day it comes down to the Ford/Chevy argument, right? We all have our preferences, one may not really be better than the other but for some reason we like one more than the other.

Congratulations on finally deciding to get your Cobra. And get one that you like and not what everyone else likes. As for worrying about resale, very few will ever make any money off one of these cars. Looking at what others do and like is good and will give you some good ideas about the positives and negatives of some things, but when it comes to the bottom line you are getting the car for you and not all of us. The ones you are looking at are very good and I think you will be happy when you make your final decision. And ask all of the questions you may have about them. Are you going to use the car for a cruiser or track? These kind of things will need to be decided as it is easier to set it up before buying that trying to change everything after.

Good luck and once again congratulations.

Ron :)

Superformance Cobras have IRS. Always have.

SunDude, I knew that Superformance and ERA also have IRS. The are further down on the list because they have been harder to find and/or more expensive.

This will be a cruiser as opposed to a racer.

Do you want an S/C style Cobra with stripes and side exhaust or an original style Street Cobra? Since BDR is the top of your list, I'm going to assume you want an S/C, which are certainly easier to find.

I went back and forth on this awhile and have flipped 180 degrees through the years. Having a few Porsches and others, I stayed away from the bling but what the heck. I have settled on the S/C in blue with the stripes and side pipes.

Perhaps coming out and telling us your budget would be better than saying you want one over another, when we are not even sure what you can afford, or whether you want something that just looks like a Cobra, or something that LOOKS like a Cobra. A BDR body takes quite a few liberties, stretches, and such over say a ERA, SPF, new MKIV FFR, or Contemporary body.


Bill S.

Hey GT11, I'm not too far from you in the greater Houston area and am in damn near the same boat! Alas, I've been a member of this board since the 20th century and still, still don't have my Cobra. Soon...

The Houston Cobra Club is a pretty active group of guys. I've met many of the members at car meets and club get togethers and they're great. I suggest you get your hands on some cars. There are ERA, BDRs, FFRs, SPFs, in abundance in town.

DrivinWest, that is a great idea and will look up that group. I actually have put my hands on several cars including FFR, BDR, SPR, EM just to name a few but playing with a few more is always fun.

MrMustang, my budget is dynamic and dependent on the car I find. If I buy used, my range is $25K - $40K and if it is over $40K, then I will buy new and that budget is up to $60K -$65K. On used cars, I always look for under priced so I at least break even when I sell. When I buy new, I know I sacrifice the savings to get exactly what I want.

When I started looking for my next toy, I narrowed down my choices to the following:

Cobra Replica
Jaguar E type Series II Convertible
C1 Corvette
246 GTS Ferrari Dino

The 246 Market has heated up and they are a little over priced now (maybe on the next down turn it will be time to buy). I am not much of a Vette fan but love that C1 body style. That market has also heated up and that car is in the $50K+ range and I am not a big enough Vette fan to spend $50K - $70K on that car. That leaves the E-Type (now you know why I like the Replica's with the Jag IRS) and the Cobra. I have owned 4 British cars and 2 British motorcycles and know they can be a booger to keep running. The Jag is $40K - $70K. The Cobra gives me a really good looking car that has some performance behind it (better than anything I mentioned above) and reliability. For now, the Cobra leads the pack but I may bail on you guys if I find a solid E-Type. I am heading to the Mecum Auction on Friday to bid on both a BDR and an E-Type. The E-Type is a Series III so I would have to get it cheap to make it worth it for me.

Wow, that's a huge budget range. The 246's are $400,000 +/- and have actually cooled down recently. The past 2-3 years they've run up.

I started thinking about my next toy when I sold my Boxster and so that list was made in 2008. Car prices crashed in 2008/2009 and the 246 was more affordable than it is now. Of course, like everyone else, when the economy gets bad we stop spending money on toys and I missed the window for the 246. I then got my MBA in 2008 - 2010 and started doing some PE/Venture deals immediately after that. I have finally started slowing down enough to think about a car again (a little fib since I bought a new Jeep Wrangler last year for a toy, currently my only car toy).

Outside of the Dino, everything else is pretty close to the same price. I will come out cheaper with a used Cobra Replica and if I can swing a great deal on a nice used Cobra Replica, I will have enough room left to buy the other replica that I want, which is the Beck Porsche 550 Spyder.

Probably way more info than you guys wanted but it will help you understand my thought process and what I am trying to accomplish. I just hope oil prices stabilize because I may get cold feet again.

Nice used Cobra prices have also risen sharply since 2008... E-Type Jags have jumped a BUNCH! Just helped sell this one a couple months ago:
1961 E-Type Jaguar

That is SWEET!

Yes, all prices have jumped and they will probably crash the day after I buy!

Have a driver class 69 XKE ragtop coming up for sale soon, neighbor of a relative in Punta Gorda, thinking $62K as it will need a new top and some general detailing. What did you end up getting for the stunning 61?

48-55K will buy you a well sorted (used) ERA or Superformance.

Not knocking the BDR, but there is a reason why they are bought high and sold in a very short time.


My advice is to raise your used budget, find a local group of owners, and ask to see actual cars side by side for comparison.

Bill S.

I think your used target on a Backdraft in the $25k - $40k range is really 2008 numbers as well? I have not seen any cars in the low 40k range that were clean or near current build spec. So that's a challenge.

If you are set on a Backdraft and your price target on new is $65k, then you should get to James Yale and make it a reality before that range is out as costs continue to rise.

I don't mind a little older car but I think I can land a 2008 or later below $40K. I found a 2008 that I can get in that range. Half the fun of this is looking at cars and finding a bargain. I know some guys hate the buying and selling process but I am a deal junkie, whether it is cars, boats or businesses.

If I take my time, I will find a deal. I am on my 6th Jeep Wrangler and that is another vehicle that is tough from a bargain standpoint. I couldn't find a used one for the price I wanted so I bit the bullet and bought a new one.

The same thing will happen with the Cobra. I will find a deal under $40K and if I can't, I will either get a new one or buy a Jag. With oil prices where they are, things are tight in Texas...bargains will start popping up here and there.