New Cobra afficionado from California

[1SwtRide]

Originally Posted by Buzz

Except for the extreme variants, most of the general public won't spot the differences, but knowledgeable car (and Cobra) enthusiasts will. Many people who choose the more "interpreted" brands - like Backdraft for example - love them for what they are and don't care as much about originality.

A great example can be seen in this thread where an owner documents his custom build of a pretty spectacular and formidable Coyote-powered Backdraft: Let me introduce BDR 1591 aka VMS Mayhem


Don't rush - take your time to decide where your heart lies in the broad spectrum of Cobra enthusiasm and if you even decide you still want one, then your decision will be that much more satisfying in the end.

All the best and keep us posted.

Exceedingly well thought out post. I'm Mayhem's owner. While I'm somewhat mechanically inclined, I knew when starting my journey that I'd want to work with a shop that is semi-local (3 hours in my case) so I had the ability to get the car to and from the shop (Vintage Motorsports) if I needed things fixed/tweaked or wanted to have more modifications done down the road.

I have great respect for the builders/manufacturers who stay true to the original Cobra's dimensions, engines, etc. At the same time, however, I knew I wanted a build that would stretch what I think could be accomplished with the original set up. Funny thing, I didn't choose a Backdraft Racing Cobra; rather, I chose Vintage Motorsports for the types and quality of builds they do. VMS's platform of choice just happens to be BDR.

This brings me full circle - if you have a shop within a reasonable geographic distance of your home, I suggest going there to see what make of Cobra replica they use/build, and ask questions. At a minimum, you'll get information to help guide your final choice and meet other gear heads.

Feel free to PM with any questions. Best of luck on your fun adventure!