Cobra Owner Wannabe

[ACHiPo]

Originally Posted by Pelledan

testing.

This posting worked, but a successive posting did not appear and I received the same message as I did before that the post has to be reviewed before it will appear on the thread. I returned to this post which initially only said "testing" and was able to edit it and add what I am writing now. Evidently quick back-to-back posts are first reviewed? This is the fist time I've been able to post in 3 days and now I will have to wait to post again? Can anyone direct me to the administrator of this forum where I can find out what I'm doing wrong or to what's happening?

Thanks, Dan

Well Dan, you may have missed participating, but there's been a lot of lively banter without you!

Welcome to the fray!

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Pelledan

This is the fist time I've been able to post in 3 days and now I will have to wait to post again? Can anyone direct me to the administrator of this forum where I can find out what I'm doing wrong or to what's happening?

In order to post again on this thread, you must now pass an FE-related competency quiz. Please start a new thread and accurately detail the exact oil gallery plug positions on a hydraulic FE block. If you do that, you will again be permitted to post on this thread. Sorry, but them's the rules.

[ront49]

Been checking these cars out for several months and have a question concerning the interior room. Are they all basically the same dimensions? I hear of big guys driving them without any difficulty but the ones I tried don't offer much in the line of interior space. I've ruled out the 427 engines...too much money....I lean towards the Clevelands or Windsors. Maybe a 302, just don't want to get a used up Mustang engine. Any help would be appreciated.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by ront49

Been checking these cars out for several months and have a question concerning the interior room. Are they all basically the same dimensions? I hear of big guys driving them without any difficulty but the ones I tried don't offer much in the line of interior space. I've ruled out the 427 engines...too much money....I lean towards the Clevelands or Windsors. Maybe a 302, just don't want to get a used up Mustang engine. Any help would be appreciated.

Interiors are tight and usually offset. Pedal spacing is also close so driving shoes or small feet are in order.

[hotrodyankee]

Well I just had to chime in. I am a retired certified mechanic and a great metal fabricator/ Tig welder. I built all kind of cars from drag cars to street rods, as my hobby. Always wanted to have a cobra, so last fall I bought a B&B that was built in 2001. It needed some TLC that I have been doing since I bought it. Its a great car now and I enjoy driving it. At 5'7", the car fits me well. Its scary fast with a Dart Iron eagle sportsman block based 351, AFR 205 heads, and Eagle rotating assy. 525HP, 520 torque, to mention a few engine parts. There are some good used cobras out there, so take your time and find the right one like I did. With buying a used one, as all used cars go, they will need some work/ maintenance . Good luck! PS I LOVE MY COBRA!

[Pelledan]

Hopefully I’ll once again be able to post. I don’t know what is limiting me and I have not heard back from this website administrators. There have been a number of responses and I do appreciate each one. There have been responses that alluded that I may be better off with a Camaro or a Corvette rather than a Cobra. Cobra’s are in a class by themselves and therein lies a portion of their appeal to me. There is nothing else like them on the road where Camaro’s and Corvette’s are plentiful and in comparison, they are simply just another automobile. Granted a mass-produced product is embellished with every comfort feature known to man where the Cobra’s creature features are at best utilitarian and austere. It’s not a practical mode of transportation for every day travel, but neither is a motorcycle as it too has its use limitations. In our younger years the wife and I logged over 100K miles on two wheels before we gave up the sport 5 years ago. Some of you refer to Cobra ownership as a hobby and that leads me to believe that a good amount of your time is spent working on it rather than enjoying driving it. I don’t know the reasoning for that, but I hope to avoid the need to wrench on it. Should it require some out of the ordinary maintenance or repair I would enlist the skills of a duly qualified mechanic who is familiar with this type of vehicle. In reading this entire thread I would probably be best off buying a new Superformance but a new one is beyond my financial comfort zone. I will need to continue to look for as late a build year as possible (and affordable) whose color and engine choice is to my liking. I have sat in a Superformance and I fit well, so personal fitment is of no concern. I have both time and the patients required to find what I’m looking for and now that I am aware of what needs to be sorted out, I’ll know what to look for should one come to my attention.
Thanks, Dan

[Cashburn]

Originally Posted by Pelledan

Hopefully I’ll once again be able to post. I don’t know what is limiting me and I have not heard back from this website administrators. There have been a number of responses and I do appreciate each one. There have been responses that alluded that I may be better off with a Camaro or a Corvette rather than a Cobra. Cobra’s are in a class by themselves and therein lies a portion of their appeal to me. There is nothing else like them on the road where Camaro’s and Corvette’s are plentiful and in comparison, they are simply just another automobile. Granted a mass-produced product is embellished with every comfort feature known to man where the Cobra’s creature features are at best utilitarian and austere. It’s not a practical mode of transportation for every day travel, but neither is a motorcycle as it too has its use limitations. In our younger years the wife and I logged over 100K miles on two wheels before we gave up the sport 5 years ago. Some of you refer to Cobra ownership as a hobby and that leads me to believe that a good amount of your time is spent working on it rather than enjoying driving it. I don’t know the reasoning for that, but I hope to avoid the need to wrench on it. Should it require some out of the ordinary maintenance or repair I would enlist the skills of a duly qualified mechanic who is familiar with this type of vehicle. In reading this entire thread I would probably be best off buying a new Superformance but a new one is beyond my financial comfort zone. I will need to continue to look for as late a build year as possible (and affordable) whose color and engine choice is to my liking. I have sat in a Superformance and I fit well, so personal fitment is of no concern. I have both time and the patients required to find what I’m looking for and now that I am aware of what needs to be sorted out, I’ll know what to look for should one come to my attention.
Thanks, Dan

Depending on your budget a new Backdraft might be an option?

[patrickt]

I see that ERA #532 is for sale on cobra country. Beautiful car with a very nice FE under the hood. It looks to be built in 2001, and while it does not have the newest mods (those started with #731), it would be a wonderful car to own and you would certainly enjoy it. It's likely nicely sorted out now and would probably require minimal maintenance. The price is reasonable at $80k.

[Pelledan]

Thank you for your suggestions of available Cobras. I'm still in a quandary regarding which way is best for me choose a manufacturer. Many companies will and have supplied kits for the owner to assemble and I see that some owners pass that kit along to a builder that assembles the car. This concerns me as that process is rife for problems, literally down the road. How many cars does this builder assemble in a year? This question is pertinent to all like builders of these cars. Do they do 5, 10, 20 in a year? Plus there are many of these companies throughout the country that do this. Due to the very low volume, I see this as a process where the final product could have many issues. Superformance builds the rolling chassis complete. To me that means the same employees build the same rolling assemblies in a given year. Unless their employment office is a revolving door, I would think that the finished product was assembled by a group of individuals well experienced in the process. To me that translates to a far lower potential of issues at the retail level. Is there such a thing a quality control is Cobra builds, or are they just assembled and out the door they go?

Thanks again, Dan

[patrickt]

An absolutely complete 100% turnkey from one of the major names will have less issues than a car assembled by anyone else, generally speaking. A roller from one of those companies, with the drive train dropped in by one of the well-known assemblers, will have less issues as well. A turnkey, or a well-assembled roller, owned by a Cobra fanatic, with about 5000 miles or so on it, and who must now let her go because of financial or health reasons, will have the fewest issues of all. That said, if you're going to drop 50, 75, or a hundred grand on one of these toys, you should pay to have the car professionally checked out. There are crooks in this hobby, and if you get duped in to buying a flood car, or one with a "beautiful" FE that needs a rebuild, you're going to be angry. It won't be the end of the world, but it will put a pall on your purchase.

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by patrickt

An absolutely complete 100% turnkey from one of the major names will have less issues than a car assembled by anyone else, generally speaking. A roller from one of those companies, with the drive train dropped in by one of the well-known assemblers, will have less issues as well. A turnkey, or a well-assembled roller, owned by a Cobra fanatic, with about 5000 miles or so on it, and who must now let her go because of financial or health reasons, will have the fewest issues of all. That said, if you're going to drop 50, 75, or a hundred grand on one of these toys, you should pay to have the car professionally checked out. There are crooks in this hobby, and if you get duped in to buying a flood car, or one with a "beautiful" FE that needs a rebuild, you're going to be angry. It won't be the end of the world, but it will put a pall on your purchase.

What he says.

Buying a roller will give you huge piece of mind. Many self-built cars are wonderful cars, but finding one and verifying that it is soundly built and won't cost you an arm and leg to make it work make a roller with a professionally installed drivetrain worth alot.

The same applies to buying a new roller and getting the power train installed. I've never met a Cobra owner that didn't have some "sorting out" time, and if you're not patient and close to your builder/installer or a tinkerer yourself it can be a trying experience. 5K miles might be on the high side from an experienced installer, but there will be some downtime. That's why a used already done car with a good pre-purchase inspection is worth it.

[Dominik]

I would buy one from a dealer you can trust (...) or a workshop that you know.

For specifications (In the last 30 years I drove about 50 Cobra Replicas, one original, and owned a dozen): A mild cam, big cube motor (as mentioned before) with rear exhaust is what I consider next. And moving to the mountains outside La Canada to have fun with it.

A 680 hp, lumpy idle 496 cui was nice, but I found myself more often driving my lady's 911 automatic convertible than the Cobra.

Plan to work a bit on it yourself. You don't want downtime just because a water hose popped.
Or the headers came loose.

[Pelledan]

Once again I appreciate everyone's input. This forum is amazing in many respects. The thought of buying new gives me the best warm and fuzzy feelings but in reality I'd rather buy used as that would best fit my finances. However as pointed out, used poses concerns. How was it driven? How was it maintained? Who did the repairs? Does the current owner have all documentation for repairs and maintenance since new? Some people are fastidious about maintaining this level of documentation while others are not. It would be the latter I would worry about since that would lead me to believe that something is intentionally being obscured rather then just a case of sloppy records keeping. You bring up good points about being within hailing distance of the dealer and power train installer. I live 35 miles S/W of Chicago and the Superformance dealer I am closest too is in Ohio about 300 miles from me. Whether I buy new (fairly unlikely) or used, any repairs beyond my abilities would require a field trip to their location unless I find a reputable establishment nearer to me. As far as engines go, I'd be happy with a mild cam 402 (Roush). A monster cam in a monster displacement engine is not appealing as I really wouldn't enjoy being stopped in traffic idling in a car that feels like it's still moving along a washboard road.
One more question to those in the know. I see many used Superformance Cobras that are titled as 1965's but their advertisements give no indication of their actual build year. Is there any way that the build year can be gleaned from their serial number?
Thanks again,
Dan

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Pelledan

I live 35 miles S/W of Chicago

...

Is there any way that the build year can be gleaned from their serial number?

Spring is just around the corner. Go out and meet some of the folks in the WCCC Windy City Cobra Club - Club Cobra There might be a nice Cobra available in your area that you don't know about. And, don't be afraid to post a WTB and specify that you only want cars that meet a certain criteria and that have documented care. Just don't buy a car sight-unseen, or without having driven it (I'm pretty sure you wouldn't). If it's an out-of-state car, there's usually somebody on this board that can recommend a mechanic in that area that knows how to look over one of these cars. BUT, you've still got to put your ass on a plane and fly out there and sit in it, drive it, smell it, and taste it. There's just no substitute for that. And, yes, I'm sure if you just post the serial number of an SPF around here people can tell you more about it, even without ever seeing it, than you might think. ERA and KMS cars are easy, you just write Bob P. or Tom K. and ask them about that particular car.

[Cobalt289]

Originally Posted by Pelledan

How was it driven? How was it maintained? Who did the repairs? Does the current owner have all documentation for repairs and maintenance since new? Some people are fastidious about maintaining this level of documentation while others are not.

Pelledan - you answered your own question. Just find one that was driven nicely, and maintained well, by a meticulous, fastidious owner who has kept all documentation for repairs and maintenance.

[66gtk]

Patrick mentions test driving - I would warn you that driving these cars isn't easy to the uninitiated. For that reason, many selling owners (including myself) would likely NOT allow a test drive to most interested parties. A ride along is perfectly expected, though. I'd also accept a full purchase price "deposit" to allow a test drive, but if you break it, you buy it (:

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by 66gtk

Patrick mentions test driving - I would warn you that driving these cars isn't easy to the uninitiated. For that reason, many selling owners (including myself) would likely NOT allow a test drive to most interested parties. A ride along is perfectly expected, though. I'd also accept a full purchase price "deposit" to allow a test drive, but if you break it, you buy it (:

That's a good point. Clear that up before you fly out. But, I would think most owners would say, "OK, if you're flying in, then I guess you're serious. Since you've never driven one of these cars before, we'll drive together to the empty stadium parking lot and you can drive it around there."

EDIT -- "... and in the meantime, I'll wire an ignition kill button to a deadman switch that I'll hold in my hand while I'm in the passenger seat."

[Pelledan]

Man, you guys are right on the money! As far as answering my own question, I guess I need to look for an owner who is similar to me. A daunting task for sure, but there may be a few out there like me. Finding one who is ready to separate themselves from their passion would be the issue. While I have sat in a Cobra (Superformance) I have never actually driven or was a passenger in one. However, I have been vicariously riding along side many drivers via Youtube, and with eyes provided by GoPro. Gopro provides the ride "feel" via how it vibrates during the ride. The bigger the cam/engine, the more the camera vibrates while idling. While the road quality appears to be very good, the camera picks up the firm suspension do to small imperfections in the pavement. G-force in acceleration is picked up by the front end angle, and of course the sound of the exhaust that sings opera to me. Yes, I would have to be a very serious buyer for someone to throw me the keys and I fully understand that. If I was the seller, I would feel the same way. However, I know enough about dynamics to understand that 500 HP in a 2400 pound vehicle translates to "Use extreme caution while operating". It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that this type of car can easily get away from your control. Once spring gets here I hope to have the opportunity to speak with some current owners. I know there is a Cobra owner very close to me (don't know exactly where) as I saw the car last summer in a local Cruise Night where I live. It will take time for me to find what I'm looking for, but I have the patients to wait.
Thanks again, Dan

[Ozzie Goat]

Dan - where are you?
Roy

[SteelCobra]

Dan,
if you want to PM me, I have a Superformance, and bought it last spring. It is not for sale, but I will spend as much time as you want to discuss all of the ins and outs of owning one of these cars. I'm in the western suburbs of Chicago, so let me know if you want to set up a time to chat.

Dave1986