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Hello from Denver
Hello all! A lurker coming out of the closet here, after a gentle reminder from this Web site. It's past time I introduced myself.
I've wanted a Cobra since forever. Now I'm retired and can afford one. So I've been educating myself. I'm so appreciative of all of the knowledge and willingness to share here! I actually had a chance to buy an original back in about 1971, but I couldn't talk my Dad into coughing up the $8K. Wise man that he was; that 16-year-old would have killed himself for certain. In 2021 I'm planning on purchasing a complete turnkey 427 Street Roadster replica, built new to suit my 6'5" height and size 13D shoes. Period correct in style (not a fanatic on this), but modern, reliable, low maintenance underneath. For driving pleasure, not for racing, or trailering to shows, or forever tinkering with. I would not drive a car I built myself, so I'm checking out all of the current builders. Thanks, and happy new year! |
Have you reviewed the existing topics on this subject? Use SEARCH.
The first question is what is your budget. Don't build it your self. Find one that is already built or a roller and have someone put in the power train (engine/trans). Nothing is more sour than putting all the money into a car to build the perfect one only to find out it was a marriage made in hell. Buy a finished car that fits you (there are lots of them out there, but don't buy a car you haven't sit in) and then if you still want a Cobra but the first one isn't just right then spend the time and money to fine tune one for yourself. Start watching www.cobracountry.com for cars in your area. This is not a search with instant gratification. A build will take a year or more. A patient search of an already completed sorted out car could take as long. Whatever you do don't buy someone's unfinished kit thinking you'll save your self a lot of money. Most are incomplete and the missing parts aren't available any more. If you're a fabricator with all the tools and knowledge go for it but most kits sit for decades for a reason. |
See if you can track down Bob Cowan. He's a regular here on this site, lives in Colorado Springs. You'll find him to be a great asset - and friend
Paul |
PS. If you're really a Shelby fan you should go to the Shelby American Collection museum. It is between Boulder and Longmont. Directions at their site www.shelbyamericancollection.org. Hours are 10-4 Saturday.
Many original racing Cobras including Shelby's famous CSX2000 and more GT40s than anywhere else on earth. |
You’d fit well in the new RT4s from Backdraft. Would be happy to work with you on building one with some throwback styling.
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The local BackDraft dealer is Summit Classic Cars, 11676 Shaffer Place Unit 407, Littleton, CO 80127 Tel: (303) 809-9946 gf@cobradeals.com Gary is a good man, and easy to work with. His office/shop is just off 470, near Bandimere. That being said, the BDR may not be the car for you. There's not much room in the foot box. I think the FFR has more room. But, contact Gary and he'll let you sit in one. If for some reason that doesn't work out, let me know. We'll arrange something. |
Thanks all for the warm welcome and useful tips. I've been reading quite a bit on this site and elsewhere.
"The first question is what is your budget." I knew someone was going to ask about budget. I'm not so much working from a budget-first perspective. Not that money is no object, but rather judging if each choice is really of value to me. For example, I'm not feeling like paying a premium for a CSX number. Sorry, no offense to ol' Shel, bless him, but a 'continuation' is still not an original. It should help with cost that my dream car does not have crazy horsepower nor any extraneous bling. Today, I'm leaning towards a Kirkham, predicated on physical fit. David told me he can do it, but I'll need to verify. If I have to go to one of the longer wheelbase cars, I've been in contact with BDR (already visited Gary: still a tight fit), Ultimate, Larry Goins (JBL), and Bill Emerson. Thanks to Paul for the intro, and great to make your acquaintance, Bob. Thanks for the help! |
If you're going to say that a CSX number isn't worth it then I'll assert that neither is aluminum. A CSX car will probably appreciate. Others will depreciate. Kirkhams are somewhere in the middle and seem to stay even with replacement cost. You'll wait for Kirkhams for a long time. CSX cars are in stock, as are Superformance. Check with Hillbank. Like I said, I fit in the CSX. Superformance steering wheel didn't work. For aluminum CSX and Kirkham are the same but fiberglass CSX and SPF ARE NOT THE SAME CAR!
The search is half the fun. |
Oops, my first post and I put my foot in it. Tony, I apologize for my thoughtless remark. I see spirited threads here already on the distinction between Continuation and replica. I wasn't meaning to disrespect your beauty or to reignite that debate. Just expressing my completely subjective personal preferences on what is the right car for me.
Thanks again for your helpful advice. David |
My opinion of the unfinished aluminum Kirkhams is well known. They take lots more care than they are worth and eventually every one I've seen looks like it was just driven in a unpaved hill climb. If your purpose in getting a car is to forever take care of fingerprinted aluminum instead of driving the car, fine, otherwise get it painted. All of the originals were. If you get a painted Kirkham you'll spend more than getting a Shelby CSX of the same car. You'll still be left with plenty of tinkering to do as the nuts and bolts underneath the skin seem to reproduce and their babies fall on the garage floor.
And unless you like cleaning up oil, pass on the FE. (Don't bother trying to fix the leak, they all do, and you'll get into the OCD trap trying.) |
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I had a polished Kirkham and it sure did not look like it had been in a hill climb and was not as hard to take care of as some think - certainly not “more that it was worth”. And nowhere near as expensive as the exact same aluminum car with a CSX number on it....even painted. Nothing wrong with an FE either. |
Painted: a light blue.
And since Carroll himself saw fit to substitute the 428 Police Interceptor engine into 427 Street Roadsters, I feel that it wouldn't be too heretical for me to go with a Windsor. |
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