Looking for Canadian Cobra

[SunDude]

Hi Mark,

I'm a fellow Canadian who spent the last year seriously looking - and utlimately buying - his first Cobra replica. I looked at cars already in Canada as well as older cars from the U.S. I ended up buying one of the few Superformance Cobras in Canada and am very happy with my choice. That said I have a few suggestions that might be worth considering.

To start, which is your permanent residence - Ontario or North Carolina? If it's NC, then you can probably register the car there and bring it with you to Ontario for the summers without difficulty.

If you decide to buy and register the car in Ontario, than you are right that Transport Canada prohibits the importation of kit cars under 15 years of age, no fooling with the ol' "it's titled as a 1965 Ford" business.

I found that the Cobras already in Canada were a real mixed bag. If you're looking for something with a CSX level of authenticity, you'll have a hard time finding something other than an SPF or possibly an ERA or Contemporary (but I came across virtually none in my search). There are plenty of FFRs around and a few Midstates and Shell Valleys, some better than others.

D&D Cobra makes a nice car, but cannot legally sell you a kit or turnkey across provincial boundaries (TC regs apply in these cases). But you can buy a used Cobra interprovincially without trouble.

Look into insurance before buying your Cobra. There are very few companies that will cover Cobra replicas in Ontario. Zehr will provide collector car insurance (OPFC 19a) for "professionally built replicas" only, such as SPF. Lant & Co. will cover Cobra replicas only if they're at least 15 years old. I know of one State Farm agent who will cover Cobra kits, but they don't offer agreed-value coverage. Everyone else (incl. nearly all home builds) ends up in Facility Association.

There are lots of owners up here who have improperly titled and insured their Cobra replicas, so be careful about that too.

You can import a used Cobra replica from the U.S. provided you can document its age (i.e., month+year when car was completed and/or registered for road use). This is easier said than done. Most cars that are at least 15 years old have been through several owners and the seller probably doesn't have the original paperwork.

On the other hand, Jeff (1985 CCX) does have a car for sale that could be imported and he does have the right paperwork. I was very seriously considering this car, but then my SPF suddenly came up for sale in Ontario and things worked out differently.

Good luck in your search. Feel free to PM me if there's something you want to discuss offline.

[markham51]

Originally Posted by SunDude

Hi Mark,

I'm a fellow Canadian who spent the last year seriously looking - and utlimately buying - his first Cobra replica. I looked at cars already in Canada as well as older cars from the U.S. I ended up buying one of the few Superformance Cobras in Canada and am very happy with my choice. That said I have a few suggestions that might be worth considering.

To start, which is your permanent residence - Ontario or North Carolina? If it's NC, then you can probably register the car there and bring it with you to Ontario for the summers without difficulty.

If you decide to buy and register the car in Ontario, than you are right that Transport Canada prohibits the importation of kit cars under 15 years of age, no fooling with the ol' "it's titled as a 1965 Ford" business.

I found that the Cobras already in Canada were a real mixed bag. If you're looking for something with a CSX level of authenticity, you'll have a hard time finding something other than an SPF or possibly an ERA or Contemporary (but I came across virtually none in my search). There are plenty of FFRs around and a few Midstates and Shell Valleys, some better than others.

D&D Cobra makes a nice car, but cannot legally sell you a kit or turnkey across provincial boundaries (TC regs apply in these cases). But you can buy a used Cobra interprovincially without trouble.

Look into insurance before buying your Cobra. There are very few companies that will cover Cobra replicas in Ontario. Zehr will provide collector car insurance (OPFC 19a) for "professionally built replicas" only, such as SPF. Lant & Co. will cover Cobra replicas only if they're at least 15 years old. I know of one State Farm agent who will cover Cobra kits, but they don't offer agreed-value coverage. Everyone else (incl. nearly all home builds) ends up in Facility Association.

There are lots of owners up here who have improperly titled and insured their Cobra replicas, so be careful about that too.

You can import a used Cobra replica from the U.S. provided you can document its age (i.e., month+year when car was completed and/or registered for road use). This is easier said than done. Most cars that are at least 15 years old have been through several owners and the seller probably doesn't have the original paperwork.

On the other hand, Jeff (1985 CCX) does have a car for sale that could be imported and he does have the right paperwork. I was very seriously considering this car, but then my SPF suddenly came up for sale in Ontario and things worked out differently.

Good luck in your search. Feel free to PM me if there's something you want to discuss offline.

Unfortuately any Canadian driving a US plated vehicle accross the border is deemed to be importing it! Apparently that's so TC doesnt have to chase you around to drive it back out some day. I learned this first hand two summers ago when I thought it might be nice to bring my C6 Corvette (registered in NC) up to Canada for the summer. Upon reaching the border, I was ushered into the Customs area where they made me pay GST on the spot! I had 30 days to make changes required (new bumpers) or ship it back to the US. I ended up shipping it back and getting the GST back but it was a major hassle involving lawyers etc.

I even thought... I would have my daughter (US citizen) buy the car and I would borrow it. Still a no go. According to Customs...these cars are not allowed in Canada...period and Ill get turned back at the border.

My preference was/is for a CSX or a Superformance roller with a Rousch 427. My rationale was simple...a modern engine is easily serviced and a roller is well integrated. If I have to venture too far away from that idea I might be too apprehensive to pull the trigger on one. I know many Cobra owners enjoy putting kits together and they do a great job of it, but I am primarily a driver (not a mechanic) by nature.

So...here we go. An adventure to be sure. Ill give you a call sometime and we can chat. Thanks very much for filling me in.


Regards


Mark