Aluminium Bodied Contempoary

[dallas_]

ok, you guys know a lot more about values that I do, but wouldn't the advantage of an aluminum body be that people can tell that is it aluminum?

So IF it has an aluminum body, would it be worth more if it was unpainted like some Kirkham's are? So people could see that it is a 'special' car?

Just curious.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by dallas_

So IF it has an aluminum body, would it be worth more if it was unpainted like some Kirkham's are?

No, and in fact, a properly painted Kirkham is actually worth more than an unpainted Kirkham. Apples to apples speaking that is on a comparable car with a comparable drivetrain and no wild color combinations......

You want to add value to a Kirkham, regardless of whether it is painted or not, make sure to have them fit a top and tonneau to it. While rarely used, I have found it is easier to market one with them fitted vs one that has not had them fitted.


Bill S

[twobjshelbys]

Originally Posted by dallas_

So IF it has an aluminum body, would it be worth more if it was unpainted like some Kirkham's are?

No.

Unpainted is a special Kirkham fad. It has bled over into some of the subsequent Shelbys (who now offers the Kirkham finish). All of the originals were painted.

[Obsessive]

I have been busy with work and have not had time to reengage in this conversation. I apologize for the neglect and suspense. I'm off to go see the car again and understand the widowed owner has found some documentation and the has made contact with David Hops, the car's builder with Monster Motorsports.

I will have plenty to share with you all to suspend further speculation. The brief review of your collective conjecture and CSI-like evaluation of my photos has been absolutely awesome and I really love you guys for digging in like this! I will tell you that I have personally seen lots of original cobras, built two and currently own CSX4060, a fiberglass car. Everything I have seen up to now has me convinced this is a 100% aluminum bodied car with inner fiberglass trunk, foot boxes and cockpit tub. If I prove to be wrong, I'll let you all know. However, I should have lots to share with you by the end of the weekend.

Stay tuned...

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by Obsessive

I have been busy with work and have not had time to reengage in this conversation. I apologize for the neglect and suspense. I'm off to go see the car again and understand the widowed owner has found some documentation and the has made contact with David Hops, the car's builder with Monster Motorsports.

I will have plenty to share with you all to suspend further speculation. The brief review of your collective conjecture and CSI-like evaluation of my photos has been absolutely awesome and I really love you guys for digging in like this! I will tell you that I have personally seen lots of original cobras, built two and currently own CSX4060, a fiberglass car. Everything I have seen up to now has me convinced this is a 100% aluminum bodied car with inner fiberglass trunk, foot boxes and cockpit tub. If I prove to be wrong, I'll let you all know. However, I should have lots to share with you by the end of the weekend.

Stay tuned...

Ah yes, original owner of Monster Motorsports, also the father of the "Laforza".........tell him I say hello, as he and I had spoken several times during his early V8/Miata days and I owned #4 a Sunburst Yellow converted car with the Godzilla emblazed on the seat backs



Bill S

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

No.

Unpainted is a special Kirkham fad. It has bled over into some of the subsequent Shelbys (who now offers the Kirkham finish). All of the originals were painted.

No. No. No. Now you guys are just guessing. Kirkham buyers, new and used desire uniqueness and a polished Kirkham is a work of art.

Do you think spending $20,000-25,000 painting a Kirkham yields a value when resold that is equal to value of the cost of the paint job? No. No. No, not even close.

Dave Brown (4pipes) sold his blue Kirkham last year and the sales price was roughly equal to that of any polished Kirkham. Kirkham buyers can choose to paint their cars or leave the Kirkham factory unpolished. The majority of Kirkhams leave the factory with a polished or brushed finish because that's what buyers want. Yes, I'll repeat, unpainted brush or polished Kirkhams are what buyers want.

And three peaks is correct. Polishing and a paint job are the same cost. And most Kirkhams leave UT polished or brushed.

You guys are WAY off on a tangent. Stick to the value of this Contemporary.

Edit: added pic of Dave's gorgeous Kirkham, which was sold late last year with his last asking price being $125,000, essentially the same value as any nicely done brushed or polished Kirkham.

[rodneym]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

No. No. No. Now you guys are just guessing. Kirkham buyers, new and used desire uniqueness and a polished Kirkham is a work of art.

Do you think spending $20,000-25,000 painting a Kirkham yields a value when resold that is equal to value of the cost of the paint job? No. No. No, not even.

Depends on the buyer, IMO. The brushed and polished Kirkham is more of a "step up from a glass car" thing and painted KMPs are people who own or have owned originals or looking for a high level of accuracy (me notwithstanding ) From my personal experience, the highest traded KMPs were ALL painted.

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by rodneym

Depends on the buyer, IMO. The brushed and polished Kirkham is more of a "step up from a glass car" thing and painted KMPs are people who own or have owned originals or looking for a high level of accuracy (me notwithstanding ) From my personal experience, the highest traded KMPs were ALL painted.

Of course it depends on the buyer, duh, but Kirkhams leaving UT are predominantly unpainted, brushed or polished. The preponderance of all available eBay, ClubCobra and CobraCountry listings show the value between painted and unpainted Kirkhams to be absolutely nothing.

The cost to polish a Kirkham is $15,000. Roughly the cost of a nice paint job. So, any buyer can opt to leave their Kirkham in a file finish and spend that $15,000 on a paint job, but most Kirkham buyers don't. They opt to brush or polish.

It is what is. The market for Kirkhams changed after they started polishing them sometime after Jamo's car.

[1ntCobra]

Originally Posted by twobjshelbys

No.

Unpainted is a special Kirkham fad. It has bled over into some of the subsequent Shelbys (who now offers the Kirkham finish). All of the originals were painted.

I thought the unpainted fad was started by Shelby with the first completion car, CSX 3056.



It seems that the fad just bled over to the Kirkhams.

[Obsessive]

Gentlemen,

It's time to finally put the mystery to rest. I had a lot of fun yesterday crawling under and all over this thing. Conclusion: This is a seriously nice car that needs a few things to make it darn near perfect.

What it has:

• The body is 100% aluminum - all of it. The paint is in excellent condition.
• The frame is a Contemporary chassis that was modified to add round subframe tubes necessary to support the aluminum body.
• It has a Jag rear end with 2.72 ratio and upgraded substantially as partially seen in photos here.
• Aldan, fully adjustable coilovers
• Wilwood front brakes
• Magnesium Halibrand wheels with aluminum spinners
• Tires a brand new and there is an extra set of perfectly good Goodyear Eagle racing tires that come with the car.
• The trunk tub and cockpit tub (including foot boxes) are fiberglass.
• The trunk was once carpeted but the carpet was removed after being slightly damaged by corrosion from the trunk-mounted battery.
• The motor is an ALUMINUM 427 side oiler. Internal components and specifics are yet to be determined. Runs great.
• Sidewinder intake manifold
• Aluminum medium riser heads
• Aluminum (finned with COBRA lettering) "T" shaped oil pan
• Shatter proof bell housing - looks like a Lakewood
• Richmond 4+1 transmission
• Smiths gauges
• Lucas ammeter
• Leather seats, dash and door map pockets

What it needs:

• Aluminum inner fender panels up front
• Aluminum panels around the oil cooler and radiator
• The correct puke tank
• The FE expansion tank
• The correct remote oil filter bracket
• An aluminum turkey pan around the Holley carburetor
• Carpet in the trunk
• A speedo cable and correct speedo drive gear for the transmission
• Quick jacks fitted and installed front and rear

[Obsessive]

More pictures...

[Obsessive]

A few more...