Newbie here....do you need to be a good mechanic to own a cobra?

[flick0069]

Hi
Looking into purchasing a cobra but I am a bit scared off by the fact that I do not have a vaste knowledge of mechanics. Should I be reconsidering purchasing this car? Am I little bit scared that I maybe getting a little over my head. Do you guys have many mechanical issues or does the car run worry free?
Would appreciate any feedback.
Thanks

[klayfish]

First, welcome to the forum.

That depends on several things.

What type of parts are in the car. If you use quality parts, it should need no more maintenance than most other cars. Maybe squeaks and rattles, but mechanically it should be good.

How you drive it. Beat on it, and it'll break more often.

How big your wallet is. There is no shortage of folks qualified to fix them for you (I use one myself). Depending on the above two thoughts, it could be cheap or expensive.

Don't let your lack of mechanical skills scare you away from these cars. You'll have no problems with that. Just drive smart and have fun.

Steve

[Ron61]

Flick,

Welcom to the madness. You don't have to be a mechanic to have one of these cars. They , like all vehicles require maintenance and more than the normal car does. A lot will depend on how far out you go so far as a radical or calm motor, how you drive it, and just what you want to use it for. A normal daily street Cobra with a nice 300/375 horse motor won't require a huge amount of maintenance other than the normal stuff. Oil checks, water, that kind fo thing. And any question that you have, there will be someone here that can help you with it. It took 4 of them a year to finally convince me my motor was in the front of the car.
Oh, and don't let the BB guys convince you that is the only way to go.

Ron

[flick0069]

Thanks alot for the info.
I'm in Toronto and there is an SPF shop near me. Was looking at a 351w stroked to 396. I want an engine that has good performance without sacrificing reliability. I imagine that BB may require more mechanical work. I don't plan on driving the car everyday or going to the track often. The forums are great and I appreciate your help.
One more question...do you guys prefer the 15" or 17" rims?
Thanks

[JL1924]

It seems that everyone on this forum wants to encourage everyone who voices an interest in this venue to pursue it. I don't know if this is all that wise. I have been building "hot rods" for many years and have many mechanical skills, such as welding, interiors, engine rebuilding, etc., but undoubtedly, this is the most required, time, expertise, and adaptive knowlege that I have ever experienced. Please don't think this will be a "cake walk"
JL

[HI Cobra]

Enjoy the ride!

Like the others have already said - it depends a lot on
what you get and how you use it. For the most part
it is simple preventative maintenance and upkeep.
Granted - a bit more than the newer cars of today.
Look at it as an opportunity to learn because you will
as time goes by. You have an excellent resource with
Club Cobra to help you out on the trick stuff, and to
answer any questions. (No such thing as a dumb question!)

Flip

[jdog]

Big Block or stay home!

jdog

[xlr8or]

Don't let those small block guys convince you that's the way to go either. There are many choices to be made when picking what's right for you. Get down to that SPF dealer and drive a couple of cars. After driving them you'll feel the difference and know you want a Big Block. That was for you Ron.

These cars are very light compared to most so you can get a mild street engine SB or BB that will be plenty fast and should give you years of troublefree enjoyment.

Browse the forums and you will find more choices than you want to consider. Figure out which are most important to you and get something that will scratch the itch.

[newBDR]

I hope I don't need to be a mechanic - because I jumped in and ordered a BDR (any day now Mike Mack) and I can pretty much change a spark plug and that's it. Don't care. Can't wait. Have to have it. 302, by the way, for those discussing SB vs BB. $ was a consideration. Figure I can always buy a blower ... oh, and have someone else install it.

[Rickyd]

flick, you have mail...

[Ron61]

XLR,

I wasn't trying to convince him that the small block is the way to go. Just pointing out that with the small block he can drive it and not have to park it and tell people what a monsterous engine he has.

Jdog,

Big Block or stay home. Well put. Now tell him how many trips you have made with your Big Block.

Ron

[TampaFla]

Skill level depends on your own plans. Do you plan to build the car yourself or simply maintain it once someone else builds it. 2nd, what do you plan to do with the car - serious track or casual cruiser. High Performance Motors, suspensions, etc. demand a lot more care (even when sitting in the garage), so if you're not racing it and don't want the added maintenance... And finally, just how many "extras" do you want to add to the car (power steering, air conditioning, fuel injection, etc.). The extras all require attention from time to time. I recall an ad for an Avanti which claimed you couldn't slip a dime into the engine compartment - sure made the mechanics happy when those cars came in for service.

Personally, I value not being left on the side of the road; particularly, with a car that might not be there when I come back with a tow truck.

[200Plus]

I am in the process of ordering a SPF Coupe with a Roush 402IR. The dealer's demo car is in Vegas this week, so I have an appt on Mar 5 to actually see and drive the car (wife too). I have some concerns about maintenance, but it all seems pretty straightforward. My philosophy is that, if you want it bad enough, you will figure it out... Good luck!