Commissioning a Turn Key ERA 427 Cobra

[Flygirl]

Thanks for the link to Chuck Brandt's site. Believe it or not, I had actually already stumbled across it! I guess I am doing okay with the research, after all.

I need to keep the cost under control. I don't want this to become an obsession, just a good running car that's reasonably period correct.

So, as far as a potential new ERA goes: 428 CJ (or 427 center oiler, if that's an option not too expensive), five speed, just a few touches under the hood to get the look, either under car exhaust exiting in front of rear wheels or side pipes painted black so they begin to show discoloration and wear after a little while, (they're cheaper, too) vinyl seats. Standard paint so it's not too shiny and show car perfect. 15" pin-drive wheels.

Kind of an accurate but stripped down look. I'm not really into chrome everywhere and highly polished surfaces, except in a few key areas.

About the under car exhaust, as much as I want it sometimes I wonder if there's really room under the chassis.

A lot of the pics I see show the tubing and muffler clearly visible when the car is seen from the side. If it were concealed entirely, that'd be good. If that's not an option, I may go with the side pipes. In fact, I find myself leaning in that direction again.

[Buzz]

Originally Posted by Flygirl

A lot of the pics I see show the tubing and muffler clearly visible when the car is seen from the side. If it were concealed entirely, that'd be good. If that's not an option, I may go with the side pipes. In fact, I find myself leaning in that direction again.

That, in essence is what the Cobra was really about. Nothing you see on an authentic 427 Cobra is a styling exercise. It's all beautifully functional, and that's where a lot of replica manufacturers miss the mark (marque?).

The sidepipes were there simply because a suitably large diameter exhaust system would not fit under the car at the necessarily low ride height. The milder 428 powered street roadsters, even with the smaller diameter pipes, had an appetite for eating mufflers on driveways and uneven roads.

There are some undercar options available like flattened oval exhaust pipes and low profile mufflers - it's important to resist destroying the aesthetic beauty and balance by jacking up the ride height in the quest for additional ground clearance.

You're taking a very informed and well thought out approach, so no doubt you will end up with a Cobra that suits you perfectly.

[redmt]

Here are a couple pix of an original Cobra. This is the one that convinced me NOT to go with the side pipes. I really like the look, nice and clean