The ad says that this is an ERA, Really?

[sea2jet]

The vin # listed isn't an ERA and the year of manufacture is 1981 and I don't even think ERA was producing that model then? Any idea who's kit it is?

Shelby Cobra Replica | eBay

[kevins2]

Definitely not an ERA. Love the close-up photo of the front hood emblem

[sea2jet]

I emailed the seller to let them know. They responded. Lets see if they change the description in their ad.

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by sea2jet

The vin # listed isn't an ERA and the year of manufacture is 1981 and I don't even think ERA was producing that model then? Any idea who's kit it is?

Shelby Cobra Replica | eBay

The 5th last photo (http://cdn-w.v12soft.com/photos/gFYf...254_800600.jpg) shows a VIN plate issued by West Virginia, hence the WV in the VIN. VIN is therefore useless to determine make unless you can search on it in WV records.

If you go to TEXAS CAR EXCELLENT CONDITION LOTS OF ORIGINAL PARTS A MUST SEE TOY For Sale - MuscleCars.net you'll see the same VIN listed with the following description:

1965 AC Cobra ARIAS Kit Car 289 cc High Performance Ford Engine with 3/4 cams Enderbrough 650 Carburetor Mallory Distributor System Custom Headers and exhaust pipes Electric Fuel System 4:11 differential Ford Heavy Duty Racing Transmission High Performance clutch Dual ChromeRoll Bars New Radiator with Electric Fan New High Pressure Break Lines Front Disc Brakes Custom Leather Interiors New Tonneau Cover and Rag Top New Custom Paint RE-Chromed Bumpers and light accents The car is in MINT CONDITIONS and READY FOR FUN

[Karl Bebout]

Needs just a little attention to detail. Doesn't appear to have been put together by a Cobra-phile.

[sea2jet]

Great detective work. That's got to be it. Dual roll bars, same asking price, and same location. They list it as an Arias kit in that ad, I wonder why they listed it as an ERA in the Ebay auction?

[cycleguy55]

Originally Posted by sea2jet

Great detective work. That's got to be it. Dual roll bars, same asking price, and same location. They list it as an Arias kit in that ad, I wonder why they listed it as an ERA in the Ebay auction?

Probably much the same reason it's listed as having "3/4 cams" and an "Enderbrough 650 Carburetor" - complete lack of attention to detail, rank ignorance or both. IOW, don't give a s**t.

Sorry, that was the other listing, not the eBay one - that listed it as having a 289cc engine. I'm guessing it's pretty pokey with that lawn mower engine in there. $40K? $20-25K if they're lucky.

[Dons427]

I could state the obvious reason that someone may claim to have an "ERA" for sale.
A novice may hear, on a forum such as this, that; an ERA is a good car to buy.
Since this person wouldn't really know what car it was until he owned it; tuff s***.
I don't know that this is the reason, just idle speculation.
You will notice that the car wasn't an ERA, and "mistakenly" listed as a "Arias".

Don

[JBCOBRA]

I gots to get me one of them there Enderbrough carbs! LOL

[DanEC]

Originally Posted by sea2jet

The vin # listed isn't an ERA and the year of manufacture is 1981 and I don't even think ERA was producing that model then? Any idea who's kit it is?

Shelby Cobra Replica | eBay

Actually I have a 1980 printed brochure from ERA. Not sure of their exact startup of the ERA 427 but I think it was 1979 or early 1980 (B0b?). Their roots as a replica builder go back even further.

Wow - finally opened up the ad and looked at it. It's different.

[strictlypersonl]

it looks like our first kits were delivered early in 1980.