ERA questions

[65FIA289]

OK, you guys have made to much sense, it is stupid to spend this kind of money on this type of car and not get the best. I will be using ERA for my kit.


Scott

[Snakebit]

A Wise decicion!

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

For a few more $$ you will be in the ballpark for your ERA FIA..Peter P. will work with you all the way. If you want the best, you will not be happy with the FFR. Just be a little patient and get what you really want...you already have the 289 and a toploader.
Check out my gallery and see how my deal is going...I didn't have an unlimited checkbook, but I have what I want. It's just taking a little longer to get there.

[Tongue Pirate]

By no means was my pocket book unlimited either. I have pieced my car together over 3 years & wouldn't have changed my choice. I scraped & did all the work I could myself. KNowing I wouldn't be happy with a stripped down car I put in many orders to ERA & tried to get the big things out of the way on the first shipment of my "kit". As posted before, take your time! The fact that I didn't have the funds three years previous to my purchase led me into untold hours of research(dreaming). When it came down to it I chose to Go with ERA even they were out of my budget at the time because I knew I wouldn't be happy 5 yrs down the road if I hadn't. I think my car is great & I am still very happy about my choice & don't see that changing any time soon.

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

Oh, by the way. you want to buy a kit and promply sell the body and buy another? Nobody's gonna buy a FFR body, unless you give it away. And if your really motivated, you can still mount the ERA body yourself...and the jag rears are around, as I'm doing my own with a nice used XJS posi unit. I'm just gonna change the seals and rebuild the calipers and go.
Do yourself a favor and visit ERA before you spend any cash...you won't be sorry.

[65FIA289]

Originally Posted by ZOERA-SC7XX

Oh, by the way. you want to buy a kit and promply sell the body and buy another? Nobody's gonna buy a FFR body, unless you give it away. And if your really motivated, you can still mount the ERA body yourself...and the jag rears are around, as I'm doing my own with a nice used XJS posi unit. I'm just gonna change the seals and rebuild the calipers and go.
Do yourself a favor and visit ERA before you spend any cash...you won't be sorry.

Already have a buyer for the body. But I do appreciate all the viewpoints.


Scott

[Excaliber]

When it comes to comparing FFR price to ERA price it's no contest. FFR will win everytime, you won't need a spread sheet to figure it out.

When it comes to comparing re-sale, quality, reputation, etc. it's no contest, ERA will win everytime. The two cars in question represent the extreme ends (high and low) of the market range. It's almost absurd to even seriously compare them!

[65FIA289]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

When it comes to comparing FFR price to ERA price it's no contest. FFR will win everytime, you won't need a spread sheet to figure it out.

When it comes to comparing re-sale, quality, reputation, etc. it's no contest, ERA will win everytime. The two cars in question represent the extreme ends (high and low) of the market range. It's almost absurd to even seriously compare them!

I'm not comparing them, I'm not saying FFR is better than ERA. I am getting what I can afford.

Just because someone can afford a Corvette, doesn't mean they can afford a Ferrari.

Scott

[Excaliber]

It's a good call Scott. FFR no doubt sells far more kits than anybody else out there, so they gotta be doing something right! It's a good product at a good price. For a do it yourself and pay as you go kind of guy it's a wise choice.

[JWheaton]

65FIA289,

If you want to get a a good looking FIA there is one currently listed for a very reasonable 32k in the for sale forum.

You could sell your current engine and top loader and be in your total budget without the headache or heartache of being one of the first to try the body swap with the FFR.

[mrmustang]

Scott,

My personal opinion, if you can only afford an FFR, then go that route, wait for McBruce to finish his FIA body (should be available for purchase mid summer, or so I have been told). However, as a past (and future) owner of several FFR's, I can tell you that the fit of the body, the mechanicals used, and the chassis cannot be compared in an apples to apples, side by side comparison as they are two completely different concepts. Each has to be weighed on it's own merits, the least of which should be the $$$ spent initially. Why do I say that, quite simple, as 80% (that's right, 80%) of the owners of all FFR's built have far more than 20K into their builds. Unless your planning on a straight donor build (and can find a quality low mileage donor for less than $2,500), you are more likely to have 30K+ into your build. Take a look at the thread on ffcobra marked "finally totalled things up" and it will open your eyes.....Again I'm not saying to buy one over the other, just giving you another neutral viewpoint from someone who has been there countless times.

Hope you find this helpful.

Sincerely,

Bill S.

[65FIA289]

Thanks guys for all the viewpoints.

Scott

[Chaplin]

Scott-
One other thing to consider- there is a wait time from order to delivery with the ERA and you do not have to pay for it in full when you place your order- you only have to put down a $5k deposit when you place your order. The wait time from order to delivery will allow you to save the extra $$ that it will take to buy the ERA.
For instance, when I placed my order I didn't have enought $$ either to buy it outright, but the wait for my ERA was apx. 12 months-(I'm not sure what the current wait is for FIAs, check with Peter). During that 12 months I was able to save the extra $$ necessary to buy the ERA, which is what I really wanted. If you have some patience and the discipline to save some extra $$ each month you will be extremely pleased that you went with ERA.

The other option, as someone else mentioned, is Unique. IMO their FIA body is excellent and a very close second to ERA's and last time I checked Unique's "Deluxe Pallet Kit" was around $19k, but I am not sure what their current pricing is. If you're not going to go with an ERA, you should give Unique serious consideration before purchasing anything anthing else.

Good luck.

[Jim Holden]

My first ERA was the most difficult to finance and I managed it just as Chaplin has described by "leveraging" my way in by making installments over a period of time. I had ERA do the absolute minimum. (They painted the chassis but I bonded on the body, not a big deal. I purchased additional parts from ERA in a "just in time" fashion as I built the car. I scrounged my own XJ rear; found in a farmer's field for $75.00 etc. etc.) In the end, I have made money on all my ERAs and as a result have moved up to progressively more expensive cars.

There are certainly other companies out there that have been in business for a long time and have good reputations, but there isn't any one that offers a product so compelling to me that I would make a change.

Jim

[65FIA289]

Thanks, everyone, I am looking to see how to make all this work. I will call ERA next week since my out-of-country trip has been delayed for a few weeks and will be off work.

Scott

[ZOERA-SC7XX]

I don't want to beat a dead horse, but all Cobra builds probably cost 50% more than we planned to spend. I hope never to have to sell my car, but to drive and enjoy it. I wanted an AC Cobra back in 1966 when I was just thirteen years old. Now I have the chance after forty years to drive my dream (I also have a '76 Corvette that I've owned for twenty years and truely enjoy that too). It's taking a little longer to realize the finished product (Tony's in MA just delivered it after painting it) and the trans is out getting rebuilt. I hope to drive it before summer's over, but you know how the best laid plans go, but the build is totally enjoyable. Good luck with your choice and keep us all posted.

[65FIA289]

Thanks, will do.


SM

[65FIA289]

Are most of you guys running sway bars on the ERA?

sm

[Tongue Pirate]

Front & rear, yes.

[Snakebit]

Front and rear with the big brake option.