The difference in appearance between the SPF and cars like the CSX's, ERA's and Kirkhams is more of a body shape/fitment issue than ride height settings and roll bar heights. Superformance, like many others, based their body on the CCX or Contemporary body in a mistaken subscription to the myth that they are the "most accurate Cobra replicas". The truth is that while the early Contemporary bodies may have indeed been splashed from an original Cobra, they chose to alter the shapes drastically in some odd attempt according to them to better fit the lower profile 50-series tires being used at the time of production.
The result was a higher, chunkier body sitting higher up on the frame, with lowered and reshaped wheel openings more radiused to the shape of the tires. The rear arches and cowl of the CCX shape are much higher over the frame than the original Cobra body, and this contributes to the strange appearance of the roll bar. Its not so much that the roll bar was lowered - the bodywork around the roll bar was raised up around it.
I'm actually a bit adamant about the whole CCX myth because it resulted in those less attractive traits being injected into the replica gene pool when newer manufacturers like FFR, Everett-Morrison and Superformance mistakenly saw the Contemporary shape as the gold standard to replicate. That distinctive high-butt, chunky-side look spread throughout the industry, leaving other brands more accurately based on the original shape looking noticeably lower, leaner, sleeker and meaner.
Superformance recognised this and made some after the fact modifications to their bodies to reverse it, but were only able to go so far with the existing chassis and packaging.
Everyone wondered why FFR never re-engineered their cars as CCX clones after they purchased the molds and tooling, etc when Contemporary folded? Most likely the reason is that they were already based on the CCX shape and using bodies out of the original CCX molds would not have made their cars significantly more accurate in appearance.
Using superficial methods like lowering the ride height and raising the roll bar will make some difference, but you'll end up with a roll bar that towers above the windshield, a ground-scraping
oil pan and rubbing tires long before an SPF will ever look like an ERA or Kirkham.
There are others here that know these truths, but dare not commit the heresy of defiling the reputation of the all-holy Contemporary. That is not my intention either - they were well built cars and most are finished to a beautiful level of quality. I just don't like the shape of the body; and the untruth that it is the most accurate replica I like even less. I'm certain Jimmy Price, owner of Hi-Tech regretted not doing a bit more research before buying in to that fairy tale.
This may make some people angry, but it is essentially the truth. The other truth is that it shouldn't really matter to anyone other than those who are a bit obsessed with the shape, look and stance of the original Cobra. SPF owners rightfully love their cars - they are without a doubt one of the best products in the entire replica industry. They are however, differently shaped to the ERA's/CSX's and one can only go so far towards changing that with simple modifications.
There are articles referencing and documenting all of the CCX/SPF shape issues if anyone cares or is curious enough to do a bit of searching.
Once again this is my pet peeve about the body shape perceptions and is in no way intended to be a derogatory commentary about anyone's choice of Cobra replica. They are all distinctive and unique in their own ways and appeal to their owners for many different reasons.
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