looking to purchase
 

Hello,

I'm excited to be joining the rest of you here in SPC ownership. I am purchasing a 351W 15yr old car and I need any advice you can offer. I am in Canada so I am limited to cars 15yrs or older. I will be looking at the car for the first time in about two weeks. The car has very low miles (sub 5k), is kept in a heated garage and seems to be in perfect shape.

I own a number of cars (Supercharged Audi R8 V10, Porsche 996tt, 1933 Ford Speedstar Vicky...) so I'm somewhat familiar with powerful car ownership.

I'm lookig for any advice when I look over the Cobra for the first time. Are there specific issues I should be looking for?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Dave

how much???

There's some stuff posted on this thread: http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/cons...ying-tips.html

I'd also look for complete records from the seller / owner. As you'll be importing it into Canada (as I did), make sure you have the documentation you need to import it and satisfy the 15 year rule. It doesn't matter what it says on the title, you need to be able to PROVE it was either completed or first registered at least 15 years ago.

My most recent experience at importing a car indicates Transport Canada / Canada Border Services Agency cares more THAT you have a title certificate than on WHAT it says - particularly when it comes to what the car is titled as. IOW, they essentially ignore "1995 SPCN Cobra" or, in my case, "1991 West Coast Cobra". I think they've been stung in the past by these descriptions on title certificates.

It seems they're now looking for some documentation as to "an official registration history". We were unable to provide "an official registration history" for my car when importing it in 2014, as the VIN was issued by Michigan in 1991 and they purge the records after 10 years. What we used as a proxy was a combination of the VIN issued by Michigan (plate / decal affixed to the door jam), and a letter from the Michigan Secretary of State detailing how the last 6 digits of the VIN represented the VIN issue date. BTW, that was only accepted because Michigan doesn't issue VINs until the car has passed safety inspection.

BTW, I was told the VIN / letter combination would not have been accepted if it was possible for the VIN to have been issued prior to the car being completed (as apparently happens in some places - registration while the car is still under construction). In that case we would have needed to provide some other proof of completion to satisfy the 15 year test. Yikes - glad I dodged that bullet.

Thanks Brian. The car is already in Canada so the importing won't be a factor. It was part of the reason I went with this car versus a car in the US.

Everything on the car looks good in photos but only an in person check will determine if the car is all good.

What are the biggest differences from new SPC cars versus 15 year old cars?

What car # are you looking at?

One thing to check is the rear upper shock mount arm.
Other then that SPF cars are solid cars and lots of fun.

#932. The deal is done. I just want to see the car in person then arrange shipping to Calgary from Montreal.

I want to look everything over and make sure the car doesnt need anything. Based on the mileage and speaking with the previous owner, the car sounds solid.

Thanks for the advice on the shock mounts.

Dave

If it doesn't have this, get it.
Cobra Valley's SUPERFORMANCE Rear Suspension Mount UPGRADE

And then if you want a cushy ride get this. The older cars have junk shocks, I mean really junk.
http://performanceunlimited.com/cobr...cksprings.html

Other then those 2 items, it's near perfect.

My first suggestion would be to always see the car in person so that you can look it over and take a ride in it. My second suggestion would be to not think of buying one of these cars like you would a production sports car. I personally would not be concerned about mileage in the least bit. I would be focused on overall cleanliness and quality of the car. A car with a 1000 miles could have more issues than a car with 20,000 miles. Far too many cobra owners never sort their cars out and never spend any real time driving them. I bought a car with 10,XXX miles and after owning it a few months it wasn't as sorted as it should have been. Just buy a good clean car that is the exact color combo and comes close enough on the drivetrain you want. You can almost bet you will spend a few bucks changing some things around. I'm very pleased with my SPF....I will have spent an extra $3000 after the purchase and it will have allowed my to get the car exactly like I want it for right now. I've had a pretty fast street car and a really fast turbo charged streetbike. These cars demand respect but they are not as fast and wild as people make them out to be. With a 351w you should have a really fun street car that you can really enjoy. These cars are about having a driving experience....your TT996 with a few mods will smoke one of these cars. Don't get me wrong there are some crazy Cobras out their but I am talking about your run of the mill cars that the majority of us own.

Dave
pm and email sent

Thanks for the good advice. I'm buying the Cobra because I want something a little more 'raw' than the R8 so I dont think the Cobra will dissappoint.

I'm excited to bring her home soon.

Thanks.

Dave

As was mentioned earlier, the rear shock mounts would be the first thing I would look at. The early MKIII's have survived the test of time quite well, but as with all fiberglass cars, grounding points for the wiring are a problematic area. A summers afternoon project would be to locate and clean up all the major grounding lugs on the car. Another must do project is the addition of a master fuse on the car, something the early cars did not come with from the factory. A battery cut-off switch is also another great addition on the car. Lap belts and shoulder harnesses are most likely out dated, but unless they look frayed or slick they probably pose little concern. An under car and hood inspection of nuts and bolts, including torquing the rear suspension bolts is time well spent. Don't fix it till it's broken is a good rule of thumb.Drive the car before changing things. But wait, do you have winter up there in Canada? I forgot about that. Waxing in a heated garage might be the closest you get to putting miles on it at the moment. ENJOY and welcome to the madness!

Thanks for the helpful advice. This is a great forum.

I sold my heavily modded 2002 Porsche 996 turbo because I didn't drive it very often and wanted something more unique and more of an experience. The SPF was the perfect choice, it is a special drive every time. This is my 3rd SPF and I love them, get us some pics!