Autokraft Cobra value
 

Hey Folks,

I have a lead on an early 80's Autokraft Cobra. It has been wrecked and has a windsor in it. I don't know anymore than that. I plan to look at it this afternoon. I have read some of the early threads regarding these cars but don't have a clue to the value in restored condition. Any ideas?

A small block, fairly stock Autocraft inn clean original and/or restored condition is worth $40,000-$50,000 provided it has it's original top, tonneau, side curtains, and associated paperwork. If it's one of the lightweight cars or a special order BB car, then you could possibly add another $20,000 on to that estimate.

Wrecked values depend on how badly it is wrecked, what is missing, if it's running, and a host of other requirements too complicated to post in such a simple way.

Get pictures, tons of extremely well lit and detailed pictures and post them here, we can then go from there.



Bill S.

Bill,
You are light by quite abit. There are none to had for under 60K at present and 75 is the cheapest I've seen recently. two others offered at 95 & 110 respectively. They don't build these aluminum mkiv's any longer and when they did only 2-300 found their way here. you are correct about the lightweight...add 20 to the going price. i'll buy all you can find at the price you quoted.See you sunday? Jim

Jim,

Can't argue with you one way or the other, I can only report on the sales that have actually gone through in the last few months. Five cars have actually changed hands in the $39,000 (running and driving but needing cosmetics) to $51,300 (original paint and mechanicals with less than 16,000 original miles). Lots of other cars are sitting at specialty dealerships and consignment shops with prices all the way up to $118,000, but I have not heard of anothering selling higher than $68,000 (On Ebay last August and listed with 3,100 original miles and all documentation since new). If you have data and actual selling prices on cars sold in the last 5 months, please let me know and I shall update my data.

Sincerely,

Bill S.

bill, tell you what, send me your data and I'll send you mine Jim

Jim, sent you a PM with the requested info. Look forward to seeing you and your wife on Sunday..


Bill S.

see ya then

I looked at it yesterday afternoon. AK1004. It is Maroon with gold Autokraft wheels and a saddle colored interior. The 351 Windsor is still intact.

It impacted a light pole crushing the left front fender. The impact shifted the whole front end limiting the opening of the hood to roughly half way. The drivers door will not open either. The bent left front tie rod is the only visible damage to the suspension. The car is sitting on pallets in a dark metal shed so it was tough to get a good view of the entire car but appears to be in good shape. The owner suspects the throttle stuck at the time of the accident. The car has not been on the road since 2001.

I guess it would be safe to assume that a replacement front clip would be only a dream and I would be looking at $10,000 to $15,000 for repairs plus the cost of the car which has yet to be determined. I am guessing the owner is thinking in the upper $30's to low $40's.

Did you get a price for the car? Did you buy it? I read somewhere that an outfit in the UK will rebody a wrecked MK IV to MK III specs. Don't know how much that would cost though. Let us know.

I agree with Bill,

As a fan of the MKIV I feel they are a well represented article. However, they still carry the stigma as being "the red headed stepchild" and at Vintage events they are looked at as replicas. At least the ones I was interested in attending LimeRock Series etc...

Bill is a little light, cars I know of are selling in the 50-75k range depending on their appointments. Have yet to see the sale of one hit the numbers once seen in the early 90's.

Repare will be $$$. If there is frame damage it will be more, aluminum fabricators are not a minimum wage crowd. To have a well known name repair it would bring major dough I am sure however better for the car.

Best of luck!

AK1004 would be one of the "Buxbaum" cars, the first units imported to the US.
Rick

MKIV are Replicas?
 

Surprise to me. And to the FIA.

MKIV's are eligible for historic FIA papers in Europe and therefore, here.

They are regularly raced accross the pond and versions (usually Lightweights, why else?) appear at Goodwood and other events, as well as quite regularly in club racing.

But, it is true that LimeRock historic events place them as replicas, at my last look. i think this is simply an artifact of the proximity of SAAC management, who view MKIV's is as replicas of their precious. It is clearly stated by them that they concern themselves (at least originally) with MKIV's to ensure none are mis-represented as originals (there is a welcoming attitude). No doubt the organizers of LimeRock Park events have had an earful from SAAC management on a regular basis (some living a mere 20 miles away) and are biased against their entry thereby.

But, they are certainly not replicas. They are Cobras, no less, IMHO. (Quick, duck!)

Meanwhile, they aren't Shelby's, nor have i ever seen ONE represented as an original. i will allow i don't see everything and it certainly may have happened; as there is little limit to the creative imagination of some sellers and the depths of vacuous dis-information held by some buyers.

Maybe Nedley or some other has seen some attempt like this in the past and would comment.

Recently, a GB spec. Lightweight 351 was sold here in the US for over £60K including local transport, but that is the only US data point i know.

i think it is tough (but not impossible) for MKIV's, regular US spec, to pull over $50K, unless it is very special, like a genuine soFE or something is installed (a tough fit, requiring lots of foot box modification and fuse-box re-placement from the passenger foot-box extension). They are not very popular at the moment and haven't been for something over 10 years or so (more or less slowly dropping in value as various SPF, Shelby and Kirkham high quality items became available). i recall some sold at over $100K during the early eighties when they became available in the USA. Some sold in GB for £100K! But, that was only for a short while.

Currently, $50K buys a very recent & nice little-used SPF in excellent shape, as a quick review of CC ads reveal. Used SPF's have very few "issues" to deal with (unlike a modified MKIV & depending on your state of residence) and are an excellent buy, particularly for the first or second time Cobraphile. And, some SPF's commonly weigh less than a still-legal US spec MKIV. So, the MKIV offers no obvious performance improvement and might be twenty-something years old. These and other factors have limited the appeal of MKIV's over the last 10 years.

But, they are lovely sports cars in their own right and offer high build quality, good performance and great style for the dollar. There is something to be said (both good [bragging rights]and not so good [repair costs]) about an all aly bodywork, but light weight isn't the principal advantage. As the above repair estimates forecast on the crashed MKIV, they are NOT cheap to repair if the driver simultaneously runs out of road, traction and ideas...

FRP is comparatively quite easy to rebuild and first time Cobra owners, in particular, should keep that obvious advantage in mind, as they learn how to drive and set-up their first Cobra. An aly bodywork is not the first choice to have as a newbie discovers the limits of their new car, their reserve skills or their better judgement...

IMHO, most Cobras ought not to be considered or purchased as entry-level performance machines. In this regard, MKIV's repair properly at about the same costs as the earliest originals. Not for the faint-of-heart... driving or fixing.

Brooklands Motor Co will do a body or any required panels, thay have the "AC" (actually Autokraft) body bucks. Hawk Cars will have Kirkham install a MK III body if you are so inclined or if the car is bad enough to require a re-body.

Rick

Hi,
I think that I have soured on the car. I have an SPF with a 514 in it so I am not certain the MKIV would give me the same grin factor. I have pictures of the car and will send them to anybody who is interested. Just send me a private message.

Mark

Interested, please email me info at osbornco@comcast.net

Please email me at: fmyachtshhi@aol.com the seller's contact information and a couple of photos.

Thank you,
AK1131
fmyachtshhi@aol.com