How do you know if a Cobra is real?

[SYCO GT]

I drove out to the monthly Lamborghini Exotic Car meet today to check out the new Aventador Roadster.

A Panigale S Ducati in Tricolore caught my attention.

What are some easy tips to tell if a Cobra 427 is a genuine or kit?

 

[Sinovac]

An aluminum reproduction Cobra can be made to look identical to an original. I can tell that is an aluminum car by the cowbelly. The wheels are repops, but that doesn't mean the car isn't original. I don't see any aftermarket calipers, which would be a dead giveaway. If the owner was really trying to emulate an original, you would really need to be an expert to tell the difference. I almost bought a car identical to that one before I bought the bare aluminum car I have now.

 

[cobra498]

I drove out to the monthly Lamborghini Exotic Car meet today to check out the new Aventador Roadster.

A Panigale S Ducati in Tricolore caught my attention.

What are some easy tips to tell if a Cobra 427 is a genuine or kit?

The serial number on the foot box, front structure and door hinge, on a 427/428 should start with 3xxx anything else is a kit, reproduction or recreation, none are genuine originals. There are some examples that have gone to the trouble of stamping a fake number in those locations but they are few in number. Checking the number against the SAAC registry will tell you for sure. The brake calipers are Girling on the originals with Girling master and slave cylinders. The front suspension ball joints are also different on the originals as are some frame details around the rear inboard wheel house. It always puzzles me why people make such an effort to imitate the original cars because they were very poorly designed from a chassis stand point. If you have a reproduction why not fix the flaws and enjoy the appearance of the original without the mechanical short comings. Most of the kit cars/reproductions are as bad as the originals from what I have seen.

 

[a snake]

i owned one for 39 years. check serial number and cobra registry for info on the particular car/serial number you are looking at. check with jeff burgy (not sure of spelling).

 

[Sinovac]

i owned one for 39 years. check serial number and cobra registry for info on the particular car/serial number you are looking at. check with jeff burgy (not sure of spelling).

Cool. Do you have have pictures from back in the day you can share?

 

[cobrajeff]

Mr. Formal Wear Cobra

Randy -
Be happy to help you sort it out. Send me an e-mail with more pictures and whatever VIN number is claimed for the car. I have the latest Cobra Registry,
and am in regular contact with the SAAC Cobra Registrar and several of the top Cobra restorers and enthusiasts.

Paul -
Here are a few of the posters that made a snake's Cobra famous:



All of the Red ones, except the one titled "Snake Pit" (which is a 289 Cobra) feature a snake's original 427 Cobra.

Here's a shot of the car at SAAC 31 at VIR a few years back. Note cooling scoops and air vents in the back, unique to this car.



regards,
Jeff

 

[roketman]

I like how the 2 gentleman are checking out the GT!

 

[RADGT]

Originals should have a VIN CSX2XXX for 289 cobras and CSX3XXX for the 427. Beginning in the late 1990's Shelby started to make CSX4XXX series cars. Both aluminum and fiberglass. Sometimes it can be quite hard if the replica is from the top companies like Kirkham that sourced to aluminum cars to shelby for the 4000 series. So firstly need to know if it is glass or aluminum. From there most replicas will have a plate in their engine bay indciating the manufacturer. Best though is checking with Cobrajeff or the registry but even replicas could duplicate the VIN plate of an original.

Stu

 

[SYCO GT]

I like how the 2 gentleman are checking out the GT!

I thought that was pretty cool too!

 

[SYCO GT]

Hey Cobra Jeff, this one wasn't for sale or anything. It was more just a general curiousity of mine, I was thinking that I did not know enough about Cobras to generally determine aspects of authenticity. I appreciate you sharing your expertise! And interesting cooling scoops and vents. I like the unadorned (scoopless) look of the rear fenders better aesthetically.

Thanks everyone for the enlightening info.

 

[Ed Sims]

Syco - how am I going to sell your photos now that your logo is on the image? Great pics as always - love that Ducati.

Ed

 

[Sinovac]

Jeff,

Are the fender scoops ducted to the rear brakes?

Paul

 

[cobrajeff]

Paul -

Yes, they are. Back in the seventies and eighties, the Jones boys gave many a hair raising ride in that beautiful beast at SAAC Open Track events (back when our insurance riders used to allow passengers).

Jeff

 

[Sinovac]

Thanks Jeff. I had not seen them before.

 

[Black GT]

Man, I love Cobras! Just beautiful.

 

[twobjshelbys]

A real Shelby Cobra will have a badge inside the passenger compartment. Sometimes it is on the dash sometimes on the transmission tunnel. If it is not there then there will be one in the engine compartment. A real Shelby will have a VIN number of CSXnnnn. For original small block cars the nnnn will be 2xxx, original 427s the number will be 3xxx. Modern will have a 4000 or 6000 (427), 7000 or 8000 (289s), 9000 (Daytona Coupes), and 1000 (some special aluminum bodied 427 cars with the hand rolled aluminum body sourced from whatever derivative of AC Motors still exists - they are the most beautiful ones and pricey).

So if you had a picture of the passenger compartment we could tell pretty easily if it is a Shelby.

 

[cobra498]

A real Shelby Cobra will have a badge inside the passenger compartment. Sometimes it is on the dash sometimes on the transmission tunnel. If it is not there then there will be one in the engine compartment. A real Shelby will have a VIN number of CSXnnnn. For original small block cars the nnnn will be 2xxx, original 427s the number will be 3xxx. Modern will have a 4000 or 6000 (427), 7000 or 8000 (289s), 9000 (Daytona Coupes), and 1000 (some special aluminum bodied 427 cars with the hand rolled aluminum body sourced from whatever derivative of AC Motors still exists - they are the most beautiful ones and pricey).

So if you had a picture of the passenger compartment we could tell pretty easily if it is a Shelby.

My Cobra does not have a badge anywhere in the passenger compartment nor the engine compartment and I am pretty sure it is an original car.

 

[FBA]

You're "pretty sure"? LMAO

 

[Drew@ClassicAuto]

To the left of our GT is a real 64 289 Cobra. We did a blog series on the ownership of the car. This was from a car
show this weekend in Indy. 3 GT's, Cobra, 458 cpe, 458 Spider, F Dino, and some other nice rides.

 

[stumeat]

Ok. No one said it so I have to. What about the wall art in the "Snake Pit". Close-ups please.........