witch replica ac cobra is a good one to buy

[twobjshelbys]

I agree with twoshelbys here... The cobra is a mans car plain and simple. They are good at nothing but make up for it with sidepipes and absolutely no manners.

The Cobra was a race car. Drivers were paid to be uncomfortable. The AC Ace body's sole purpose was to transport an engine around the track. But driving one is an unequaled thrilling experience. Riding one is as close to torture as you can get.

I can vouch that driving a Cobra at speeds much above 145 is like driving a sheet of plywood into the wind. My front end also started to get light or at least I thought it was.

 

[BIGFOOT]

I drove a buddy's coupe a few times at the track. They are fast but scary. Like driving a go-cart with more power.
In the handling "dept" they have nothing compared to modern cars like a vette or Boss302.

 

[Sinovac]

Beautiful cars (everybody!), but Paul, that polished aluminum Kirkham is exquisite. How do you maintain the aluminum? Is it pretty high-maintenance?

I use a Cylo polisher with Mother's Billet periodically. For regular maintenance I use Windex or Original Bike Spirits. It's not really tough to maintain at all, but it's not for the super anal either. I take very good care of my cars, but I don't go to pieces over minor imperfections in the finish.

The Cobra is the most entertaining car I have. It has manual steering and brakes. I'm partial to the street configuration like my car. I bought it fully intending to paint it black. When my wife saw it for the first time she said I'd be an idiot for painting it.

 

[Cobrar]

I bought it fully intending to paint it black. When my wife saw it for the first time she said I'd be an idiot for painting it.

View attachment 40877

Paint it black??? Your wife IS the better half! Does she have a (rich) sister?

 

[Sinovac]

Paint it black??? Your wife IS the better half! Does she have a (rich) sister?

Actually she does. :lol

 

[Simon]

If you use paint protection film will u loose the shine? Looks nice

 

[Sinovac]

If you use paint protection film will u loose the shine? Looks nice

Thanks. Don't know about the film.

 

[nautoncall]

I can vouch that driving a Cobra at speeds much above 145 is like driving a sheet of plywood into the wind. My front end also started to get light or at least I thought it was.

Wow you are a brave man!! About 110-120 and I feel like I'm gonna take off!! Most fun 0-100 car ever!!



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[usmcfred]

I have an E.R.A. 427 S/C Blue with White stripes. It's very true to the original with the curves and bulges in all the right places. Power is a period Ford 427 Side Oiler with Holman and Moody medium rise dual quad manifold with two Holley 750 CFM carbs. The gearbox is a period correct '66 Ford Top Loader 4-speed.

As others have said, it's a man's car and the most fun you can have with your pants on up to around 100. After that, it's a real handful and gets scary with front end lift. The guys that drove these at 200 MPH down the Mulsanne Straight had brass you-know-whats.

Every Ford guy should own a Cobra once, then sell it if it scares the bejesus out of you. usmcfred

 

[twobjshelbys]

As others have said, it's a man's car and the most fun you can have with your pants on up to around 100. After that, it's a real handful and gets scary with front end lift. The guys that drove these at 200 MPH down the Mulsanne Straight had brass you-know-whats.

I think the fastest they got with the Cobra was 198MPH. I don't think 2MPH made much of a difference in how brassy they had to be. Then add scary on top of scary, they were doing it on Goodyear Billboard bias ply tires!!!

 

[cobra498]

It is possible to add power steering to a Cobra, I used an Appleton rack and made a mount that bolted to the original steering rack mounts. I used a GM pump
with remote reservoir mounted on the left side of the engine. packaging was not a problem and I have a dry sump pump along with mechanical water pump and alternator. The stock steering is too slow to catch the car under "exciting conditions" so my steering is 1 turn lock to lock and with that ratio and big front tires you have to have power. Brakes do not require assist although some people add power brakes, the car is light enough that you don't need them. I cannot stress this enough, if you think a Ford GT is scary on a cold day with cold tires multiply that by 3-4 and you have a 90" wheel base Cobra. In the summer hardly a month goes by with out a Cobra death somewhere in the US because of pilot error. These cars are an accident waiting to happen because of driver skill levels and alignment / setup. You need very quick hands to stay out of trouble and that muscle memory will not be developed late in life. A cobra needs to be respected like a loaded gun because it will kill you if you don't. Please be careful if you decide to purchase one and drive like you have an egg under the throttle that you don't want to break.

 

[mopar]

would like to see im a buyer

 

[mopar]

I know a local Michigan guy, from Grosse Pointe who bought a Ford GT and wants to sell his Cobra.

would like pics I am a buyer if i find the right car

 

[nautoncall]

A cobra needs to be respected like a loaded gun because it will kill you if you don't. Please be careful if you decide to purchase one and drive like you have an egg under the throttle that you don't want to break.

This ^^^!! and never ever get on the throttle unless you are pointed straight ahead and even then you have to be careful. Is that why we love these cars so much.....because they will "bite"? I guess that's why I love my Gen3 Viper the same. Modern day cobra with all the amenities.

 

[twobjshelbys]

Every time i got in my cobra it whispered in its little snake voice "I'm going to kill you". It all depends on tires but the tires 9n mine were related to the factory gt tires and we're not cold or wet friendly. I did the 360+ twice just turning left. Once was about 50*f just coming out of the garage onto highway 36. the second was on wet again a left turn. Neither were extremely spirited.

If you can drive a cobra you can handle almost anything. Well a f1 car might take a little practice. Being able to control a gt I would say is the beginners license for a cobra. Even without nannies the gt is extremely well behaved

 

[nautoncall]

To this day, the Lord was watching out for me when I went to look at the car that is now mine. The prior owner of my car was not scared of this car at all. (He's lucky he never had an accident). Anyway, it was this time of year and 35-40 degrees out. I went over his house. He had not started the car in a couple months. Took a little bit to get it to fire off. I'm bundled up with stocking cap and coat and still freezing. We went out on this country road where he proceeded to stop on a long straight away 2 lane road with no shoulder and quite a bit of elevation (the tires were not warm at all as we were 5 minutes from his house). He launched that car and I was literally scared to death. Somehow we stayed straight. Somehow the Mickey Thompson ET Streets (315/35/17) kept traction after first gear. May be stupid, but I knew right then I wanted the car.

 

[twobjshelbys]

May be stupid, but I knew right then I wanted the car.

You can't believe how many people say that. "The thing almost killed me the first time I was in it. Couldn't wait to get my hands on one."

I just remembered another incident after you mentioned yours. Like you, on straight but cold pavement. Pulled out of a driveway onto highway 36 (again, but east of town, recently repaved using grooved concrete). Again early morning and I knew about the turn thing. Got from 2nd to 3rd, just normal acceleration and then 3-4 the rear end broke loose. Just a small driver pucker, passenger was scared and he's a good driver! I told him it happens all the time

 

[nautoncall]

Reading all this got me all excited. 75 degrees today. Just had to enjoy the weather!!

https://vimeo.com/153634510

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[mopar]

very nice

 

[stephen_becker]

Mopar / Happy to help you out in your quest and questions / I am a factory-authorized Shelby-American (SAI) dealer as well as a SAI Mod Shop. Please let me know if I can help. www.planetshelbycobra.com

Stephen