looking at ac cobras replicas any in put on a good brand to buy would be very help full, thinking about JBL 4.6 car any experienced in puts
witch replica ac cobra is a good one to buy
- Thread starter mopar
- Start date
Kayvan
GT Owner
- Jul 13, 2006
- 4,782
nautoncall
GT Owner
- Apr 6, 2014
- 1,093
Really depends on how much you want to pay. I think there are some good quality replicas for reasonable price. Kirkham will be at the top. Middle road with good quality is Superformance. I have a Factory Five that was built with new components from the ground up with no donor car. It's powered by 445 (http://bennettracingengines.com/445p/) making 675hp/600tq. It's got 7000 "hard" miles and runs like a champ and no rattles, nothing falling apart, etc. It's been beat on pretty hard and can dish out WAY more than my life can handle.
Attachments
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
You don't say if you are looking for an aluminum or fiberglass. I would recommend fiberglass if you are going to drive it at all. The alloy cars can be reasonably fragile with rock dings and hail will be a major problem.
Shelby still makes them. (Lots of people don't know this, I don't know if you do.) They are still the premium builds. Both fiberglass and aluminum. There is an aluminum Shelby CSX4xxx car for 160K that is probably the steal of the century. Glass cars are also will built. My Cobra was CSX4005LA and was one of 6 carbon fiber cars.
Kirkham makes a nice alloy car. Older Shelby CSX alloy cars were built in Vegas. Later they were sourced from Kirkham but unique in that there were no interchangeable parts. Now the alloy CSX cars are just a Kirkham, and I would be hard pressed to justify the price difference, except that Shelby's do appreciate and all the rest go down.
For glass cars like Superformance makes a really nice car and it is a finished roller. That is, as with Shelby CSX and Kirkham, it is a completely finished body that all you have to do is add an engine/transmission of your choice.
Other glass cars in my opinion are hit and miss. Factory Five does offer a finished roller, but the inside is not "original spec". They also have a kit you assemble and I've seen some perfect kits and some totally abhorrable units that I would personally be ashamed of.
As was mentioned above there are cars that are based on original style frames but also built on a donor Mustang. Stay away from those kits. ERA makes a really nice original style car but it's in the SPF league and I think SPF is better in recent years.
Look on www.cobracountry.com for used Cobras. It's the clearinghouse for Cobras. It'll give you a good idea of the differences in specs and prices. If you would consider Shelby or Kirkham, I would encourage you to look at existing cars since the lead times for new builds from them are over a year (I heard Kirkham might be longer).
Good luck!!!
I loved my Cobra and may very well go back to one. (My wife hated it, wouldn't ride in it, so I sold it to get the GT). I would buy a CSX again (she won't go anywhere anyway) since they do so well on resale.
Shelby still makes them. (Lots of people don't know this, I don't know if you do.) They are still the premium builds. Both fiberglass and aluminum. There is an aluminum Shelby CSX4xxx car for 160K that is probably the steal of the century. Glass cars are also will built. My Cobra was CSX4005LA and was one of 6 carbon fiber cars.
Kirkham makes a nice alloy car. Older Shelby CSX alloy cars were built in Vegas. Later they were sourced from Kirkham but unique in that there were no interchangeable parts. Now the alloy CSX cars are just a Kirkham, and I would be hard pressed to justify the price difference, except that Shelby's do appreciate and all the rest go down.
For glass cars like Superformance makes a really nice car and it is a finished roller. That is, as with Shelby CSX and Kirkham, it is a completely finished body that all you have to do is add an engine/transmission of your choice.
Other glass cars in my opinion are hit and miss. Factory Five does offer a finished roller, but the inside is not "original spec". They also have a kit you assemble and I've seen some perfect kits and some totally abhorrable units that I would personally be ashamed of.
As was mentioned above there are cars that are based on original style frames but also built on a donor Mustang. Stay away from those kits. ERA makes a really nice original style car but it's in the SPF league and I think SPF is better in recent years.
Look on www.cobracountry.com for used Cobras. It's the clearinghouse for Cobras. It'll give you a good idea of the differences in specs and prices. If you would consider Shelby or Kirkham, I would encourage you to look at existing cars since the lead times for new builds from them are over a year (I heard Kirkham might be longer).
Good luck!!!
I loved my Cobra and may very well go back to one. (My wife hated it, wouldn't ride in it, so I sold it to get the GT). I would buy a CSX again (she won't go anywhere anyway) since they do so well on resale.
Last edited:
Roadtrip
GT Owner
- Dec 28, 2006
- 421
I love my Superformance, the quality is fantastic.
I agree with many above. Fiberglass: ERA or Superformance... Aluminum: Kirkham or Shelby... I wouldn't bother with a Shelby unless you go Aluminum though, mainly because they are built in the same factory as Superformance. I also recommend fuel injection if you can squeak it in the budget.
I agree with many above. Fiberglass: ERA or Superformance... Aluminum: Kirkham or Shelby... I wouldn't bother with a Shelby unless you go Aluminum though, mainly because they are built in the same factory as Superformance. I also recommend fuel injection if you can squeak it in the budget.
While original Cobras maintain escalating values, most will not drive them.
Many owners of Cobra replicas (that I have known) wind up selling after a few years, due to the uncompromising suspension of the cars - they wind up beating you to death. It is not an "enjoyable" vehicle to drive, but rather requires WORK, and constant diligence to keep it under control. Those that enjoy such handling will love their cars - the others sell them after a few years of loving discontent.
bonehead
GT Owner
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
I think a lot more sell because the significant other thinks the car is the devil incarnate than because of driver suspension. Yes it is - you can drive over a quarter and tell if it heads or tails. Passengers hate them while drivers love them. My wife made the vampire cross every time she walked by it.
Re backdraft: The nicest one I saw was the swimsuit issue with Danica Patrick splayed on the fender. Again. For kits it has to do more with tal3nt m
Fiberglass Shelbys and spf are manufactured to way different specs by hightech but otherwise share no interchangeable parts. If you're looking at used older cars look for a Shelby HST car. They were the best and made the few carbon fiber cars too.
Note that a lot of the questions really boil do with how authentic you want the car to be. Shelby still builds the same frame. Others use square tubes. Some stretch the body. Etc
No matter what you shall sit in the car you are thinking of buying. All are different and inside fit is important. I tried on a spf and found d the steering wheel hit my lap whereas the Shelby had it higher and fit as I would expect.
Re backdraft: The nicest one I saw was the swimsuit issue with Danica Patrick splayed on the fender. Again. For kits it has to do more with tal3nt m
Fiberglass Shelbys and spf are manufactured to way different specs by hightech but otherwise share no interchangeable parts. If you're looking at used older cars look for a Shelby HST car. They were the best and made the few carbon fiber cars too.
Note that a lot of the questions really boil do with how authentic you want the car to be. Shelby still builds the same frame. Others use square tubes. Some stretch the body. Etc
No matter what you shall sit in the car you are thinking of buying. All are different and inside fit is important. I tried on a spf and found d the steering wheel hit my lap whereas the Shelby had it higher and fit as I would expect.
Last edited:
Sinovac
GT Owner
thank all of you. thinking superformance car there is a 4.6 jbl car i like but no one knows much about them and the seller only put a 100 miles on it in 6 months.
Last edited:
DakotaGT
GT Owner
Beautiful cars (everybody!), but Paul, that polished aluminum Kirkham is exquisite. How do you maintain the aluminum? Is it pretty high-maintenance?
nautoncall
GT Owner
- Apr 6, 2014
- 1,093
Wow that polished aluminum is gorgeous!!
My wife loves to take a long country ride in mine. She is short and I got her to drive once with pillows behind her back and clunky shoes on, but she hated driving it (no power steering or brakes)!
I would think any SPF car would be well built and won't break the bank.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
My wife loves to take a long country ride in mine. She is short and I got her to drive once with pillows behind her back and clunky shoes on, but she hated driving it (no power steering or brakes)!
I would think any SPF car would be well built and won't break the bank.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Last edited:
Saint Ho
GT Owner
After several Cobra, I have a Superformance and I consider it, undoubtedly the strongest, the best-built and the most enjoyable replica.
I do not see the reason of paying much more expensive, for a aluminum car, hard to maintain in perfect condition.
To by a Cobra I recommend "Cobra Country". I founded my one through that Internet site, and imported it from USA.
Best regards from France.
I do not see the reason of paying much more expensive, for a aluminum car, hard to maintain in perfect condition.
To by a Cobra I recommend "Cobra Country". I founded my one through that Internet site, and imported it from USA.
Best regards from France.
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
One other bit of advice. You don't say whether you want the "big block 427" (CSX3000 based) or small block 289 (CSX2000 based). Mine was a 427/SC with a Roush small block engine at 427CI. I never felt that the engine was being "used" enough to really operate as it was intended. Unless I was really cruising on the highway the Tremec 5 speed stayed in 4th max so the engine would rev higher. In city driving the big displacement engines tend to verge on overheating becasue there isn't enough air flow. I could mitigate with the two outside pusher fans that it wasn't enough on really hot days.
For that reason, my next Cobra will be a 289 based car. The smaller engine will operate at a higher RPM and just be happier.
Have you considered a Daytona Coupe? The coupe is enclosed of course but you can actually drive it in weather. The down side of a Cobra is you have to plan your day around the same conditions you would a Harley.
Speaking of weather, just so you know the Cobra is probably the most technically challenging car you will ever drive. With the power, you will break loose the rear end in the simplest of maneuvers. Heel-toe for downshifting is difficult due to pedal configurations (and in some cases like mine, due to horizontal pedal offsets of the original, virtually impossible, even Bondurant said that he shimmed the accel pedal.) The weight:HP ratio is the same between my Cobra and GT (with a pulley/tune) and the GT is a much more condition-friendly drive.
For that reason, my next Cobra will be a 289 based car. The smaller engine will operate at a higher RPM and just be happier.
Have you considered a Daytona Coupe? The coupe is enclosed of course but you can actually drive it in weather. The down side of a Cobra is you have to plan your day around the same conditions you would a Harley.
Speaking of weather, just so you know the Cobra is probably the most technically challenging car you will ever drive. With the power, you will break loose the rear end in the simplest of maneuvers. Heel-toe for downshifting is difficult due to pedal configurations (and in some cases like mine, due to horizontal pedal offsets of the original, virtually impossible, even Bondurant said that he shimmed the accel pedal.) The weight:HP ratio is the same between my Cobra and GT (with a pulley/tune) and the GT is a much more condition-friendly drive.
nautoncall
GT Owner
- Apr 6, 2014
- 1,093
Question, I know many of you are traditionalists, but does anyone have power steering or brakes.? This makes a big difference. My car has neither and as stated above makes it a handful...fun...but a handful. Also, this is nontraditional, but do you want AC or heat?
I guess it just depends on gearing, as I have 3.55 gears and I can easily cruise 55-60 in 5th.
I guess it just depends on gearing, as I have 3.55 gears and I can easily cruise 55-60 in 5th.
debtdrives
GT Owner
I know a local Michigan guy, from Grosse Pointe who bought a Ford GT and wants to sell his Cobra.
twobjshelbys
GT Owner
I've never heard of anyone doing power steering or power brakes. Of course, no original ever had PS or PB. I'm not sure where you'd put the PS. The column is pretty short and clearance around the footbox is at a premium. Maybe electric might work but some creativity would be needed.
Brakes, I dunno. The brake system is pretty primitive as is, and adding the plumbing might be possible but I wouldn't want to try it myself.
It is worth mentioning out loud, as is alluded to in the quoted post, that a Cobra is a MANS car. There is no power anything, so in the 0-100-0 fastest time record that the Cobra 427 holds, a significant amount of the time and effort was in STOPPING. Racking the steering on a concrete driveway while standing is a task.
Anyone thinking of a Cobra should listen to Bill Cosby's documentary 200 MPH.
P.S. You didn't ask about automatic transmission. Yes. Even Carroll's own car had an automatic (changed later in his life.)
Last edited: