What cobra should I buy/build?
I always answer this question with an explanation of the cars history and asking what are you trying to do? Do you want a good resale value, as cheap a build as possible or what?
As you become familiar with the hobby and the vehicle, you learn there are four tiers of cars available to you.
Original Cobra: unless you have an unlimited bankroll, this is probably out of your range. At today’s market, 427 cars are going to run you 1-2 million, depending on their pedigree and condition.
- Continuation & Kirkhams: Often these are one in the same, Shelby American rebadges the Kirkham car with their nameplate and then sells it as a continuation “CSX” car. For the most part, these are aluminum skinned cars and will run somewhere between $150-250,000.
- Higher end & Period Correct: I’ve group two sub-tiers together here, mainly since the dollars involved are very similar
- This tier is typically a fiberglass skin, ‘splashed’ off an original cobra so the lines, shape, size is very accurate to the original cars. Over the years, the market has shown the higher resale values are based on how accurate is the build to the original design. Cars in this group include ERA, Classic, Hurricane, etc.
Assembled Cars. Superformance and Backdraft tend to fit into this category, even though they are not an accurate body style. The availability of a ‘ready to drive’ cobra has great attraction to some and the cost of the ‘drive it away’ put it into this class, even though it isn’t period correct. The body style of the Backdraft is definitely different from the original cars. The Superformance is closer, but once you get the know the vehicles, you can definitely tell a difference.
- Look-Alike: This group encompasses a large number of firms that supply a fiberglass body and other components to assemble a vehicle that closely resembles a cobra. Factory Five is the best known and the unquestioned leader in the marketing of cobra vehicles. There cars are easy to build and do resemble a 65 cobra however, over the years, they have taken a lot of license on the shape of the body. The current Mark IV kit is their best offering althoug as you get into it, you’ll find a number of variances from the original cars.
GT40's
The GT40 tends to follow the same logic with a couple new twists
- Is it a space frame or a monocoque? The originals were monocoque however this adds a lot of complexity and cost. Spaceframes are easier to manufacturer
- Is it foreign or domestic? The purchase process typically involves a substantial deposit of money to have the kit built. If you have issues, can you easily get to the manufacturer? Is he an 8 hr. drive or would it involve an international flight and passports? Something to think about
The GT40 build is substantially more difficult and expensive. The market is considerably smaller and many often get in over their head. This is one time that looking to the second-owner level for unfinished builds may make sense.
