What Do You Know About..

[ktford]

Do it Lukey they are the bomb, even Trent could pick up chicks with one of those, not that that is important. Just don't compromise and buy a Toyota Torana rear ended one, go the Independant rear and DON'T PUT A I <3 Bananas CHEV IN IT.

Mates dad had one 302 Windsor, VN Turbo 700, Jag rear, it ran 13.7's with spin. Furk we had some fun in it, talk about wild legal fun, well semi sort of legal at times

[cobrav8]

In NZ - if you build one yourself (getting major parts manufactured and doing some stuff yourself on assembly etc) you will spend at least $60k to make a good one. Mine cost the original owner around $100K to build.

At the moment the same $60k car will sell second hand for around $45k (ie they cost more to make than people will be able to sell them for, though that seems to be reversing). My car would sell for more than I purchased it for, so you shouldnt lose anything on a second hand purchase, may even make some if it is a good one.

I have had my car for over 10 years now - and have had some awesome fun with it, completely impractical to use every day- but a buzz to drive and race. That is partially as my car is setup more as a race car (race cam, Race gearbox, Hillborn Injection that you have to prime to start, aeroscreen instead of a windscdreen and runs on Avgas). Sometimes I wish I had a lower powered more practical Cobra that I could drive to work every day (some people have).

There is a company local to me in NZ that manufactures Cobras - Grahame Berry Race Cars ( www.kiwiracecars.com) - and they are fantastic quality. (They made mine). Not all replicas are created equal - ie some have pretty shabby chassis (some Aussie ones used to use a Toyota Crown Chassis). You will need to do some research, and to have a look and drive of some options. Do not buy anything unseen.

There are some companies in the states who make aluminium replicas - basically identical to the real ones (though they dont handle as well as some of the more fake ones). Have a look at the Clubcobra.com site as well. A guy in Christchurch NZ recently purchased a kit from the UK - cause he liked their ones, freight costs arnt too bad.

A lot of Aussie built cars are now using Chevy LS2s - as they are cheap, available, good motors, that can pass smog tests etc. The Boss motors dont fit some of the brands of replicas.

There is always a debate between Big Block and Small Block motors (like between F6 and XR6 on here). Some people like high revving light weight small blocks, and others like stump pulling torque of big blocks. Mine is a heavy Big Block Chev - but is reliable and produces great power.

Whatever you get, if new, or imported you will need to get certified for use on Aussie roads.

If you want to have a ride in my car - feel free to fly over to Wellington. I can take you for a squirt that will give you a feel of what a race version is like. Also I can arrange a visit to the place that makes them nearby. They have a left hand drive car almost complete that is off to Dubai shortly, and have exported a few to the States as well. There are always at least one or two being made at a time. They also build a lot of Hotrods and Dragsters.

Drop me a message if you want some photos of some cars, or any more information.

[tab]

  ktford said:

Do it Lukey they are the bomb, even Trent could pick up chicks with one of those,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I only have eyes for you though big boy ........would it work in that instance?

[ktford]

Weep O weep, yours is Chuck Heave Vomit powered, boo hoo I'm sad

[ExAreSix]

Pfft, I know what I'd be putting in the front of mine if I built one... I6 4.0L Turbo.

[cobrav8]

Yeh yeh - dirty chevy, heard it all before - feel free to line your car up against mine any of you- circuit race, drag, stump pulling even - then we will see what you think.

I reckon a Cobra should always have a v8. I have seen a Sierra Cosworth Turbo powered one - heaps of power - but just seem wrong.

I reckon a C type Jaguar replica with a XR6T motor would be the way to go with the inline 6 idea.

[Flukey]

  cobrav8 said:

In NZ - if you build one yourself (getting major parts manufactured and doing some stuff yourself on assembly etc) you will spend at least $60k to make a good one.  Mine cost the original owner around $100K to build.

At the moment the same $60k car will sell second hand for around $45k  (ie they cost more to make than people will be able to sell them for, though that seems to be reversing).  My car would sell for more than I purchased it for, so you shouldnt lose anything on a second hand purchase, may even make some if it is a good one.

I have had my car for over 10 years now - and have had some awesome fun with it, completely impractical to use every day- but a buzz to drive and race.  That is partially as my car is setup more as a race car (race cam, Race gearbox, Hillborn Injection that you have to prime to start, aeroscreen instead of  a windscdreen and runs on Avgas).  Sometimes I wish I had a lower powered more practical Cobra that I could drive to work every day (some people have).

There is a company local to me in NZ that manufactures Cobras - Grahame Berry Race Cars ( www.kiwiracecars.com) - and they are fantastic quality.  (They made mine).  Not all replicas are created equal - ie some have pretty shabby chassis (some Aussie ones used to use a Toyota Crown Chassis).  You will need to do some research, and to have a look and drive of some options.  Do not buy anything unseen.

There are some companies in the states who make aluminium replicas - basically identical to the real ones (though they dont handle as well as some of the more fake ones).  Have a look at the Clubcobra.com site as well.  A guy in Christchurch NZ recently purchased a kit from the UK - cause he liked their ones, freight costs arnt too bad.

A lot of Aussie built cars are now using Chevy LS2s - as they are cheap, available, good motors, that can pass smog tests etc.  The Boss motors dont fit some of the brands of replicas.

There is always a debate between Big Block and Small Block motors (like between F6 and XR6 on here).  Some people like high revving light weight small blocks, and others like stump pulling torque of big blocks.  Mine is a heavy Big Block Chev - but is reliable and produces great power.

Whatever you get, if new, or imported you will need to get certified for use on Aussie roads.

If you want to have a ride in my car - feel free to fly over to Wellington.  I can take you for a squirt that will give you a feel of what a race version is like.  Also I can arrange a visit to the place that makes them nearby.  They have a left hand drive car almost complete that is off to Dubai shortly, and have exported a few to the States as well.  There are always at least one or two being made at a time.  They also build a lot of Hotrods and Dragsters.

Drop me a message if you want some photos of some cars, or any more information.

Cheers, great reply, and thanks for the offer.

[Lumpen]

Hey Flukey,

You may have seen it, but this is a nice looking cobra...Seems to have all the right stuff too! Cobra Love!

At the other end of the scale...some 'atrocity' like CobraV8 was talking about: Nissan Motor? WTFz0r!

If there was ever a car screaming out for an alloy Dart block stroked to 440+ci (7.5L small block!) and packed full of lightweight alloy bits and pieces it would be the iitsy-bitsy cobra

Lumpy

[cobrav8]

The first one looks good. though I like sidepipes on a Cobra.

Another thing you will notice about some replicas, they just dont look right - a bit long, or a bit flat - there seem to be lots of them that start out life with not quite the right curves or dimensions (some use parts that necessitate stretching the wheelbase a bit). The second one looks a bit like this (as well as having the horrid 6 cylinder motor). I reckon they are cool cars still - but depends what you want. I wouldnt be happy with a 4 or 6 banger Cobra, some people wouldnt like my Chev v8. People in the states like to have water catch tanks that are like the originals, and batteries with the same number of filler caps - depends on how much of a perfectionist you are.

Ps Lumpy:

440 cu in - 7171cc

454= 7400cc

The weight difference between small and big blocks (particularly if you got a alloy big block) isnt that enromous - especially as the weight distribution is good on a Cobra (mine is 50:50 with a big block).

My whole car is only 1060kgs. (though it has a kevlar body, and a few other tricks to keep weight down from most replicas).

Edited 27/02/06 03:40 AM by cobrav8

[Chooka]

  cobrav8 said:

Yeh yeh - dirty chevy, heard it all before - feel free to line your car up against mine any of you- circuit race, drag, stump pulling even - then we will see what you think.

I reckon a Cobra should always have a v8.  I have seen a Sierra Cosworth Turbo powered one - heaps of power - but just seem wrong.

I reckon a C type Jaguar replica with a XR6T motor would be the way to go with the inline 6 idea.

Putting anything but a V8 in a cobra is sacrilege just like cobra has said

Like putting a worked 250 cross flow in a GT40

Chooka