Find Reviews by Make:
Rick Hamilton writes in:
I am seriously considering buying a Factory Five or Superperformance Cobra. I would like to know if there is any real downside to owning one (lots of maintenance, cramped foot area, etc). I noticed one seller said “if you are over 5′9″ do not buy this car.” Somewhere else I read “some models are 4″ longer to accomodate taller drivers.” Is that really a factor to consider at 5′10″?
25 Comments on “Ask the Best and Brightest: Bringing Home a Cobra?...”
Read all comments
JEEEZ It is a Cobra. Only one reason to buy it. 2200 Lbs, 400HP (give or take)
If you are worried about comfort or maintenance, just say NO.
Depends on what you want to do with it. Street car/race car/show car? As you probably know, the originals were homologated race cars, the copies are fairly true to that design. The suspension on a Cobra tends to run from stiff to feeling like the springs came off a Burlington Northern freight car. Couple a stiff suspension with a short wheelbase and you get a bucking, jolting, uncomfortable car for street driving. It’ll make a 2001 Mustang GT feel like a limosine.
If you’re ordering direct from the manufactuer rather than buying a car second hand you might be able to get the suspension tuned for what you intend to use it for.
Insurance might be a more important cost for you than upkeep. Also making sure your car is stored in a garage with a security system is a given too.
With a modern crate motor reliablity shouldn’t be much of a problem, and the rest of the car is fairly simple.
I love this car. Wanted to build my own from kit. But I’m 6’4″ and after reading Rick Hamiltons question, I doubt if I’ll fit into one. I don’t think it’s interior is bigger then Honda ‘I don’t Fit’.
I am a bit puzzled as to how these cars are manufactured from scratch today as road cars and yet don’t seem to have to meet any of the relevant safety or emissions laws. How does that work?
@ John Horner: California law allows for 500 new “replica” cars each year. If you don’t get an exemption – and they sell out in a day – then the car must meet the smog requirements for the year of the donor engine.
The car must also meet basic safety requirements like headlights, turn signals, windshield etc.
You mean you intend to buy one without test driving or even sitting in one first?
Yes, it’s true; a number of the replicas dealt with the space issue by lengthening the passenger compartment. You can tell by looking at the door length.
Google is your friend.
The downside is what you are paying for what you are getting. The cars aren’t cheap (to buy or build), so it’s really only something to consider if you have the “disposable” cash and want a toy that impresses the neighbors (and yourself).
Car & Driver wrote of the Factory Five replica: “A car that will confirm your monther-in-law’s worst fears.”
My mother-in-law hates me. I want one.
I know someone who built his own. He found a 69 302 block and bored and stroked to a 334 or something like that. He went with fuel injection and engine controls but was not required to do emissions because it was a 69 engine (beyond the PCV valve) so no cats or egr.
His has a stereo and that’s it. No heater even. But it’s wicked fast and hauls. The seats are more comfortable than you would expect in a Cobra.
Took him about a year to build. He bought the tube frame in pieces and welded it together himself, saving some money. Paint and bodywork were farmed out and cost an arm and a leg. The engine was his own creation, lots of money for aftermarket stuff there.
He is over 6 feet tall, I don’t see him having any problems with the size of the car. That’s the least of your worries since the cars are open and easy to steal, not rain proof, cop magnets, etc. But he gets 18 on the highway and that’s not too bad.
I’ll second GS650G.
It’s all in the build. You can go cheap, but then you’re always wondering how well the kit was designed as you put 400 bhp through it.
Superformance is pretty well-known for thier engineering, but some of the lower-end kits are fairly sketchy.
I’ve seen a kit Cobra with a 502 BBC that was all but undriveable (couldn’t put the power down), and many insurance companies have dropped coverage for these cars. Too many guys go out and kill themsdlves when thier big block Cobra gets away from them. Remember, one of the reasons they weigh 2,200 lbs is NO safety equipment.
Ah, screw it. If you have the money, do it. there’s a reason the Cobra is the most copied car in history; because it’s a hairy-chested suicide machine that makes no concessions to comfort, safety, emissions, or sanity.
You only die once.
Factory 5 and Superformace are a bit different. A factory 5 kit is $12,990 or $18,990 for either the base or complete kit. To complete it parts from a fox body Mustang are needed.
A Superformance is about $60K plus the cost of new crate drivetrain componenets. The Superformance is a bit more true to the original Cobra, and has a standard IRS. The Factory 5 can be fitted with an IRS, but standard it uses the Mustang live axle. The Superformance kit comes also comes more complted than the Factory 5. Both kits use glass reinforced plastic body panels, not aluminum.
The Factory 5 uses a tube frame with aluminum floor pans, and it uses its own short long arm front suspension, so it is a really nice kit, probably better for someone that wants to drive more than they want to replicate every detail of the original Cobra.
My first advice would be to try to get a test drive, there are a lot of Factory 5’s out there (they’ve made over 6,000) , so that should be possible.
Because of the economy the best bet is probably to buy an already built Factory 5 off of someone for much less than the sum of its parts. It should be easy with eBay and hemmings.
I wouldn’t worry about height, the Cobra doesn’t have a roof. I’m 6’2″ and I’ve never had leg room issues, even in a Miata. Headroom in cars with sunroofs is a much bigger issue for me.
Here’s a relevant question: are you looking to build one from the kit, or is it a used one that’s already assembled and ready to drive? Do you want to work on it?
I think it really depends on whether you want a pure automotive toy, or a car that will function acceptably as an everyday car.
Personally, for the $50-60K you’d drop on one of these, I’d go for a used ‘Vette Z06.
I had a colleague who built a Cobra kit. My recollection is that the kit manufacturer specified a 5-liter Mustang carcass, from which you took engine, transmission, and most of the harness. And the Mustang’s title, for registration purposes.
He did a nice job and the result looked fairly polished. At 6’1″ I had no fit issues.
It was a raw car handling-wise. Jim left a lot of rubber on the pavement around town, including in my parking lot. Jim’s mechanical proficiency (or at least his patience) didn’t extend to matching the suspension and brakes to the power, and my one ride in the thing was a near-death experience.
I hate to be a rain shower of practical thinking upon this parade…but in addition to the issues that others have mentioned, make sure that you can get it insured, both easily and affordably. I’d own one in a minute if I had the time, patience, garage space and disposable income – all at the same time, that is.
If you want a driver Cobra, the best bet is an Aurora GRX. These replicas are head and shoulders the best cars for driver duty, because that is what they were set up to do. If you want a trailer queen or something for just the drag strip, look elsewhere.
The Aurora is a good driver, made in Canada it is modeled after the 260/289 Cobras and not the 427’s. dasko, do you know if they’re still being made? Couldn’t find any up to date information on them.
I own an FFR that I built. The cars is a great; fun to drive, fun to autox and I enjoy working on it. They need some refining if you want to do more than look good, but for me that’s been an interesting and informative process.
I got a ride in one before I bought mine and didn’t think much, but had to have a Cobra so went ahead anyway. I enjoy mine more since I’ve been able to suit it to me.
If your not into the build process buy one already built, as with a racecar it’s the cheapest way to go.
My dad’s friend has one that he keeps trying to get me to buy for like $30K. Overall the car is very nice. I don’t remember what kit he said it was but it has a 400+hp LSx engine and looks awesome. Still he’s another one that didn’t fit the car with matching brakes for the power. It takes serious planning to stop it.
Personally, I’d rather build a kit myself. I’d go for one that was less true to the original and more track ready. You can’t really appreciate a car like this on the street, IMHO.
In addition to my someday Ferrari F355, though, one of these is a definite in my future garage. One of the most beautiful and purposeful cars of all time. I say go for it.
Check out http://www.ffcobra.com – thousands of posts on experiences with the Factory Five version.
I’m building one, and it has been an absolutely great hobby. But the end result won’t be anywhere near a daily driver – these are basically race cars that happen to be street legal. Just look at the side pipes – every time you get in our out of the car you are stepping over a burning hot exhaust pipe. That’s just ONE example of why these aren’t really meant to be daily drivers…
I’d like to add the person I know who built one passed on a big block because handling was atrocious, gas consumption ridiculous (a small gas tank means limited driving distance) and the power just could not be put down. These cars are best done with a small block ford.
The sbf has less low end torque and good midrange with excellent high RPM capability. That suits the cobra to a tee. Plus the engine is lightweight and compact, making it easier to tinker with and exhaust systems are a snap to install.
Heat is a big problem, my friend has two electric fans, one that stays on until the engine cools and both have override switches to start them up in traffic before things get hot. The low front end makes radiator placement a bitch and you end up with a small radiator. Oil cooler is mandatory.
Go to Club Cobra to get info on kits and what is best for you. There are many more people over there that have been on this than over here. Since I have not built a Cobra yet, I won’t give you an opinion because I don’t think I have one that I could support. However, I have always wanted to build one, and if I have the money someday, I will.
This is what’s on the market right now, a decently done MKIII Factory 5 with a stock Mustang drivetrain should be available in the low $20s with enough patience:
http://motors.shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=Factory+five+cobra&_sacat=6001&_trksid=p4506.m270.l1313&_dmpt=US_Cars_Trucks&_odkw=Factory+5+cobra&_osacat=6001
Of course you really need to want something that looks like a Cobra and that you can work on yourself, otherwise you’ll be much better off and save a lot of money with an F-body convertible (instead of a Factory 5) or a C5 or C6 Corvette (instead of a Superformance or other high end replica).
@panzerfaust
The Aurora was only made for a few years in the 1980s. Fewer than 200 cars were made but I find that an example will pop up for sale at least once a year. They have an owner’s club with some good info.
http://www.auroracobra.org/reflections.html
The closest I ever came to owning one of these was in 1968, or so–it was a Revell, Aurora or Monogram (don’t remember which) plastic model kit. I built it with (if I recall) the 289 fed by 4 twin Webers, painted it black, and just stared at it for days on end. Even a model of this machine has that effect on any REAL guy.
But back to your query: if you have to ask ANY practical questions about a car like this, you’d be better off looking elsewhere, I believe.
i never saw the point of these cars unless you wanted an american lotus 7 (of sorts)
i do love the GT40 replicas though and would want one of these any day