Cobra owners

[John H.]

Re: Cobra owners

Back in the early 90's, I built three Cobra replicas - two Uniques and an ERA (the only ones of many on the market at the time that had the correct rear body and quarter panel proportions). They were 427 bodies, but I powered them all with 358 Windsors with Robert Yates heads and top-loaders, and all had Jag rear ends. The most incredibly exciting and totally impractical cars on the planet; made for a fun drive from Michigan to Gadsden/Talladega, Alabama each May for the Unique Cobrafest. Photos below show a Unique on the left, the ERA on the right.

I know a little about Vipers too....and Ferraris....


Cobrafrt34.jpgMyERA.jpg

[Gene M.]

Re: Cobra owners

Years ago I often thought about a kit cobra but my plan DEFINITELY entailed a CHEVY SMALL BLOCK under the hood. No way was I going to have a Ford. I never did build one as 60's Corvettes was ALWAYS first on my list.

[Mark D.]

Re: Cobra owners

It's a 2 owner, 2 Doctor Arizona car which is definitely a plus

As opposed to a Michigan doctor...

[Patrick H.]

Re: Cobra owners

As opposed to a Michigan doctor...

Yeah, we'd drive the thing year 'round as a winter beater.

[William L.]

Re: Cobra owners

I 1965 when I started with Delta Airlines the Station Manager for Ozark Airlines had street Cobra that he would on an occasion drive it to work an park it with the rest of the employees. I was to stupid to realize what it was, as I cool in my 59 2 door Chevy Impala. Ahh for the good old days.

[Graeme B.]

Re: Cobra owners

You guys think a Cobra is hot. I own a replica Cobra Daytona Coupe made in Australia. Let mw tell you these things are so aero that NO air gets in or out of the cabin.It's sure fun to drive with a LS 7 427 chev and a Holinger 6 speed sequential box. It's got a full spaceframe chassis and all the goodies like ABS, Traction control, Launch control, flat shift etc.Still love the Vettes though. Cheers, Graeme from OZ.

[Don H.]

Re: Cobra owners

Since the topic is NCRS corvette owners who are also Cobra owners, I want to provide this link to a story I found very interesting about a long time 63 Z06 owner I was fortunate to meet and talk at length with at Kansas City National Convention in July. CJ Titterington was there with his Black /Black No. 81 Z06 tanker, bought by him in 1976 when he was 19 years old, kept all these years, and meticulously restored almost completely by himself and his friends to flawless condition. Noted Z06 authority Franz Estereicher assisted with advice to restore the car exactly as it had been raced in the late 60s. Amazingly, CJ bought a second car in 1981 when he 24 years old, and kept that all these years too. An original 289 Cobra. If you have all seen this story before, I apologize. I found it to be amazing.

http://www.corvetteblogger.com/2013/07/24/the-epic-journey-of-c-j-titterington-and-his-1963-corvette-z06/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+CorvetteBlogger+(Corvette%3A+Sales%2C+News+%26+Lifestyle)

[Jim D.]

Re: Cobra owners

as I cool in my 59 2 door Chevy Impala. Ahh for the good old days.

White with red interior? Mine was.

[Michael J.]

[Don H.]

Re: Cobra owners

CJ Titterington also had his car on display in the Z06 line up at Hampton Roads National Meet. He said he didn't have the roughly $3500 he paid for the Z06 either back
in 1976, but his mother backed his play. Is that a great mother or what??

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

Absolutely, it would be great to have a Mom with money…...

[Tim G.]

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

[QUOTE=Tim Gilmore (16887);720698]I have an alloy CSX 4000 series Cobra with an aluminum 468 cubic inch FE motor and a brushed aluminum Kirkham Cobra with an aluminum 482 cubic inch FE motor. I have a few survivor '67 big blocks that are well running cars, one 435 and two 390 horse. I must say that the Cobras make the '67 435 look like a mild mannered car. The Kirkham Cobra is a work of art and is way better than the CSX 4000 series as far as refinement, brakes, sound deadening and instrumentation. The Kirkham Cobra is just a flat out wicked car that has 650 horse power and weighs 2,000 LB. With a good driver (not me), it would turn mid 10’s and with the five speed Tremec would approach 200 (not me) at 7000 RPM. Neither of the Cobras are nice cars, they only go fast, stop and turn well. If I had to pick, I’d go with the ’67 Corvette for a better car to drive. Nobody ever asks me if a ’67 Corvette is real or a replica, either.[/QUOT
I would agree with that, except now a days more and more people ask if my '67 L71 is real or not……
And most of us in the Shelby American Auto Club would not consider a non-CSX Cobra a "Shelby". They are not in the registry of course, but still the Kirkhams are the best of the replicas, and of course by far the most expensive, even considering the CSX Cobras. Bet you have a fun time driving around in those too!

[Michael J.]

Re: Cobra owners

As a final addition here, and something very Corvette related, I found out something very interesting when I visited Shelby American in 'Vegas yesterday for my final "fitment" and adjustment visit ( for pedals, wheel, seats, Weber jetting, etc.) for my 50th Anniversary FIA Cobra. If you will notice in the picture, it has a vintage '64 Corvette Harrison expansion tank. That is exactly what Shelby used for FIA racing in 1964 to win all the races, also thanks to Bondurant, McDonald, etc from Zora's team the year before. It is said that Shelby wanted the "best" of the parts available and that expansion tank was critical apparently, so it is on the new editions for the "appearance" of originality, and BTW they are originals that are restored especially for these builds. I mentioned the inspection sticker was not on it, but I have extras to make it fully correct…...

[Jim S.]

Re: Cobra owners

When I was at the University of Detroit around 1964 a senior engineering student had a 289 Cobra. I know that he raced it at the Waterford, MI track. I think that he may have had Webers but I just can't remember. He only brought it to school a very few times. He was a couple years ahead of me, I never got a ride.



As a product engineer for Saginaw Steering Gear Division, I also remember a plant visit to the Goodyear, Norfolk, Nebraska hose production plant. We were at dinner and the young plant manager was seated next to me. When we got to talking about cars, I mentioned that I currently owned a 1980 Vette. He reached into his wallet and produced a small photo of a 427 Cobra. He said that he owned it during the late 60s or early 70s, and that he could break the rear wheels loose in any gear all the way up to 120 mph. I think that he said that he sold it for $7000 shortly thereafter.

Jim