I'm getting confused

[BIGUNDIES]

I really don't want to open a can of worms here, but I do have to ask the following question.

Please could a few people give me their unbiased opion on why they chose their specific kit. I don't want a free for all slagging off of each manufacturer, just knowledge to help me to make one of the most important financial decisions of my life. I would like to here from people who have, or are building their kit, about the ease of build and the company support structure. As an after thought, can all kit's get the same quality interior finish or do some kits finish better than others?

Thanks for anybody that replies to the above, and appologies to all if you have seen similar threads, but I have to start somewhere.

Lee

:}

[Rodders]

Hi Lee can't help with build tips as I had mine built by D B Replicas. I had the Dax because it was the best I could afford and I'm very happy with it.

Best of luck with your project M8

[rocket]

Hello Lee,

I built a Pilgrim because It was the best I could afford also. ( bit cheaper than DAX and AK) I could have a better spec for a bit less.

Rather like going for a focus with all the knobs on instead of buying a BMW that you have to wind the windows up on your self!!

I'm happy with my car and it does what I want in to do.

You need to ask yourself what you want it for. THEN decide on a bugdet.

At the end of the day they are all Cobra replicas and they ALL turn heads!They all sound good too! and to each and every one of us they are our pride and joy.

There are good and bad examples of all the Kits, and remember that the car is only as good as the person who built it!

I had more trouble deciding what colour to spray it than which kit to pick!

Any how I wish you all the best, go and get some test drives!

Rgds

Roger(ShinyBitz):tu

[osgood]

Contrary Mary

Lee, I built a Viper because I liked the style and the package was only £2,000 at the time. The chassis is one of the stronger ones on the market (Ladder Frame).

Lets be frank though not an easy kit to build; not everybody's cup of tea style wise and most definitely not for the faint hearted!! May have chosen another if I knew what I know now.

I think what ever the kit is it depends how much effort you put into it, and of course how much money you are prepared to throw at it re the right bits & fitting them correctly Eric

[Ian XII COB]

Lee,

I chose the GD Euro for the following reasons:

1. Being an engineer I evaluated the chassis from an engineering point of view. And it was my opinion that the GD chassis was be far the best with much higher torsional rigidity then every other chassis on the market. All the others are ladder frame which whilst more true to the original Cobra is inherently less rigid. A more rigid chassis equals better and more consistent handling.

2. The GD Euro chassis also uses it's own light weight suspension that is fully rose jointed, the benefit being far less unsprung weight then the others that generally use Jag suspension. This translates into a far better handling car, that can be fine tuned for optimum handling.

3. The fact that the body is semi-monocoque means it is very stiff in it's own right and also allows the body to be removed in a couple of hours for major work on the engine/gearbox. All the other bodies are like jelly moulds that have no stiffness of their own, and have to be permanently fixed to the chassis. This makes future removal of the engine and gearbox much more difficult.

4. The body shell moulding of the GD is excellent and allows a very good final finished in gel coat, see my car in the gallery for example.

5. GD were also very accommodating when I visited them and already had an excellent reputation for customer support.

It really depends upon what you are looking for! I wanted a car that had modern levels of grip and handling. And I was not trying to make my car indistinguishable from a real 60's Cobra, more a modern version of what the Cobra might have been with development.

At the end of the day it also depends upon your budget, now to really put the cat amoungst the pigeons! I divide the market into three levels:

i. The budget level that consists of the likes of Pilgim Sumo, Fiero etc and generally use Ford suspension. Completed cars generally cost under £20k

ii. The middle level that consists of the likes of Dax, AK etc and generally use Jag suspension. Completed cars generally cost around the up to £25k to complete.

iii. The top level that consists of GD Euro & Crendon. Completed cars generally cost around early £30's to complete. The real difference between these 2 being the Crendon is aiming to be very authentic to the original Cobra, including the chassis design and its handling. The GD Euro is focussing more on achiving a high level of vehicle dynamics.

This I must stress are only my opinions and observations. They are not to put down the other replicas, they are all good in their own market sector. At the end of the day you get what you pay for.

Ps. I have excluded replicas such as Kirkham, which create a new super authentic replica, but at considerable cost that is out of most of our budgets.

Hope this helps!


Ian
XII COB - GD Euro, 383ci, Tremec TKO

[maxGD059]

Ian

You forgot to mention that the GD is a fairly quick build in view of the semi-monocoque body. Although I realise that there are some builders that build a Dax before breakfast most mornings (Dave), this was one important thing for me being impatient!

Cheers

Richard
(Hillclimb convert)

[Miket]

Lee

As someone else has mentioned, first you have to decide on a budget, then to be realistic add at least another 30% to arrive at the final figure.

My first Cobra build was a Pilgrim, good budget kit and Pilgrim state that it will take up to a Chevy 5.7 litre V8, but personally I would only fit a Rover V8.

I then decided to build a better kit that I thought would be more suitable to handle the Chevy power I required, I looked at the three most popular manufactures AK, DAX and GD, I decided on an AK, I liked the look and design of the chassis, the body is not like a jelly mould as AK fibreglass the body tub integrally to the body, which in my opinion makes it a lot more rigid than the others, also the Father and sons team who run AK are the most helpful guys you would every want to hand your hard earned cash to, the help is still there before, during and after the build.

Lee, Go to Donnington Kit Car Show 13th-14th September, talk to the manufactures and also the owners outside, there should be a good variety of kits there.

[BIGUNDIES]

:tu Thanks to everybody who has responded so far.

The more I think about it the more I feel I want to build the GD, (but not the Euro as I don't think I could afford it) because of the customer support and also the fact that the body can be removed as a seperate unit. However I would like to have side pipes like a DAX and I would also like to finish the interior like a DAX, ie. walnut dash with leather trim around the car including the leather trim at the top of the doors, dash and around the back of the seat area. Just like the one that is shown in their broucher that they send out. If anybody has finished a GD in this way would they be so kind as to send a message and maybe share some photographs of their pride and joy.

Thanks

Lee

[Ian XII COB]

Lee,

Check with Andy at GD but I understand they do now have a side pipe option (due to popular demand)!

There is nothing to stop you fitting walnut and having the trim you want on a GD. The only thing is you would need to source it yourself as GD do not cater for this type of trim. I know that someone has done a metal dash for their GD, it looks very good - each to their own.

My only comment is that a walnut dash is not really in keeping with a Cobra in my opinion, and the cockpit roll return trim that some people use is also a kit only trait, I have never seen it on a real Cobra. It's just my opinion that this sort of trim and the use of cream leather on a Cobra don't look right and mark the car as a kit from several paces.

It's a bit like the kits in general have everything that can be chromed, chromed. This makes them look a bit like American Jukeboxes. It's just that I prefer the slightly understated look.

Ian
XII COB - GD Euro, 383ci, Tremec TKO

[DrFelch]

Have you visited the main manufacturers in question ? (AK, Dax, GD, Pilgrim) ? If not, you definately need to do this before spending your £15-£25k.

I did (apart from GD) and a decision was made after visiting them all.

Pilgrim - Werent really interested in me. Didnt offer to take me for a test drive. Their cars looked too 'jacked up' (I like the look of a low cobra). The interior of there demo car looked very poor. I wanted to put 17" wheels on my car (the deep dish effect like on a Dax/AK etc), on a pilgrim they looked terrible.

Dax - I phoned before hand and told them that I wanted someone to be there to speak to when I get there (as it was a fair distance etc). I turned up and nobody really wanted to speak to me. After finally waiting around for 30 mins or so I spoke to someone who really didnt want to be there... They actually took me out for a test drive (after some pursuasion) in there 4000000Bhp Turbo Super Chuffer demo thing. 0-60 in 2 milliseconds etc etc... Sideways out of the top of the road, sideways round roundabouts... The car was so tuned up it wouldnt idle properly... Not really the best way to get someone to buy a car I thought to be honest. He wouldnt let me take it out for a drive (fair enough, but why not have a second car thats in standard tune for demos ?) They slagged off Pilgrim too.

AK - I was there for approx 3 hours and they dedicated all this time to me. Very friendly, they showed me round there workshop. They showed me where/how they made everything. They took me for a drive in a Ford V8 powered car and let me drive the 4-5 miles back. No pushy sell. Since getting the car from them, they have done me a huge amount of favours putting themselves out sometimes. I feel I get a very personal service from them to be honest. They now have a good build manual out too with good photos.

GD - I didnt visit these, as they were slightly out of my price range and I wanted side pipes.

Obviously you need to get opinions from lots of different people, but you DEFINATELY have then got to go and 'see for yourself'....

Marcus