UK Cobras vs American

[Ian XII COB]

I have been reading a copy of Kit Car Illusrated the premier US kit car magazine. It seems to predominated by Cobra replicas.

One thing that did stand out was that the finish of there Cobras are more authentic then ours in the UK, ignoring the fact that we tend to prefer Chevy to Ford engines. For example:

We tend to use 17" wheels rather the USA sticks to 15".

In the UK we tend to use cream leather interior which was never fitted to real Cobras, the USA stick to dark leather trim.

The USA tend to have single roll loops for the driver, where as in the UK we tend to use twin single or full width roll over loops.

I'm intrigued why in the UK have started to drift away from the traditional cobra look, what are other peoples opinions?

However, each to their own!

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

[TINKA]

Hi Ian, well personally I built my car the way I wanted it, at the end of the day it is only a replica x( x( x( x( . As far as the wheels go, I think you will find one reason why people over here have changed from the 15" is the tyres are getting increasingly hard to get hold of :} :}. I have also gone for high-back seats and have seen plenty of other people go for head rests for safety reasons, just in case some idiot rear ends me. The twin roll bars are just because I prefer the look of them. The interior trim was down to the WIFE :} :} :} :} but I must say I would have gone that way anyway.

At the end of the day they are only replicas of a great car, lets face it, I have heard it said the chassis are an improvement on the original ,so why not change a few other things as well.

Martin :tu :tu :tu :tu :tu

[maia]

Hi,
For the last year I visit this forum every day..
I also don´t understand why the most of you don´t build your cobras like the original ones. (not talking about motors.. not again..)
I know that if you use 17'' wheels, you can take more advantages on performance, but 15'' gives better look (like the original). Don´t you think?
The side pipes that we use are beautiful but the original is different.
My car also doesn´t respect the original, but if I could build one, I would respect..
Congratulations to all that use and make this forum, because it is great..

Sorry for the poor english.. :}:} :}
Regrads,
Pedro Maia (portugal)

[plod]

Ian,

first of all, had to check you're UK resident.. hee hee
I went chevy engine, initially with 17', now 18'wheels. Magnolia pls.. lthr interior with full pimp style burgundy carpets and piping. 2 braced hoops.

My overall opinion is that, for me, the original is nice, but the cosmetic changes make it look nicer and I prefer the overall shape of many of the current replicas. I went for dax cos its the best}( .

I also went for GD style exhausts as you've seen tho the bore is a bit smaller I think..

however I'll also be having some fluffy dice and a nice tint across the windscreen saying Paul & Mandy, power steering, power assisted clutch, air con and seat massage things.}(

On the whole mate, i prefer the modern shape to the original.

I dont know how our popular replica manufacturers do over in the US however, or even if they are there..

Paul

[Nirmal]

Hi,
Personally, I feel that if the production of the original cobra had continued, it would have evolved into something very similar to the replicas we drive today. We are just taking it in its own natural course from where AC left it. Come to think of it, if the production of cobras had lasted any longer, they would have huge tyres and large wheel arches, much like the Viper of today (which is why I bought a Cobretti }( }( }( ).

Cheers,
Nirmal.

[Jamo]

Ian

I would think that a great deal of the differences are cultural as well as parts availability.

Cultural in that we did not have continual production of the Cobra as you did with AC, and our replicas tend to replicate the 60s Cobras as they were. You also have a larger cottage industry of hand built vehicles, which brought forth your SVA regulations, which caused some changes (switchgear, for example). Finally, Shelby, as one of the few successful American drivers on the international scene at that time, and as a successful team leader bringing home the FIA crown, has generated a great following among those of us who grew up in that era...and our Cobras tend to honor him

Parts avaiability certainly causes us to turn more to the Ford motors rather then Chevy. Same for the use of toploaders. And we are able to put our hands on Jag rearends pretty easily.

That being said, there are certainly mfgs over here that do indeed deviate for practical and/or handling purposes, such as JBL, which only has a passing resemblence to a Cobra.

As to the tire sizing, yes...it's a problem here as well. I finally gave up and went to full racing rain treads in order to keep the 15" look.

My Kirkham is pretty well original in most aspects, down to the Lucas relays and switchgear, but is modern in motor electrics (MSD), brakes (Wilwoods), etc.

But it does come down to a matter of personal preference, and in that respect, "it's all good.":tu

[cobra_dude]

Gonna cause some $h!T wit this...

STATESIDE COBRAS SHELBY KIRKHAM ERA UNQUIE SUPERFORMANCE(SA).... ALL THE WAY!!!
BUILT WITH REAL FORD ENGINES TRUCK GEARBOXES AND BLACK LEATHER ALL ROUND!
I GOT NOTHING AGAINST UK COBRAS THERE GREAT AND SPORTSCARS IN THERE OWN RIGHT BUT FOR ME ORIGINAL SPEC.
BUT I AM OF THE OPINION THAT THE UK COBRAS ARE FOLLOWING A KIND OF STREET HOD ROD THEME WITH LOADS OF CHROME CHEVY ENGINES AND THE BIGGEST WHEELS AND TYRES THAT WILL FIT. THE UK COBRA SCENE MUST BE BIGGER THAN ITS EVER BEEN BUT I THINK ITS LOST THE DIRECTION OF THE TRUE SPIRIT OF THE CAR WE ALL ASPIRE TO.
IN THE STATES CARROL SHELBY IS A HERO LIKE GOD TO BUILDERS DRIVERS MANUFACTURERS OF COBRAS, AND THEIR CAR FOLLOW SUIT AND A SHINE TO THE MAN, PERHAPS IF HE WAS ENGLISH WE WOULD OF FOLLOWED THAT ROUTE.
NO IF THE COBRA WAS BUILT TODAY IT WOULDNT LOOK LIKE A COBRA OR THE MODERN INTERPRETATIONS IT WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE WHAT THE DODGE VIPER IS, THE AMERICANS CLAIM THAT IS THE CLOSEST YOU CAN GET TO THE COBRA GENERATION.

JUST MY 2CENTS WORTH.

[Bowtie]

Original specs?!? What original specs when its all plastic when you look under the fenders, isn’t it supposed to all aluminium?!? Has to be a Ford huh?!? Hard to tell what’s under all that chrome, anodiserade aluminium, braided hoses and all that jazz never found on an original 427 side oiler?!? Has to be one single roll loop and all black interior?!? Why not make that roll loop and those side pipes all black as well, instead of more fancy shiny non original chrome!?! {-}

If you want the real thing, buy the real thing! I can live with deviations as long as it replicates the spirit of the real thing. :tu

[plod]

I have to ask.....

What on earth size is a 482?????????????


Being the british gent, wonder if you could transfer that into litres, if the page is big enough..

Paul

[Miket]

Paul

About 7.85 litres