Soft tops

[danbooth]

Could anybody help me find somewhere to buy a soft top for a cobra or a cobra with a soft top? My Mrs. (who will be paying for half the car) likes cobras very much and i have always wanted one but she doesn't like the idea of a car without a roof!!! She keeps coming up with the "well what if it rains" arguement and my answer of "we'll get a bit wet" apparently isn't good enough so i need a solution to satisfy her crazy woman logic? Can anybody help me please!!! I've only ever seen one cobra for sale with a soft top so i'm presuming they're as rare as rocking horse ****?

[maxGD059]

A lot of people don't use them I must admit. They tend to leak, amplify the unwanted jag rear end whine but most of all, cobra's are a hand full in the wet unless in a very big open space, when they are a hoot. My hood rarely gets used now, & I find the tonneau/coat are more practical. What make is your cob??

[MetaJacko]

Originally Posted by danbooth

Could anybody help me find somewhere to buy a soft top for a cobra or a cobra with a soft top? My Mrs. (who will be paying for half the car) likes cobras very much and i have always wanted one but she doesn't like the idea of a car without a roof!!! She keeps coming up with the "well what if it rains" arguement and my answer of "we'll get a bit wet" apparently isn't good enough so i need a solution to satisfy her crazy woman logic? Can anybody help me please!!! I've only ever seen one cobra for sale with a soft top so i'm presuming they're as rare as rocking horse ****?

The simple answer to not getting wet is drive faster! Rain just goes over you and hits back of car instead. Guess that method will not work with your wife though

A large number of Cobras I've seen for sale have soft tops but not many people use them for the reasons Richard suggested. When not in use though, cobra soft tops don't fold down onto back of car, they are completly removed and stored in boot.

Do you plan on buying private or from a dealer?

Paul

[Happy Jim]

Dan,


Not surprisingly most Cobs are of a very similar size hence you can buy & fit a hood after you get the right car! if the one you are looking to get doesn't come ready fitted then budget £500-700 for a hood (which, as Richard suggests, you will stuff in the boot and use only once per year )

Rgds

Jim

[Robin427]

I've seen some hoods that do fold down and store on the back of the car, but I think you run the risk of it looking a bit naff.

GD (and some others) do a hard top which looks sexy, the disadvantage being, however, that if the sun comes out, you can't just take it off and put it in the boot (they cost around 2 grand so not the kind of thing you'd like to leave at the side of the road!!!). I'm going to look for a tonneau cover for mine that you can drive in...

[danbooth]

I haven't really decided whether to go private or dealer yet, what would you recommend?
I've seen some really nice examples advertised privately but i'm a beginner at this so any advice would be gratefully recieved. I'm thinking most cobras will be well looked after? My father in law to be has a tvr chimaera with the rover V8 which he reckons is the best engine to go for if i want reliability as well as speed and a good voice! what do you reckon?

[Robin427]

Have you thought of building your own? The dealers supply a significant markup and by building your own you can have it exactly how you want it - also helps to spread the cost.

As regards engines, the Rover V8 is pretty good, as it is nice and light. From what I have heard, though, to get serious power from it, costs quite a lot and the engine gets more fragile. The newer development of the small block Chevy is the LSx engine (I've got an LS1 but the LS6 is a bit newer, and the LS2 newer still...) - these are 5.7L engines (I think the LS2 is 6.0L) and don't weigh much more than the Rover. Mine sounds great!!

[danbooth]

Hmmm, food for thought.

The problem with building my own is that I live in tied accomodation at work and space is limited! I'm already planning on kicking a tracor out of the garage to accomodate if i buy one never mind build one, surely you'd need loads of space, not only for the car but for all the tools!?

[Robin427]

My mower has been sat outside with no ill effect for well over a year now. I've got a single garage and although I'd love space for even a workbench, I have (just about) coped so far. My garage has some roofspace so I put a loft in and stored a load of parts and stuff up there

[Grease Monkey]

On the weather front, i'll echo the above. I've just got a tonneau and have no current intention to get a soft top, as i dont imagine i'll use it.

If it rains, you get wet (unless i'm supposing you fit a GD / DB hardtop), simple as that.

Get a nice macintosh and a hat (with some form or leash, or you'll lose it when you get to warp 3.4 or so)