Kirkham
Superformance
Shelby (obviously)

and the following kits are good:

Evertte-Morrison
ERA

Are they some I missed? Where do each of these excel? Where do they deciate from stock? Seems like people are afraid to share this knowledge. Thanks.

quote:

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Brute wrote:
I'm sure this has been asked 1000 times, but what are the most accurate Cobras out there. I want the best 427 body, and the best 289 body. I want to build/buy an exact replica...one that people won't be able to tell is NOT the real thing. Money is no object. I've been told the following are great-near turn keys:

Kirkham
Superformance
Shelby (obviously)

and the following kits are good:

Evertte-Morrison
ERA

Are they some I missed? Where do each of these excel? Where do they deciate from stock? Seems like people are afraid to share this knowledge. Thanks.

BRUTE

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Well, it all depends on what you're talking about. Are you looking for a car accurate right down to the chassis? Are you looking for a car that's accurate body-wise? Or do you want something that's a combination of both? Is one thing more important than the other?

Also, just so you know, there's an easy way to spot any replica: If it's driving on the street, it's a replica. If the tires are touching asphalt, it's a replica.

Turn-key minus-wise, if you're looking for accuracy, then you want a Kirkham. Conversely, if you want a Cobra replica that's accurate, you don't want a Kirkham.

Here's the thing. The Kirkham is perfect. No original Cobra was ever perfect; the bodies were hand-beaten to shape, and sometimes the quality was a bit less than ... 'accurate.' The Contemporary, L.A. Exotics/B&B, and a number of other replicas have bodies that were cast from original cars.

The Superformance is a very nice car It doesn't have an original-style chassis, though.

The Shelby...well, "obviously" it's no more accurate than the car it's a replica of; the Hi-Tech. The Hi-Tech was a replica of an original Shelby. So the current Shelby is a replica of a replica. The original Cobra wasn't a Shelby; it was an AC with a Ford motor installed in it. Shelby didn't ever "make" a Cobra, therefore, the Shelby offering isn't "original," "real," or any of the other half-assed lies that appear in all of the advertising.

As far as kits go, the Everett-Morrison is - bodywise - accurate. Chassis-wise, it's not. Neither is the chassis. The same holds true for the ERA.

The bottom line is, I need to get more information from you so that I can help you out. Money may be no object, but if accuracy is, you need to be more specific.

Remember: no matter which replica you choose - A&C, B&B, FFR, Shelby, Kirkham, Shell Valley, DAX, etc. - if you go to a Shelby meet, you're car will still be parked with the replicas. Not the originals.

The ONLY car that can claim any lineage is the AC Cars offerings. All of the others - regardless of what you read in any advertisement or what any salesperson tells you - are replicas.

Hope that helps out a bit.

Your pal,
Meat.

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