Skuzzy, a slightly used car you might be interested in. :)

[CAP1]

Those are nice cars, but...

I think if I was going to spend a silly amount of money on a toy car, I'd get an older miata (first year the headlights didn't pop up) and drop an LS-3 (or equivalent) V8 motor into it.  A few years ago there were a handful of companies that will either do the conversion, or sell the required parts as a kit.  500hp in a miata and the weight distribution remains right around 51/49.  Drool.

Those cobras are pretty neat but I think a pretty close "modern" equivalent can be found in a grossly overpowered miata.   It'll handle pretty well, has a nice stereo, and the air conditioning will work

 you're missing the point entirely.

[icepac]

Who needs a V8?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OIkMDyaobc

[Skuzzy]

you're missing the point entirely.

He really did not miss the point.  His point is from his perspective.  If you do not have a passion for these "toy cars", you cannot understand why people pour the money, they do, into them.  eagl, that is not meant to reflect anything negative at you.  Some have the passion for these cars, some do not.  It is not a measure of any kind.

Oh, and the latest rage in the Cobra circles are heated seats.  I am going one step further and adding cooling to mine.  Hopefully that will extend the drive time from 3 months a year to 6 months a year.

[Hajo]

The Shelby Daytona was the greatest american race car ever built.  Now that is a car to dream of.

It actually put the fear of God into Enzo Ferarri.  So much so that he virtualy canceled the last race of the

season in 65 or 66...my memory sux.  Anyhow....there were only 6 built.  Last one I saw went at auction

for 7.25 million.  Just a "tad" outta my reach.  But if I had the choice of one car to own.  That would be my choice.

The other two cars on my dream list are, 64/65 Plymouth/Dodge lightweight (Hemi Drag cars) and the

Auburn Boat Tailed Speedster.

[CAP1]

He really did not miss the point.  His point is from his perspective.  If you do not have a passion for these "toy cars", you cannot understand why people pour the money, they do, into them.  eagl, that is not meant to reflect anything negative at you.  Some have the passion for these cars, some do not.  It is not a measure of any kind.

Oh, and the latest rage in the Cobra circles are heated seats.  I am going one step further and adding cooling to mine.  Hopefully that will extend the drive time from 3 months a year to 6 months a year.

 gotcha.

 i almost bought a miata years ago, when my 89 gt got totaled. was gonna put that stuff in the miata. but the problem would've been what you said......still just a miata.

 now somethin like these old cobras, gt350's, rs z28's, etc..........THOSE have style that can/will never be matched by the likes of a miata, or any of todays hotrods....even though i do like todays hot rods.

[Wmaker]

The original GT-40 and AC 427 were not legal to be driven on the street.  Yes, there were street versions of the 427 car which replaced the 427 with a 428 and ran the exhaust pipes out the back and not the side pipes.

While there were some special cars made by Shelby American, such as the one for Bill Cosby, Ford never sold a 427 AC Cobra for street use.

CSX3014 was not a street car.  It was a full blow race car with headlights.  Someone would have to be a little off kilter to drive it on the street.

Just wanted to clarify that I'm aware that it isn't/wasn't a street car and I was of course talking about driving it on the track alone. I wouldn't drive a car with that kind of history and state of originality on normal roads even if it was a street car to begin with, all it takes is one person not paying attention.

EDIT/But I do understand if one doesn't want to drive one on a track either:


The end result here (not for the faint hearted): http://www.flickr.com/photos/coldtrackdays/3831982257/ /EDIT

[eagl]

eagl, there are certainly cheaper ways to build a fast car.  Kit Cobras are money pits, but they are some of the best looking money pits around.  Many of them have nice stereos in them.  Not sure why as you cannot hear it over the exhaust note 20 inches from your left ear.

Yes, you can take Miata and put a big engine in it.  At the end of the day you have a Miata with a big engine in it.  If all you want is a high horsepower to weight ratio, then that certainly would be a cheaper route.  People (like me) who pour money into kit Cobras are looking for a bit more than that.  If you do not have a passion for the car, you would not understand it and that is fine.

As you say, it's not about the money   I haven't owned a miata but I've driven them enough to consider the first one or two versions of the miata to be as "iconic" a car design as we have seen in the last 20-30 years.  Most miata enthusiasts cringe at the idea of dropping in a V8 just as much as you would cringe at the idea of dropping a modern civic 4-banger into your cobra, but as you say that's the nice thing about your car and it applies to everyone else's dream car too.  You can make it however you like and to heck with what the scoffers or "purists" say.  If your idea of vehicular paradise is a no-holds-barred cobra kit with all the old-school goodies, then that's way cool. 

My post wasn't intended to put your project down, rather to comment that a modern day version would start with a miata and end up with what many consider one of the few modern "pure driver's cars" that finally has enough horsepower    And to heck with the purists.

Of course, I also want a porsche, a corvette, and an airplane (an RV design, what else?).  So if I ever get a miata it would probably be just for racing.  Spec Miata looks like good clean fun and not nearly as expensive as many other types of racing since you start with a base miata and throw out everything except the approved parts list.

[Wmaker]

I completely agree that when purely considering bang for the buck for "a normal person's" funds, a Miata has lot to offer.

[Waldo]

 I'll take a V8 please.

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eKlSqXNfIo

 

[Widewing]

The Shelby Daytona was the greatest american race car ever built.  Now that is a car to dream of.

It actually put the fear of God into Enzo Ferarri.  So much so that he virtualy canceled the last race of the

season in 65 or 66...my memory sux.  Anyhow....there were only 6 built.  Last one I saw went at auction

for 7.25 million.  Just a "tad" outta my reach.  But if I had the choice of one car to own.  That would be my choice.

You can build or buy a replica... Not the same, but within reach.








http://www.factoryfive.com/galleries/type-65-coupe/#

[Wmaker]

Something similar here: www.gt40racing.com/

[Skuzzy]

eagl, I did not take anything you said as being derogatory, regardless of the perspective.  It's all good.

Most of the time, passion kicks common sense in the head, runs over it with a steam roller, punches through it with a Vulcan cannon, and slices it up with the tenacity of a meat grinder.  Cobra owners lost their common sense gene the day they turned the key on that car.
For me, I lost my common sense one night at the A&W drive in.  I was 12 years old and it was Friday night when all the 'rods' would come to the A&W to cruise, meet, and greet.  Dad had his flathead 54 Ford there and a 65 Cobra pulled up beside us.  I got to ride in that car and that was it for me. 45 years later I finally get my chance to have my own.

[caldera]

Those are nice cars, but...

I think if I was going to spend a silly amount of money on a toy car, I'd get an older miata (first year the headlights didn't pop up) and drop an LS-3 (or equivalent) V8 motor into it.  A few years ago there were a handful of companies that will either do the conversion, or sell the required parts as a kit.  500hp in a miata and the weight distribution remains right around 51/49.  Drool.

Those cobras are pretty neat but I think a pretty close "modern" equivalent can be found in a grossly overpowered miata.   It'll handle pretty well, has a nice stereo, and the air conditioning will work

A V-8 Miata has been my dream project car since I first saw one on the road in the late '90s.  That sucker made the ground shake! 
It could never be compared to the Cobra, but is essentially the same thing.  The AC Ace was a little wuss-wagon until Shelby worked his magic on it.

[Wmaker]

eagl, I did not take anything you said as being derogatory, regardless of the perspective.  It's all good.

Most of the time, passion kicks common sense in the head, runs over it with a steam roller, punches through it with a Vulcan cannon, and slices it up with the tenacity of a meat grinder.  Cobra owners lost their common sense gene the day they turned the key on that car.

 

For me, I lost my common sense one night at the A&W drive in.  I was 12 years old and it was Friday night when all the 'rods' would come to the A&W to cruise, meet, and greet.  Dad had his flathead 54 Ford there and a 65 Cobra pulled up beside us.  I got to ride in that car and that was it for me. 45 years later I finally get my chance to have my own.

Nice story!




...and for people like me who only ever own a 1/18 models of a Cobra and GT-40 this, like Aces High, can be a lot of fun: http://gtlw-blog.flyingpig.info/index.php


http://www.simhq.com/_motorsports4/motorsports_131a.html

 

[ink]

The Shelby Daytona was the greatest american race car ever built.  Now that is a car to dream of.

It actually put the fear of God into Enzo Ferarri.  So much so that he virtualy canceled the last race of the

season in 65 or 66...my memory sux.  Anyhow....there were only 6 built.  Last one I saw went at auction

for 7.25 million.  Just a "tad" outta my reach.  But if I had the choice of one car to own.  That would be my choice.

The other two cars on my dream list are, 64/65 Plymouth/Dodge lightweight (Hemi Drag cars) and the

Auburn Boat Tailed Speedster.

I knew you were smart

My dream car I would take above any and all  71 Hemi Cuda ragtop 4 speed.