Anyone tell me if these are authentic AC Cobras?

[DtRockstar1]

This is great info guys, thank you! I don't really know how to tell an original from a kit Cobra, but I've learned a lot just from this thread.

For those of you who are going to the show at the Gilmore Museum, they have an original Cobra there, be sure to check it out.

Also, one of the guys working at Roush told me that sometimes they have the Ford GT90 there (remember that white, NASA looking car in Need For Speed 2?) I really want to see that.

Chris

[WMCC Doug]

My guess is that the Cobra's are both replicas as well. Too many little inconsistancies.

As for the red and black mystery Mercurys ....... I don't know either. They look to be from the mid-80's and heavily influenced by Ferrari's of the same era. Are ya sure they are Mercurys?

[DtRockstar1]

As for the red and black mystery Mercurys ....... I don't know either. They look to be from the mid-80's and heavily influenced by Ferrari's of the same era. Are ya sure they are Mercurys?

They both have the Mercury emblem on the steering wheel. What else was odd was that they were mid engined. I talked with some of the staff about it there, and people didn't seem to know what they were. One answer I got was that it was the Merkur's predecessor. Seems odd.

Here's a video I created of Jack's Ford Indigo that I am happy with:

Chris

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

This is great info guys, thank you! I don't really know how to tell an original from a kit Cobra, but I've learned a lot just from this thread.

A quick hit list for identifying a real Cobra.

First, if it's fiberglass, it's a fake.

Second, even if it has an aluminum body, assume it's a fake. These cars are THE most copied car in the world...ever. They started re-popping them in the late 70s.

But a correctly restored/maintained Cobra should have the following (but they are 50 years old...who knows what's been done with it):

- a VIN with "CSX" in it (for 427 cars) that is riveted to the body
- if the VIN number is 4000 or greater, it's part of the Shelby Continuation Series (valued at approximately 1/6th what the original cars sell for)...a few notes on this below...
- early small block cars will have a funky AC Cars VIN plaque also riveted to the body (sheet metal screws are a big no-no)
- if it has any other motor than a 427 or 289, assume it's a fake...no 302s, 351s, 428s, or 429s...460s are straight out...with a small caveat below...
- 427 cars have the huge hulking fenders and flairs that we associate all Cobras to be...289 cars have smoothed fenders and are flair-less...look totally different...
- jack bumperettes at all four corners (big blocks only...289 cars will not have these, although the Competition models might)
- a "dog-leg" type of 4-speed shifter for the big block cars...the shifter exits the floorpan and immediately bends forward in car
- if it's got an automatic trans, assume it's a fake...the only automatics that I'm aware of were shipped for the "DragonSnake" NHRA cars, although some nutjob or two had to have ordered one as well...
- if it has lug nuts, assume it's a fake...all Cobras had single lug spinners to hold the wheels on.
- all Cobras got "Smiths" gauges
- KEY IDENTIFIER - On 427 cars, the speedo goes COUNTER CLOCKWISE...very difficult to fake...or at least very time consuming and expensive...

Shelby Continuation Series cars

If you believe the stories, when the original Cobras didn't sell very well, Carroll took all the surplus bodies, engines, parts and even tooling and packed it away in a warehouse circa 1970 and called it "his retirement account". When the values for Cobras really started taking off in the mid-to-late 80's, he simply just started manufacturing them again, starting with VIN CSX4000. You can still buy one of these as a new car today (with or without drivetrains...so it is theoretically possible to see a 351 engine in a CSX4000 car) from Shelby available with all the options from the 60s. With drivetrain, a new Continuation car will cost you $100-130K, give or take. Original restored 427 cars will run you $600-800K...

A couple of great movies to use as a Cobra primer are "The Cobra-Ferrari Wars" (also covers the Cobra Daytonas) and "The Gumball Rally" (o.k., you really need a quick eye to learn anything here, but it's the only movie I've found where you get an original Cobra running against a real Ferrari Daytona flat out at 160 mph for most of the movie...truly intoxicating...and it does have one badass 1970 big block Camaro in it...)

[DtRockstar1]

Damn Jeff, you truly are an encyclopedia on the matter! Thank you for that contribution!

Chris

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

No problem, Chris...I have loved Cobras for as long as I can remember.

But they are very easily duplicated right down to the nuts and rivets today.

Example...this pic is exactly what the interior of a Cobra should look like, right down to the counter-clockwise speedo just in front of the shifter.

But this is a ERA replica.

Really the only way to truly tell them apart is to see "CSX1234" as the VIN...and the truly unscrupulous people are re-popping the un-taken VINs from the Shelby Registry...so it really casts a cloud over all of them...

era327interior.jpg

[WMCC Doug]

"The Gumball Rally" (o.k., you really need a quick eye to learn anything here, but it's the only movie I've found where you get an original Cobra running against a real Ferrari Daytona flat out at 160 mph for most of the movie...truly intoxicating...and it does have one badass 1970 big block Camaro in it...)

One of my favorite movies of all time. It's a comedy and kind of a goofy, but there are some great cars in it. The garage scene just before the race starts is a highlight ........ as is "emergency plan alfa" at the end.

[DtRockstar1]

I gotta pick up Gumball Rally! I'm a real stickler for movies with great cars in them, even if the movie plot is bad.

Anyone seen "RPM?" Bad acting, but LOTS of great cars!

Chris

[81DaytonaPaceCar]

One of my favorite movies of all time. It's a comedy and kind of a goofy, but there are some great cars in it. The garage scene just before the race starts is a highlight ........ as is "emergency plan alfa" at the end.

"Emergency Plan Alpha" may be, just may be, the single most EPIC scene from ANY car movie.

EVER.

O.K...maybe the totally original Cobra doing an unintentional, overpowered 720 spin in the mud of the LA drainage canals beats it...but not by much...

I actually have a period write up article from one of the bigger auto mags back then (Automobile? AutoTrend? Have to find it first...), where they reported on the two identical Cobras and Ferrari Daytona Spyders that the movie used. The only condition that the owners agreed to was that the (4) total cars would have the studio do a full resto on them when film shooting was completed...go drive 'em as you want.

No other payment was transacted.

That ain't gonna happen today, that's for sure.

Of course, that was 1976.

And the studio beat the crap outta them...seeing the nose of the dinged up Cobra arriving in LA makes me smile and cry at the same time every time I see it...

Ah, crap...why resist...it's going in the DVD player again...

EDIT: Doug, do you know who "Emergency Plan Alpha" was?

[OIF1VET]

Funny we were talking about Cobra's and I saw this tonight at the cruise, replica but cool..

IMG_4005.JPGIMG_4007.JPGIMG_4006.JPGIMG_4008.JPG

[DETROITMUSCLE]

I've always wanted to build one, and plan to one day. A big cube lsx motor with a roots blower on top should give it a little get up and go.

[WMCC Doug]

"Emergency Plan Alpha" may be, just may be, the single most EPIC scene from ANY car movie.

EVER.

EDIT: Doug, do you know who "Emergency Plan Alpha" was?

Of course I do. I didn't mention her name on purpose. These young guys wouldn't appreciate her like us old guys do!

I've even met her a couple of times. And, she don't look too bad for her age, even today.

They'll have to look her up to find out who she is ...... she was the "Megan Fox" of OUR generation.

[OIF1VET]

Of course I do. I didn't mention her name on purpose. These young guys wouldn't appreciate her like us old guys do!

I've even met her a couple of times. And, she don't look too bad for her age, even today.

They'll have to look her up to find out who she is ...... she was the "Megan Fox" of OUR generation.

Yes she was....

[DtRockstar1]

So she was a bad actress then?

Just kidding.

Chris

[WMCC Doug]

OK, here's some links for all the old guys ...........

http://www.legendsofnascar.com/Linda_Vaughn.htm

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=233162