Ive always harbored a secret love of Fords.... shhhh.....dont tell anyone!!! I got my first ride in a 427 Cobra when I met my friend Bob back in 85. It was an ERA. Red, no stripes with a real side oiler in it with medium riser heads. Way cool. Bob now has a real aluminum CSX "continuation" that is awesome. Black with real magnesium wheels. Totally correct down to the Stewart Warner fuel pumps in the trunk. Ever since then, I always wanted a Cobra. Went to SAAC in Lime Rock back when it was on the east coast. Almost got run over my Carrol Shelby's golf cart (he was driving) True story....Anyway, the 427's are cool but my real love is the 289 body.The FIA Cobra in particular. So Ive got the bug to buy an ERA 289 FIA Cobra. A used one. Something fairly authentic. I think its time to scratch that itch...
Sorry Jason, I say go for it. My first car was a 67 Mustang convert with a 289. Loved that motor/car. The AC should be a blast to drive, and you hardly ever see the 289 cars.. Duane
https://bringatrailer.com/listing/era-replica-cobra-289-fia/ They are nice cars.. Worked with one that had one with a stroked 351 with a blower.. It was in perfect condition, but after he added the blower, it became too power full to enjoy.. He then just drove hos Viper instead.. If you want one, and have the finances go for it..
I say go for it. Sounds like it would be a blast to drive. Think of it this way if you find one for a good deal you can enjoy it for a little bit and if you loose interest you can sell it and most likely not loose much if anything unlike new cars. Life is short Jason and tomorrow is not promised. Go for it.
DO IT "There is nothing nice about a Cobra. It is stripped down to the essentials- a big engine, a small car, and four wide tires to keep the whole business on pavement. Its loud, smells like gasoline, and shakes, shudders, and bucks. It makes your arms tired and your feet hot. You nearly crash about once every 10 minutes. It’s so damn wonderful that you can’t believe it" Automobile Magazine 2004
If you want one go get it. Now is the time before we all break a hip, get bad eyesight, have a stroke, etc! Good luck!
My buddy is selling one he bought new about a year and a half ago, but it's the 427 body with a stroked small block. He is very particular and has only had it long enough to sort it out. Let me know if you want more info. Looks just like this (his is a Backdraft)...
I'm not a Ford guy at all, but I'd own a cobra kit car in a second. They look like so much fun. Completely impractical in every possible sense. Which is what makes me believe it'd be a blast.
Well, what I was going to tell you was, "On a really quiet night, you can here the Fords rust". Cobras don't have that problem, so go for it!
DO IT!!! You only live once don't make it to the end of life and regret not doing something you wanted to or it's just "existing" not "living"
His entire post was headlined “someone talk me out of this”, you guys aren’t helping matters. I will do what I can to help you Jason. I have 2 life long Ford guy friends, one owns a Mustang, and one owns a Comet. Every time I take my cars to a show I see them there without their cars, so I say “where is your car I haven’t seen it since high school”. The answer I get every time, it’s either blown up, or after spending $10,000 on a Ford Racing 427, they still can’t get it to even run good enough to drive. It’s a Ford, it took them until the 2000’s to even produce an engine that could run with the Chevrolet’s at all our local short tracks. 100 cars would show up for a race, and 99 would be powered by GM. The 1 diehard Ford guy would get his ass kicked if he didn’t break it before the night ended. Don’t do it man, buy yourself a nice Chevy Vega with a blown big block if you need to drive around in a go kart with lots of power. I can never in good faith advise anybody to buy a Ford.
Those are now difficult cars to get insured by a specialty insurance carrier. Ask Brad about his experience as an agent.
I don't think it's really about buying a certain brand more so just something he's wanted to do for a while. I've wanted an AC Cobra since I was a little boy also I will probably never have the means to own one but it would still be pretty cool even though it is a Ford. Another option would be to find an exotic car rental place and rent one for the day or weekend and drive it around to see if it is something he truly wants before he spends the big dough to buy one.
