Shelby Cobra!

This Shelby Cobra replica was spotted at the local Bountiful, Utah Car Show a couple of years ago. I remember when I first spotted it. It left a big impression. The color is gorgeous! The shape of this car is beautiful! 

I knew it looked slightly different than the standard Shelby Cobra 427. After doing some research online, I'm pretty sure this is the FIA 289 version of the Cobra. To get a good explanation of the 289 vs 427, check out this link from ERAREPLICAS website.

Some of the tell-tale signs to look for are the front radiator and oil cooler scoops, side pipes (or lack there of), both front and rear fender shapes, Driver side roll bar and taillights and molded in hood scoop (as opposed to the 427's riveted scoop). Geez, after reviewing the ERA Replicas website page, the differences really stand out now. haha 

Even the gauge layout in the dash is different and seen from this angle here. Notice as well the trunk shape. That is to allow the "suitcase" which was part of the regulations of the race class. It actually would work well to add a little flat angled rear spoiler. ;)

"JOY RDE", what a perfect license plate!!! I love it!

The FIA 289 car is more sleek looking to me! If I were to build a Factory Five Racing Cobra, it would probably have to be the 289 variant. What I can find is that this light blue color is Viking Blue (Viking Blue code "E", Ford Alphanumeric M1448, PPG 12494) according to what looks to be the same exact color on a Factory Five Forum post. 

I did get to see the owner drive it away later that day. It was an older gentleman and his wife and it sounded stout and just looked killer driving away! 

I will be very honest, while building a Factory Five Cobra kit car is very much doable (cost and skill), I don't think I could do it because of the convertible, open top design of the car. It seems very dangerous, especially knowing this car can go very fast. I'm sure the roll bar will do its job, but I don't trust the windscreen and being tall, that combination does not go well in my mind in a roll over crash. I know you can buy bolt on hard tops, but that's not going to do enough in a crash. The obvious solution to this problem is.....

The 1965 Shelby Cobra Dayton Coupe!!! A quick search online brings up this beautiful example being sold by Hillbank USA for $170k in what appears to be the same Viking Blue! This car is stunning!

To quote Rosita the Tiki-Room bird, "Your profile is out of this world!" haha Just look at it! You can easily pick out the Shelby Cobra body lines. I love the additional features that the Daytona Coupe brings, the more aerodynamic nose, the roof line and big spoiler...

The Kammback rear end design was one of the key aerodynamic features of the car that improve high speed stability. Apparently Pete Brock and company scrounged up some old german aerodynamacist theories and applied it to the Shelby Cobra and boom, the prototype Cobra Coupe went 3.5 seconds faster than the previous track record set by a Cobra at Riverside. 

Photo credit: Hillbank

The Daytona Coupe is a beautiful car and Factory Five Racing just so happens to sell a kit. FFR is now on their Mark 3 version of the Coupe and this latest model increased interior room for us tall guys! 

The other obvious answer to the open top issues of a Cobra is the GT40! While we're loving on Shelby today, this green GT40 from SuperFormance and Lemanscoupes.com is one of my favorite!

A couple key points on building a replica GT40. Its considerably more expensive to do than a Cobra and Daytona Coupe. Factory Five Racing does not (yet?) offer a GT40 kit, so you have to go through the small number of other kit builders, SuperFormance, CAV or RCR. The other issue is the mid engine transaxle. There just aren't many options and the options that do exist are very expensive nowadays. Hence, I do lean towards the Daytona Coupe as the most likely option for me personally. I think a Daytona Coupe in this light green would be a killer combo! A boy can dream!

Photo credit: Lemanscoupes.com