$49one listing
365 days

Dark Blue Shelby Cobra Roadster 351 4-Speed

$41,900

Images

General Information

Model Year: 1967	Mileage: 4103
VIN:	Engine Displacement:
Exterior Color: Blue	Transmission: Manual
Interior Color: Gray	Location: Mentor, Ohio 44060

Description

If there’s a way to have more fun with your clothes on than in a Cobra roadster with a ton of horsepower a manual transmission and a V8 soundtrack I’d really like to know what it is.

Purists may scoff at Cobra replicas but they have evolved into some pretty impressive performance machines with outstanding build quality impressive long-term durability and timeless good looks. Of course we’d all love to own an authentic Cobra made of oh-so-delicate aluminum but I’m guessing most of us would rather have things like food shelter and clothing instead. In fact there’s a substantial number of Cobra replicas in the hands of REAL Cobra owners—these are the cars these guys buy when they want to drive a Cobra since the real ones are just too crazy valuable.

This particular Cobra is a kit from Antique & Collectable Autos Inc. in Buffalo New York which has a long history of high-quality fiberglass work. You may remember an outstanding 1941 Willys we had in stock a while back that was one of their kits and I came away impressed with their quality. I feel the same way about this Cobra which has been well-constructed using all the right pieces: a potent small block and a 4-speed manual just for starters.

But before I go into the guts of the snake take a look at the body. Like most replicas the Antique & Classic Autos body is a laminated fiberglass piece. However unlike many replicas it is highly finished inside and out. There are no rough seams or unfinished fiberglass matting inside just sturdy smooth gelcoat. Go ahead and run your fingers under the trunk edge—it’s not ragged which actually surprised me. Unlike some budget Cobra replicas A&CA uses a full liner in all decks and doors for strength and rigidity. The doors are constructed with steel inner structures for both mounting ease and personal impact protection. They close with a solid thunk rather than a hollow “whap!” like so many other fiberglass replicas out there.

The great thing about replicas is that you can build them any way you want and I like the color scheme on this car. The color is a dark blue with stripes that look an awful lot like the “Pewter” color on C5 Corvettes and I like the combination a lot. Everyone has a red or blue Cobra with white stripes but this combination is more sophisticated and elegant and sets the car apart from the crowd. The body was well-prepped before any paint was sprayed and for fiberglass it is super nice with no waves or ripples or signs of the mat showing through the gelcoat. Once it was all straight and blocked the 2-stage paint went on. The stripes were embedded under the clear and are undetectable by touch. Although the car has been driven and enjoyed the paint remains in outstanding condition today.

The detailing with the A&CA kit is first-rate. A lot of companies don’t get the proportions quite right with their replicas but this one is excellent. The front fenders have the right amount of curvature the rear is clipped like it should be and the fender flares aren’t grossly exaggerated. I also like the little things like the stainless grommets around the roll bar as it passes through the body the plexiglass sun visors and the LeMans-style flip-up gas cap. The bolt-on windscreen is in good condition with no chips or scratches the sidepipes are shiny (thanks to ceramic coating) and the bumperettes are bright chrome. Overall this is a well-executed replica with great details that has been finished to an excellent standard.

The real action is under the hood where you’ll find a stout 351 Windsor small block. I know the big block Cobras get all the press and this one is dressed up like a 427 but the small block cars were almost as fast and much friendlier on the street. This engine is a vintage 1970 Windsor with stock guts and a set of Keith Black pistons machined by Metals Crankshaft Grinding in Cleveland Ohio. The heads are early 69cc chamber 351W units from the guys at Power Heads in California and feature 1.94 and 1.60 forged stainless valves hardened valve seats Chet Herbert performance springs screw-in studs with guide plates. They were CNC ported then hand-finished and port matched to the Weiand Stealth intake manifold. It also uses Scorpion billet roller rockers and a set of HP Street hardened pushrods for durability. Up top there’s a 4-barrel carburetor while a Milodon 7-quart road race oil pan handles lubrication duties. MSD supplied the ignition system and there’s a billet aluminum accessory drive system that features a serpentine belt for durability and no hassles. A giant 4-core aluminum radiator and electric fan are in the nose keeping everything cool. You’ll also note an oil cooler mounted in the traditional location but it isn’t hooked up. With that big radiator and the deep 7-quart pan the oil will probably never reach operating temperature on the street. If you’re going to the track it will be good to have it but for street driving it is probably overkill. The authentic Cobra sound is provided by a set of long-tube headers dumping out a set of 4-inch side pipes. Why have a Cobra if you’re not going to burn some legs?

The engine is backed by an authentic and reconditioned Ford Toploader 4-speed manual for that true Cobra experience. It churns a Ford 9-inch rear that hangs off a triangulated 4-link suspension with coilover shocks on both ends. On a car like this there’s no need for a sway bar and adding one would have only made the rear end twitchy something these short-wheelbase cars definitely don’t need help with.

The rest of the chassis is typical Cobra replica—rectangular box tubing with custom mounts for the engine and transmission. Up front is a modified independent suspension with more coilover shocks a manual steering rack and a trailing arm on each side. There’s a disc brake at each corner governed by an adjustable Wilwood pedal box for precise setup of the bias critical on a car like this. And I’m especially pleased to see 15-inch Torq Thrust wheels on the car; Cobras never ever look right with large diameter modern wheels. These sport a set of 245/60/15 front and 295/50/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials with the rear tires being virtually new (of course they are).

The minimalist interior is pure ‘60s race car. It has been done in a medium gray color which works really well with the blue exterior. The bucket seats feature COBRA 4-point harnesses for driver and passenger. A complete array of Autometer Ultralite gauges keep the driver informed of all the mechanical goings-on while a Pioneer CD stereo with speakers mounted on the rear bulkhead provides entertainment when the loud pedal just isn’t sufficient (yeah right). Cobra Restorers LTD. Provided the 14-inch laminated mahogany steering wheel with Cobra horn button—it’s a little smaller than an original but definitely easier to maneuver and it hangs off a Flaming River adjustable steering column.

So you could spend a year or two building your own Cobra replica and dump at least as much money into it as we’re asking for this one. Or you could simply buy this one and start having fun the moment you pull out of our parking lot. It’s up to you. This is a nicely done replica with a lot of high-quality parts and it’s fully sorted. Call us today and drive it home tomorrow.

=======================