Vehicle Description
When you catch a glimpse of a Cobra replica on the street, you
can't help but be captivated. All that classic style is heaped onto
a car that you know almost certainly has a high-powered engine
sitting in the bay and, by virtue of its light weight, offers
otherworldly performance, as well. Make no mistake, though -
there's a huge variation as far as to their quality, and the
foundation they're built on plays a substantial part. This 1965
Shelby Cobra replica has decided bragging rights in that area, as
its foundation comes from Factory Five, one of the most respected
manufacturers in the industry, and from there it was built with
precision and care from the ground up to result in a head-turning
scorcher that looks and runs great.
Its maroon shade is a welcome departure from the norm, and it
complements this roadster well. A careful application has left it
with uniform coloring and a nice, even shine from front to back.
The broad white stripes running its length are no mere decals -
they're painted on and feature a very smooth texture and very sharp
edges. That the car is so straight and well aligned comes from more
than good fortune - Factory Five uses a sturdy composite body
that's light but also very rigid, and with the sturdy steel frame
sitting underneath it, this Cobra replica is built to withstand the
rigors of time and performance-oriented driving much better than
most of its counterparts. Its design is centered around the
graceful curvature of its body and sports relatively few chrome
accents, but the chrome that is on display - the bumpers and the
thick, sturdy driver's side roll protection, as well as the light
casings, mirrors and windshield frame - all remain in very nice
condition.
Just lowering yourself into the cockpit makes you want to fire it
up and tear up some asphalt. The bucket seats have a great vintage
racer look, with racing harnesses that sit ready to hold you in
place during spirited cornering. Another very definite benefit of
its Factory Five lineage lies in the amount of leg room on hand -
due to its dropped floors and relatively wide toe box, even taller
drivers can get comfortable. Just beyond the woodgrain Cobra
steering wheel, a full complement of Stewart Warner gauges sits in
the expanse of the black, vinyl-lined dash area, easily readable
and clear. Lift the deck lid in back and you'll see that the trunk
area is looking straight and clean.
This roadster was built for dependable high performance in real
world driving conditions. The 5.0 liter V8 sitting in the engine
bay has been bored .030 for some extra displacement and has a lot
of great add-ons, including Keith Black pistons, a pair of
Edelbrock aluminum heads, an MSD distributor and a Lunati cam that
all combine to give it some extra power. It sounds great as it
exhales out into its sidepipes. The T-5 manual transmission it's
paired with offers a nice balance of gearing for strong off the
line acceleration and low-revs at highway speeds. This great
looking, strong performing open air street machine sits on a set of
17" Cobra R wheels that are outfitted with Uniroyal tires in front
and BF Goodrich radials in back.
With its array of high-end components taking their place on a
precisely-built, sturdy foundation, this 1965 Shelby Cobra replica
not only has otherworldly curb appeal but it promises an
exceptional driving experience, as well. Call today!