Vehicle Description
What could be cooler than the world's best-looking 2-seat roadster,
filled with a fuel injected 5.0-liter V8, a capable suspension, and
paint that makes people stop and stare? If you're a real car guy,
you've probably already contemplated building your own Cobra
replica, but the smart money's on buying someone else's finished
car like this amazing Factory Five roadster.
Cobras always look best with stripes and with the explosion of
awesome replicas running around, this one stands out in a big way.
Bright red never looked so good, with a hint of metallic and
professional-grade finishing, the body fits together extremely well
(the Factory Five kits are famous for their quality fiberglass
work). It isn't perfect, but the paint lays down over some expertly
massaged panels and you can't deny the awesomeness of that shape.
There are silver stripes, a nice contrast to the usual white,
giving this Factory Five snake a bit of an updated look without
changing the recipe too dramatically. This is likely how most of
them looked back when they were still just regular cars, and it
gets pretty easy to imagine the fun you could be having with this
in your garage. Proper jacking stubs, side pipes, and correct
Lucas-style taillights add interest to a traditional look, and that
chrome roll hoop is probably the best-looking safety device ever
invented.
The interior sticks to the original recipe, too, which means no
modern buckets, no fat steering wheel and plenty of black
upholstery. There's an original-style wooden steering wheel which
reminds you of the Cobra's English origins and they went the extra
mile by using Auto Meter gauges that replicate the original Smiths
pieces, right down to the reverse-rotation speedometer. You can
forget a radio or heater (this is a Cobra, not your mom's car) and
they even managed to make the shifter look like the original Cobra
piece, which was a reverse-mounted Mustang unit. Cobras aren't
famous for storage space, but this one has an unfinished aluminum
trunk that shows off just how well-built these Factory Five
replicas really are. And don't worry, there is no top (who
cares?).
The beauty of the Factory Five kit is that all the Mustang 5.0
components bolt right on, although this one remains almost entirely
stock. There's no sense in trying to make it look authentic, the
big aluminum intake manifold looks familiar enough sitting on top
of the 5.0, and thanks to properly tuned fuel injection, it runs
like a factory-built Mustang. Take it easy on the throttle and it's
docile and friendly. But if you nail it, be prepared for things to
get crazy in a big hurry even in stock spec. The pipes wail, the
car lunges forward, and you've got to remember to shift before you
run out of revs in about 1.2 seconds. Ceramic-coated long-tube
headers and side pipes look (and sound) awesome while the cooling
system is a massive aluminum radiator with electric fans. The frame
is a fair facsimile of the original, the suspension is tubular
A-arms up front, a Ford 8.8-inch axle in back, and a disc brake at
each corner, so it's equipped for the power. The T5 5-speed gearbox
spins a set of reasonable gears, because you just don't need tall
cogs with this much torque available. 5-spoke Eagle Alloy wheels
are the perfect finishing touch, carrying big 245/45/17 performance
radials.
We've said it before and it applies here: it's always faster and
cheaper to buy a finished Cobra, and with the features on this one,
that should be an easy decision because this one is exactly how
you'd build it yourself. Call today!