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.
Pepper Gray 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 it's very close, and the paint lays
down over some expertly massaged panels and you can't deny the
awesomeness of that shape. The body is devoid of any stripes,
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, blacked-out side pipes, and
correct Lucas-style taillights add interest to a traditional look,
and those dual chrome roll hoops are probably the best-looking
safety device ever invented. This roadster looks fast even when
it's standing still.
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 their staggered orientation. A toggle panel
under the dash is a unique touch to the interior of this Cobra,
something you rarely see in these usually spartan interiors. 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 has been ported and polished for
smoother air flow, and looks familiar enough sitting on top of the
5.0, and thanks to properly tuned fuel injection, it runs like a
factory-built Mustang. It's been built well, with Jegs aluminum
heads, oversized valves, rocker arms, and beehive springs. 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. BBK long-tube headers channel into flat black side pipes
look (and sound) awesome while the cooling system is a massive
aluminum radiator with electric fans. The frame is a Factory Five
tubular steel space frame, the suspension is coilovers all around,
and a Ford 8.8-inch lock limited slip differential is in back so
it's equipped for the power. The Tremec T5 5-speed gearbox spins a
set of reasonable 3.55 gears, because you just don't need tall cogs
with this much torque available. 5-spoke chrome wheels are the
perfect finishing touch, carrying big 245/45/17 (front) and
275/40/17 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!