Vehicle Description
Factory Five Cobras not only capture the look of the world's
favorite Anglo-American hybrid, but they were clever enough to
build a car that takes advantage of the world's biggest supply of
aftermarket performance. With a stout 408 V8 Dart block under the
hood, a Tremec 5-speed manual handling the shifts, and a
Cobra-grade sport suspension underneath, this is a very formidable
roadster that's also reliable enough to drive every day.
You know the old line about dark colors being the most difficult
finishes to perfect? It's true, and the guys who built this car
went the extra mile to make sure there were no disappointments on
this beauty. With Mazda Highland Green Metallic paint and those
off-white stripes (a color similar to Wimbledon White), there's no
disguising the Cobra shape, but this one takes on an altogether
more menacing persona than many of its siblings. With that being
said, it looks aggressive while still managing to feel
sophisticated, much like the British Racing Green sportscars of the
past. Factory Five's fiberglass is better than most, so the car
fits together very well as it is, but when put in the hands of a
professional like Jeff 'The Batman' Miller from Temecula,
California, it ends up looking like a million bucks. Many of the
original Cobra design cues are there, from the rear jacking stubs
to the side pipes to twin chrome roll bars for driver and
passenger, proving once again that no car has survived the passage
of history better than the Shelby Cobra. This is not a purist's
car, of course, but if you want an awesome-looking snake that moves
even better than it looks (which is saying something on a show car
like this), this is your car.
It's quite obvious that the intent was to build this car to be as
happy on the track as on the street, and the competition-grade
bucket seats seem to bear this out. Fitted with Simpson harnesses
for both driver and passenger, you feel bolted directly to the car
and can feel every move it makes in the seat of your pants. Black
carpets help with heat control, but like most Cobras it's very
bare-bones in the best sense of the word inside. A stylish
carbon-fiber wrapped dashboard houses several modern Auto Meter
black-face gauges and switches, and the wood-rimmed Factory 5
steering wheel looks like a dead ringer for an original spec piece,
with only the horn cap giving away the deception. A Tremec short
shifter manages five gears instead of four, and it's nice to see
authentic little details like the leather check straps on the doors
and simple latch hardware. A Clarion AM/FM/CD stereo system was
cleverly hidden in the trunk, along with an amplifier that boosts
the stereo, and for a strictly sporting car, the fully finished
cargo bay is a nice touch.
While a heavy 427 scores cool points, if you're going to actually
drive your Cobra a Dart 408 shortblock with Cleveland mains is
going to deliver a lot more fun per cubic inch. Decked out with all
the latest and greatest upgrades, from the Victor Jr. intake to the
AFR heads, this stout small block grunts out very impressive
horsepower, and the motor is incredibly responsive up and down the
throttle. And thanks to the wonders of the Accufab 4-barrel
throttle body system and fuel rails, it starts instantly and runs
like a scalded dog regardless of ambient conditions. Polished valve
covers and a Cobra air cleaner add a nostalgic touch, and if you've
been under the hood of a built-up Mustang, you'll feel right at
home here. Backed by a Tremec TKO600 5-speed gearbox and 8.8-inch
rear end with a 3.55 ratio, it has a gear for every occasion, from
pulling a hole-shot to cruising on the highway. The tubular frame
is very nicely finished, and with rack-and-pinion steering, 4-wheel
Baer disc brakes with drilled and slotted rotors, and a set of
coil-over shocks all around, handling is far sharper than anything
with a heavy big block could be. Gorgeous chrome 17-ich Cobra R
wheels look great and carry 275/40/17 front and 315/35/17 rear
BFGoodrich performance radials.
So, if it's a Cobra you seek, this very drivable and very fast
Factory Five roadster does everything quite well. Call today!
