Vehicle Description
1991 Cobra Contemporary Classic
For the power and style enthusiast, everyone knows that having both
in an original is way out of most people's reach. In particular,
those all originals can be finicky and require lots of garaging,
trailering, and little driving, unless you are pulling your
personal wrencher in a motorhome with that classic!
As the saying goes there is more than one way to skin a cat, or you
can have your cake and eat it too! The solution lies in this
classic reproduction from Contemporary Classic Motorcar Co. This
car was originally built as an open checkbook example by Publisher
Malcolm Forbes for his daughter-in-law Sabina, wife of son Steve in
1991. Now up for consignment where you can get in, turn the key,
drive, or race, or show, or just park it in your driveway and watch
the neighbors grow green with envy.
Exterior
Starting out with a round tube ladder chassis very similar to
Shelby's originals, hand laid fiberglass body panels with steel
tube reinforcements in all openings and stress points. The body was
then bonded to the chassis and is non-stressed. Next a premium base
coat of beautiful navy blue was put overtop of the fiberglass
panels, then clear coated. It is now the deep end of the pool when
you gaze at it. This version has attached vertical push bumpers in
front, with a surrounding grille oval tubular bar in between. The
rear has a protective bar protecting the bulbous and rounded rear.
Big side pipes all chromed and polished to perfection hang off the
rockers. A chromed single driver's roll bar is welded to the frame,
and a thin curved windshield has a nice chromed surround. All
details like the vented front quarters, clamshell latching gas
filler cap, hood scoop, and small rounded chromed side view mirrors
on either side emulate the original. Polished lip Halibrand pin
drive replica knockoffs which are 17x8 in front and 17x10 on back
have brand new Cooper Cobra rubber wrapping them on all 4
corners.
Interior
Slipping inside we are greeted with supple black leather covered
bomber style buckets. An angular V shaped center "hump" races
forward between these seats, and houses the forward bent gear shift
lever, not unlike the originals. Up front a MotoLita hardwood
trimmed steering wheel with a central horn button fronts an
original looking dash complete with Smiths instruments and Lucas
black faced gauges. Plenty of additional toggles are also courtesy
Lucas. All this menagerie floats in a sea of black Wilton
carpeting, which is showing some fading on the center console
panels that face the sun. Looking all buttoned up for this
repli-car.
Drivetrain
Under the hood are many highlights starting with the heartbeat of
the car in the form of a 427ci V8 side oiler. No casting number is
present to date this power plant but based on visual cues there is
a very good probability it is indeed a side oiler. Casting numbers
on the heads (C6AE-F) coincides with a 1966 428ci V8. These are
topped with ribbed aluminum valve covers. Topping and feeding the
mill fossils and air is a 4-barrel Holley carburetor with a Holley
Street Dominator intake manifold. A 4-speed manual Toploader
transmission is on back pushing power to a Jaguar/ZF limited slip
IRS differential with a final drive ratio of 3.50:1
Undercarriage
Similar to Shelby originals, a round-tube chassis and suspension is
on with torsion bars upfront, and the Jaguar IRS limited slip quad
coil over suspension on back. Disc brakes are on all 4 corners
featuring Alocon 4 piston caliper brakes in front, and Jag Girling
brakes on back. Certainly, no rust, and just some patina from road
dirt and light usage. All stainless steel braided lines are
present, as well as a Lakewood scatter shield safety steel bell
housing, rack and pinion steering and of course the massive side
pipes which are looking good from underneath as well!
Drive-Ability
A turn of the key and it jumps to life immediately. Out on the test
track we could feel the consigner stated 600hp propelling us
forward and pushing our back deep into the bomber buckets. Handling
is like it's on rails, and once you get her going it is not unlike
a runaway freight train. Careful of those side pipes when exiting,
and I can note the rear brake lights and turn signals have gone
dark.
A no expenses barred replication of the original, right down to the
427ci side oiler V8, forward facing shift lever, and many other
details that you can feast your eyes on when you make your trip to
the mall where there are many ooooh-ers and ahhh-ers!
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 600 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.