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 fuel-injected Mustang 5.0
under the hood and a Cobra-grade suspension, this is a very
formidable roadster that's also reliable enough to drive every
day.
There are plenty of Cobra replicas out there that have traditional
colors, but nobody's going to believe they're original anyway. So
why not go with something that looks good and makes a statement?
The guys who built this car went the extra mile to make sure there
were no disappointments, so this roadster stands up to the scrutiny
it's sure to get. With gorgeous Sunset Orange paint and those faint
ghost stripes, there's no disguising the Cobra shape, but this one
takes on an altogether more menacing and modern persona than many
of its siblings. Factory Five's fiberglass is better than most, so
the car fits together quite well and with just a bit of prep, ends
up looking like a million bucks. All the original Cobra design cues
are there, from the mini bumperettes to the side pipes to twin roll
bars for driver and passenger, proving once again that no car has
survived the passage of history better than the 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, this is your car.
I'm guessing the intent was to build a car that is as happy on the
track as on the street, and the vintage-style low-back bucket seats
seem to bear this out. Upholstered in beautiful tan leather, you
feel bolted directly to the car and can feel every move it makes in
the seat of your pants. Matching tan carpets help with heat
control, but it's very bare-bones in the best sense of the word
inside and with optional dropped floors, there's a lot more space
than you'd expect, perfect for taller drivers. A simple upholstered
dashboard houses modern Auto Meter gauges that look a lot like the
original Smiths dials used in the 1960s. And while the wheel has a
traditional Cobra logo, the fat leather-wrapped rim is purely to
help you hold on tight. A forward-canted 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
modern AM/FM/CD stereo system was neatly installed in the dash, and
the trunk is fully finished to match.
While a heavy 427 scores cool points, if you're going to actually
drive your Cobra an injected 5.0 is going to deliver more fun per
cubic inch. Thanks to the wonders of electronic fuel injection, it
starts instantly and runs like a scalded cat regardless of ambient
conditions. Finned Ford Motorsport valve covers add a nostalgic
touch, and if you've been under the hood of a 5.0 Mustang, you'll
feel right at home here. Backed by a 5-speed gearbox and 8.8-inch
rear, 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 disc brakes, and a set
of coil-over shocks, handling is far sharper than anything with a
big block could be. Charcoal-colored wheels look a lot like Ford
Motorsport performance hoops and carry staggered performance
radials for a pure Cobra look.
So if it's a Cobra you seek, this very drivable and very fast
Factory Five roadster does everything quite well. Call today!