Anyone built a cobra kit car?

My94GT

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Anyone here built a kit car cobra? If so what kit did you use, how was the quality, how much did you have wrapped up in the build?

Background I’m wrapping up house projects and toying with the idea of a kit car build to occupy some free time. I run a collision repair shop for a living so the appeal is that I can easily mitigate any need for body and paint work for next to nothing but my cost on materials.

I want a fun car for weekend use but really the only already built car I lust for is a GenV viper and I have a hard time justifying 80-90k for a weekend garage queen with baby number two on the way. So far from looking a kit cobra seems a cost effective fun build or am I completely wrong?
 

capnkirk52

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Did a Factory Five car with my Dad a few years back. Kit was good quality. We did all the suspension and sheet metal and had a shop do the wiring. I think we were in close to 100k by the time the car fired. Our mistake was trying to use a 427 block from a marine application since his brother had it sitting on an engine stand and it was free. It was a center oiler that traced back to '63 and I think it wasfor a Galaxy. Anyway, had it magnafluxed and everything checked out so we bought a full roller kit, new heads, cam, intake, TB, etc. started putting it together and when we plastigaged it, it seemed just a little tight but still in spec. Fired it up and spun a bearing 600 miles in. Took it to a shop to rebuild, fired it, spun another bearing. After that we just went with a 427 Aluminator crate motor that was like $16,000. We wanted an automatic car so we got a C3 tranny and of course we had to have 6 speeds so we put a gear vendor on it which was pretty sweet. The driveshaft was like four inches long haha. Custom paint added more $$ but after all the crap we didn't care. We had so much wrapped up in that stupid engine with labor and parts that it probably added $30k on to the price.

I'm sure you can do it way cheaper if you just find a donor car with a good engine to swap. He bought a 302 kit car so he had some reference to help him build our 427 and that car was ok but nowhere near the car we built was. Are you looking for the build experience? Or do you just want the car? The car he bought was a good vehicle and it cost $30,000.

Whichever way you go, watch your calves when you get out of the car, lol.
 

CV355

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I have a hard time justifying 80-90k for a weekend garage queen with baby number two on the way. So far from looking a kit cobra seems a cost effective fun build or am I completely wrong?

It won't be cost effective unless you buy someone else's project that they gave up on. Before I bought my GT500 in '16, I was strongly considering a Factory Five kit. There were several completed 302 cars in the area for $30k, looked like they were built decent. My heart was set on a 427, so I priced it out and just looking at major components it was cost prohibitive. Like capnkirk52 said, you can easily hit $100k. It's similar to a restoration- a lot of the cost is in the "little stuff" that is labor intensive and quickly adds up.

Could you do a sub-30k build? Absolutely. Especially if you have the means to do the body/paint work at a lower cost. Find a Fox-body 5.0 or two to scavenge parts from, sure. But I've known two people who have done this in CT and both hit a point where they regretted the budget build. One went on to spend a fortune doing it "correctly" and the other gave up and sold the partially completed kit at a loss.
 

My94GT

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I enjoy the build process which is what’s attractive about doing this. I also like that these aren’t commonly seen so it’s a bit unique to have. I may have to delve further into pricing it up but I was ball parking a 50k budget with a coyote based build.

The only way I’d be interested in a kit set up is if I did the build process. If not I may as well just buy a newer car like a used GT350 or hell cat to tool around in for about the same budget range.
 

CV355

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I enjoy the build process which is what’s attractive about doing this. I also like that these aren’t commonly seen so it’s a bit unique to have. I may have to delve further into pricing it up but I was ball parking a 50k budget with a coyote based build.

The only way I’d be interested in a kit set up is if I did the build process. If not I may as well just buy a newer car like a used GT350 or hell cat to tool around in for about the same budget range.

If you are handling all major labor, and just looking at purchased component cost... I definitely think you could get a $50k budget to work with a Coyote build. It may still be worthwhile to get a Fox-body donor and a newer 5.0 donor car to maintain that budget. Purchasing all new / crated will blow that budget before you turn the first screw.

They definitely aren't common cars, and you'll definitely get looks and conversations everywhere you stop. Compare it to a Mustang or Challenger that most people can't discern base from upper echelon... and the Cobra wins every day.
 

Corbic

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Buy a $2,500 Miata and swap a V8 into it. You'll be out for less then $10k

Same experience, just not as cool looking.
 

railroad

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I am building a Factory Five roadster. The structural parts are good quality. Some of the switches and small parts are not top quality. My cost is pretty high, but it is my build car that I have always wanted.
I am using Fords Aluminator Coyote engine. That bumped the price up, significantly, but I am not regretting it.
I am using all new parts, nothing recycled.
Cobra Engine pic 2.jpg
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Cobra Engine pic 2.jpg
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My94GT

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I am building a Factory Five roadster. The structural parts are good quality. Some of the switches and small parts are not top quality. My cost is pretty high, but it is my build car that I have always wanted.
I am using Fords Aluminator Coyote engine. That bumped the price up, significantly, but I am not regretting it.
I am using all new parts, nothing recycled. ]

Looking good! How hard is the kit to assemble and how are the instructions for the basic stuff they include?

As far as the engine I’m sure that’s going to be a hell of a nice set up, that alone is like a 16k price tag, correct?
 

7998

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If you don't want to spend an easy $50k+ don't do it. And at $50k it'll look like you spent $20k. If you want to go that route buy someone else's started project on the cheap. I looked inot it a few times and once you start adding options it gets ridiculously expensive. Leather seats, IRS,Side pipes, Gauges, Brakes, etc. I don't even know if it could be done for $50k.
 

My94GT

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If you are handling all major labor, and just looking at purchased component cost... I definitely think you could get a $50k budget to work with a Coyote build. It may still be worthwhile to get a Fox-body donor and a newer 5.0 donor car to maintain that budget. Purchasing all new / crated will blow that budget before you turn the first screw.

They definitely aren't common cars, and you'll definitely get looks and conversations everywhere you stop. Compare it to a Mustang or Challenger that most people can't discern base from upper echelon... and the Cobra wins every day.

Yes all major labor would be done by me, upholstered help I have a vender I use regularly which I can sublet our to if need be at cost. My brother is a painter so he’ll handle that, and I can mitigate the body work needs. My assumption is all that I’d have to rely on anyone for is tuning needs.

I’m still in the infancy of decision making for this currently so I could just scrap the idea if it’s not worth it but part of me likes building stuff more then driving it, odd as that may seem.
 

CV355

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Yes all major labor would be done by me, upholstered help I have a vender I use regularly which I can sublet our to if need be at cost. My brother is a painter so he’ll handle that, and I can mitigate the body work needs. My assumption is all that I’d have to rely on anyone for is tuning needs.

I’m still in the infancy of decision making for this currently so I could just scrap the idea if it’s not worth it but part of me likes building stuff more then driving it, odd as that may seem.

I'd spend a couple hours in Excel to build a budget. Include labor hours, even if you plan to do the work yourself.

I had a runaway project from 2007 to 2011 and wish I had done better planning. Not saying you would- you have a business and obviously far more experience than I did during said project, but the planning and project foundation side is paramount to success.
 

railroad

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Looking good! How hard is the kit to assemble and how are the instructions for the basic stuff they include?

As far as the engine I’m sure that’s going to be a hell of a nice set up, that alone is like a 16k price tag, correct?

There is nothing difficult about the assembly. You will learn some new stuff, if you are not use to using pop rivets and riv nuts. I bought a pneumatic rivet tool.
To get to a rolling stage, it is just nuts and bolts.
The wiring intimidated me and I am very familiar with wiring. It was just the mass of wires, in the end everything worked and no issues.

Instructions are pretty good, better yet are the websites. Fellow builders know all the tricks and solutions to issues.

Yes, I dropped about 20K on the engine, pan, bell housing, clutch, and trans.
I got a TKO 600, all new parts. I shopped on the engine and saved about 2K on the common price for it.

The base Coyote crate engine, with no power adders, makes 435 hp. The cost is less than half of the engine I got.
The finished car is 2500 lbs max, so power to weight is over the top easily.

There are builders that have supercharged and twin turbo'd the base engine in the roadsters.

The newer editions of the roadster MK IV are not as receptive to the old Fox body and Mustang parts. Push rod engines are the low cost easy builds. They make cheap power and easy to wire.

Factory Five has header systems for most Ford V8s and will set the mounting up, if you order.

My advise, is go on the website and watch for unfinished kits for sale. These are great buys. You can find everything from, still boxed up to almost complete.
 

My94GT

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I'd spend a couple hours in Excel to build a budget. Include labor hours, even if you plan to do the work yourself.

I had a runaway project from 2007 to 2011 and wish I had done better planning. Not saying you would- you have a business and obviously far more experience than I did during said project, but the planning and project foundation side is paramount to success.
Oh I 100% agree, sitting down and making a parts list and pricing stuff out is going to really help put this in focus for me.

Projects very easily snow ball if you don’t make a plan and stick to it.
 

My94GT

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There is nothing difficult about the assembly. You will learn some new stuff, if you are not use to using pop rivets and riv nuts. I bought a pneumatic rivet tool.
To get to a rolling stage, it is just nuts and bolts.
The wiring intimidated me and I am very familiar with wiring. It was just the mass of wires, in the end everything worked and no issues.

Instructions are pretty good, better yet are the websites. Fellow builders know all the tricks and solutions to issues.

Yes, I dropped about 20K on the engine, pan, bell housing, clutch, and trans.
I got a TKO 600, all new parts. I shopped on the engine and saved about 2K on the common price for it.

The base Coyote crate engine, with no power adders, makes 435 hp. The cost is less than half of the engine I got.
The finished car is 2500 lbs max, so power to weight is over the top easily.

There are builders that have supercharged and twin turbo'd the base engine in the roadsters.

The newer editions of the roadster MK IV are not as receptive to the old Fox body and Mustang parts. Push rod engines are the low cost easy builds. They make cheap power and easy to wire.

Factory Five has header systems for most Ford V8s and will set the mounting up, if you order.

My advise, is go on the website and watch for unfinished kits for sale. These are great buys. You can find everything from, still boxed up to almost complete.

The rivets are a common use item in the shop so no big deal there. I too am good with wiring as long as I have good diagrams to work off of and space to lay out and organize the looms if need be.

For the drivetrain I’m only interested in newer coyote based stuff and I’ve seen they set it up to easily accommodate that.

What did you go with as far as brakes set up?
 

railroad

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Depending on the person and money available. A budget won't hold water. If you want to build it price conscience, just shop well and limit the add ons.
I bought the top of the line kit and still added options, ie heated seats, trunk mounted battery, big engine, IRS, heat and sound material on all the panels, up graded radiator mount, power steering & cooler, trunk carpeting, custom steering column with turn signal stalk, etc.
 
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Bad500Chris

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I've also been thinking about doing the factory five build.
@railroad When did the build process start and how long has it taken you to get to this point?
For me it may still be a year or two off, but maybe I'll start looking for unfinished projects like you suggested.
 

_Snake_

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If you don't want to spend an easy $50k+ don't do it. And at $50k it'll look like you spent $20k. If you want to go that route buy someone else's started project on the cheap. I looked inot it a few times and once you start adding options it gets ridiculously expensive. Leather seats, IRS,Side pipes, Gauges, Brakes, etc. I don't even know if it could be done for $50k.

This was also my experience while researching.
 

railroad

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The rivets are a common use item in the shop so no big deal there. I too am good with wiring as long as I have good diagrams to work off of and space to lay out and organize the looms if need be.

For the drivetrain I’m only interested in newer coyote based stuff and I’ve seen they set it up to easily accommodate that.

What did you go with as far as brakes set up?

I used Wilwood, brake pedal box with master cylinders. The brakes are 6 piston fronts with 2 piece rotors, alum hats, same rotors on the rear with 4 piston calipers. I got carried away on the pics.
I am actually at the go-cart stage. I am pulling the steering rack bushings (rubber) out and going with solid, for improved bump steering, response and centering of the rack, but have been down the road, testing all the nuts and bolts.

Now on to the body.
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