Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) AC Cobra Rep. Vs Plus 8

From the description: "Imported into the UK in 1991", from the Vehicle Background: "Has the vehicle ever been imported? - No"
From the description: "It has undergone a full air chassis rebuild", from the Vehicle Background: "Has there ever been any major structural issues which needed work? - No"

Can't say I would trust anything on the ad.

Gentlemen cars next to Liege in Belgium sell new cobra's with original chassis left from the sixties . The cars are built in Las Vegas and are directly old timer due to original chassis number. I was able able to sit once in a car. The position is not confortable and the clutch is very very hard.

Richardllll - the Cobra world is full of snobbishness where owners of 1960's Mk3 Cobras (made when the company was owned by Hurlock family) look down on the 1980's MkIV cars (when the company was owned by Ford and Brian Angliss) who look down on the Superblower and CRS cars (made when the company was owned by Lubrinsky) - and all of which look down on the kit cars very often because they have tried to bling them up with low profile tyres and more modern interiors.

As the cars went through the subsequent generations of company ownership the build quality improved and design issues were overcome and I suspect that some of the newer kit cars may have moved even further in this regard.

The car you are showing is in my mind visually one of the nicer kits I have seen as it has copied an original Mk3 cobra look with no modern embellishments. The use of 15 inch wheels, quick lifts and an original looking dash makes a big difference to the look in my opinion, (but does bring some issues with tyre availability) and the use of a stroked 351 small block engine up to 427CI will give you probably 400- 500HP without the weight of a 427CI big block, which will help the handling.

I find I only use mine on good weather days as in the wet they are not a very pleasant place to be from a staying dry or staying alive standpoint. The 15inch Avon tyres which are pretty much all you can get now a days are in fact road legal intermediates which are somewhat slippery in the wet when aided by 4-500 bhp and the wet weather gear isn't worth stopping and putting up.

Let us know how it works out if you go and look at it .

The Avon tyres are nearly £400 a corner too.

I don't have one (yet!) but even I'm snobbish when I see the large wheels and low profile tyres! Completely against the period, and they actually do look much better with smaller wheels.

After my initial hours excitement at the thought of it, reason is starting to come through, It certainly wont be a car to take to the Lakes, but would be great for the local runs I normally do in a Morgan. I'll certainly go and see it at the same time as the +8. Without having seen or driven them, I'd choose the +8, but one never knows what I might think after driving them!

Why dont you look at the F type V8. It has a really good V8 engine - much better than the old Buick one in the +8 and better than the likely Push rod Yank V8 in the kit car. Lots of available parts if you need them, ally body that doesnt rot, looks lovely and goes like the proverbial stabbed cat - or is it rat? Only issue with the sioft top version is that the boot is a joke along Elise lines.

I had the V6 version and found that it handled really well and was startlingly economical.

All versions have a modern auto box - not twin clutch.

My Planned car purchases over the next 15 years are: Plus8, Jag C-type (Rep.) Cobra/ GT40 (Rep), Caterham racing car.... I'm NOT a fan of modern cars at all!

I’ve had both, an original 1987 MK4 AC and several plus 8s. The Cobra was ace to look at and was ok to drive but it really was a dry weather car only and the weather equipment was awful and fiddly to fit. I did drive to Switzerland in it and that was great fun.

Whilst pretty archaic, it was still better to drive than any of my Morgans. BUT, I’d have a plus 8 for touring over the Cobra any day. Factor in the car you’re looking at is a kit car and really the Plus 8 is the winner. Go and see both and test drive them.