Cobras are special to just about everyone and seeing one on the road is always an event. Even if you don't know a thing about cars, you know that this 1966 Cobra replica is a fast car. Built by Classic Roadster Ltd., one of the first and leading Cobra manufacturers during its heyday, this gorgeous yellow roadster was first factory-assembled for the original owner in 1991 (it was later finished in 1993 after the factory closed), and after decades of... thrilling fun, that same owner decided to rebuild it into an even hotter Cobra just this year. It now packs a 347 stroker for brutal acceleration, a Tremec 5-speed for super-quick shifts, and a level of fit and finish rarely seen on modern Cobras built from inferior kits. The Classic Roadsters Ltd. Cobra kit takes a few liberties with the original Cobra's specs, all in the name of comfort. With four more inches in the wheelbase, two extra inches in width, and doors that are six inches longer than the stocker, it's far, far easier to get comfortable inside. But the changes are a big improvement and not immediately apparent unless there's a real Cobra nearby (good luck finding one), and honestly, at this point does it even matter? The bright yellow paint was applied in 2019 and is a great attention-grabbing shade inspired by Allen Grant's #96 racer, and true to that homage black stripes were added to complete the killer look. Finish quality is excellent and you can see the extra time that went into prepping the surface for that shiny, show-quality yellow paint. With a Classic Roadster body you get extra thick, top-notch fiberglass, along with real Ford door hinges, door latches, and hood latch, so everything is incredibly sturdy and will continue to stand the test of time. The side pipes add even more bright hardware to flow with the look of the rest of the roadster, the windshield is Lexan competition, there are wind wings and tinted visors, and the thick-wall roll bar is FIA height for proper helmet clearance. It's got 13,969 miles on the original body and frame and it shows that someone took care of this car and treated it like was always something special. The restoration nailed the brand new interior as well, with supportive low-back black buckets that really grab and hold you while you're running hard. That's high-quality vinyl on the seats, door panels and dash, and the diamond pattern with yellow stitching is a nice custom touch that matches the exterior. Full carpets with diamond-patterned floor mats help control noise and heat and a wood-rimmed Moto-Lite steering wheel adds a period-perfect touch. Stewart Warner gauges, including a reverse-rotation speedometer, are part of the Classic Roadster package that makes this car feel extremely authentic from behind the wheel. The forward-canted shifter was actually a Mustang piece that the Shelby engineers reversed to make it work in the Cobra, although in this car's case, it's a short-shifter kit connected to a new Tremec TKO 500 5-speed instead of the usual Toploader 4-gear. No heater, no radio, nothing that gets in the way of performance, which is just the way God and Ol' Shel himself intended. The trunk is rather nicely finished in black carpets and the same rubber mat material that was used for the floor mats, and they're neatly tailored to fit just right. Cobras will accept just about any engine you can imagine, but the one everyone expects to see is a Ford V8. This is a built 347 cubic inch stroker motor with only 360 miles on the clock, and it's been augmented with a high-output roller cam, Edelbrock aluminum heads, an Edelbrock Victor Jr. intake, and a Holley double-pumper 4-barrel carburetor, just to name a few of the performance goodies. With an oval Cobra air cleaner and bright valve covers with 347 badges, it looks incredibly clean in there with a purposeful look that Cobras are supposed to have. A chrome expansion tank works with aluminum radiator and electric auxiliary fan to keep the big small block cool, and with the cackling side pipes, not even the owners of real Cobras will be able to tell the difference from the sound. Classic Roadster's rectangular boxed frame is super-rigid and offers upgrades like adjustable QA1 coilovers in front, rack-and-pinion steering, and Monroe gas shocks and a rear sway bar out back. The new Tremec 5-speed spins a fresh Ford 8.8 Posi-traction rear end, filled with 4.10 ratio gears by Ford Racing. There's also a new clutch and drive shaft along with a Wilwood disc brake at each corner outfitted with gorgeous Edelbrock Halibrand-style knock-offs and staggered 235/60/15 front and 295/50/15 rear Firestone Hawk Indy 500 radials that complete the look. Set up for the street but easily converted to a racer, this Cobra is built to a show standard and a lot more accurate than many of the replicas out there. Classic Roadster Ltd. Cobra recreates the authentic Cobra experience at a fraction of the cost. Call today!
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