Basically SWMBO is in love with a Cobra. Knew I shouldn't have let her come to all those kit car shows!

Spotted this on the 'bay and as well as being cheap (at the minute) it's local to me.

Cobra on Ebay




Now I'm no expert in these things, but that last 10% to finish it off is bigger than the 90% that's been done so far!

However it does have the benefit of having already been on the road, so no SVA to worry about.

Anyone care to offer an opinion on it's current value / cost to complete?

Cheers

Mike

I say get it and leave it for swmbo to complete herself. That way when your working on your car and she wants something done, she can do it on her own

disappointing its not a V8, but looks alright to me for the current price, but i'm no expert either

actually, just looked at some of the pictures, looks a bit funny... tunnel looks a bit crusty, gaps around the wheels don't look right...

[Edited on 23/5/07 by blakep82]

If she likes cobra's, maybe chance your luck with a Ginetta - fast for you, classy looking for her and you can fit a bike engine and have it go like stink too!

Looks like it will want a radiator as well.

N/S/R wheel used as a brake devise.????

Worth a go for under a grand.

You could tidy it up as long as you are willing to put the effort in.

Wont be cheap to finish though

David

Why has it had a CHASSIS REBUILD ?

Bet that is not the original engine...

The Cheeta replica was only made for a couple of years in the mid 80's so it had better come with everything you need, or you will have to fabricate it yourself.

From google "Cheetah Viper were made by cheetah cars run by Kevin Mason between 1984 and 1986, these cars were not well received by the press and so only eight were thought to have been made."

If the kit car press couldn't be bribed to write a good review in the 80's there may be major handling/braking/body finish problems in the design - all can be fixed but will cost time and money.

I suspect the real key is in the doors/bonnet/boot panels, if they fit ok then I think it's worth a punt for £1k-£1.5k, if they don't it's going to take a lot of time, filler and buggering around to make the body look good. You'd be well advised to go and have a look before bidding.

Cost to complete depends a lot on the finish you/she want. Full chrome, cream leather etc. etc. is the thing that really rockets the cost of cobras, for more of a racer look you can lose the more expensive extras. A decent spray job isn't going to be cheap either. For time I'd guess 200-300 hours depending on finish Body and interior always take forever.

p.s. really needs an American V8 and more authentic wheels

Edit: Why is it on as a Ford, check the V5, it's a Q reg so hopefully ok.

[Edited on 23/5/07 by iank]

Not many cheetas around, not that many produced if i remember right.

There was normally a nice example in 3 litre form at stoneleigh but didnt see it this year, best bet is to contact the UK cobra owners club, find a local meet and pay them a visit to ask some Q's.

I would say its worth a punt for a grand or so, as you say its registered so thats a bonus although i would want to read the V5 to make sure its correct.

Why does the roll bar look wonky ? Why does it look like it has only an offside indicator. Where are the pictures on the near side. The grills on the bonnet cost about £100 a pop from europa. Buy a ginetta !

So you're actually serious about this cobra thing then?

Wow! It looks like a load of work - worth a run out to Cramlington though - I'll come along for the ride - dont know owt about them though...so a lot of help I'll be!


Few things to check out I reckon - says 1300cc in the listing (as if its been auto-completed by ebay from the reg number) but has the V6 in it - and that rollbar wonkyness!

Totally different build from a locost though probly lots of fibreglass and setting door gaps and stuff.....?!

Blimey...!

The body isnt sat squarley on the chassis, looks like its just been laid on for the photos. Hence why the rollhoop looks wonky and the wheels arch gaps are all over the place. Its defo worth a look. Theres a few things that need to be checked for sure.

From a quick look at those pics I would have to say that 90% complete is a load of old twodle! more like 90% still to do!! AND the remaining jobs are the ones that will take the longest to do I can garauntee this much from building one a few years back with swmbo's father.
There's also no mention of the condition of the rest of the parts supplied I.e. weather gear, if you need new and can get some made, could be the best part of £800, Why are there no pics of the o/s, bonnet,doors ect??
As for the look of the car the front wheel arch imho looks way too big as if it's designed to take a 22" wheel. For me the alloys look wrong for a cob and not in keeping with the design but I guess thats just personal taste, the rear wheels out of line in the arch and It's gonna need a paint job also what state is the interior in?? I have to say that for me a cob ain't a cob without a big grumbley V8 under the bonnet either!! For under a grand though I would probably take a seriouse look at it, given that it's local to you but I would do some propper sums after looking at it as I could see it easily swollowing around 6k and the rest, along with so much time to have it perfect.
One last thing is probably just me being a bit of a snob but a cob on a Q plate just don't seem right, the way I see it is that you have a car that you have tried to make look as close to a cobra as possible and convince people that it's real but the Q plate just screems out KIT! I don't think that it matters one jolt on somthing like a 7 as everybody and his dog will see one and think its a kit with an age related or Q but on a cob I see it as being a bit different but thats just my oppinion.

Hth.
john.

look like fwd offset on those wheels and if its like the cortina based cobra i drove i would steer clear.

I'm with Jambo, Gimme a shout if you want me to come and look at it with you

I think its going to be a lotta work. But if I can borrow it then go for it!!

I might be tempted to give you a hand if that will sway you.

Spray it mat black, keep it all stripped out and annoy the chrome and cream leather brigade

I have bid on a couple of part built Cobs, on the bay, and both have gone way over my price range. Bet that this will go to 2K or more, and at that price its probably still a good buy, as long as you have maybe another 4 or 5K to complete it, Cob bits cost the earth. Not much help, but just my experience. Ray

Read carefully what iank and others have said. Cheetah is a long defunct make so you'll get no help from manufacturer and very few other owners out there to help you. To my knowledge no one has ever come forward on the Cobra Club forum to claim ownership of a Cheetah.
There's no way from the photos that this car is 90% complete. I certainly wouldn't buy it without seeing it in the flesh.

You would also need to factor in the cost of items which are not mentioned such as front and rear bumpers, door locks, hinges, carpets, gauges(approx £400) etc. if you want to put on a set of Halibrand replicas, they will set you back approx £1500 with tyres. There's no mention of exhausts and if you want a set of sidepipes inc headers you can wave goodbye to £1500-2000. that's before a paint job!

On the plus side, you could put a Rover V8 in there quite cheaply

sorry if you think this is all a bit negative but building a rare cobra replica is not as easy or as cheap as you would think.

I saw that too.... doesn;lt quite look right.

I would advise to go and look at it in person. Being cheap isn't always the best criteria for biuying something as you will find out to your cost why it was cheap in the first place.

2.5 days left and it's just hit £999

Snuggs had a body chassis and few bits for sale a couiple of years back, still didnt know what/who made it but its on jag gear.

linky

Have a look in his archive

Finally went for £4,001.00 mad money for something that requires that much work.