Thread: Kit car rant--Cobra vs. 'glas streetrod

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Very good description, Volksrod!!!! The other day somebody asked me where I bought the front end for my 'maro..... Told him I found it hidden away in a sheet of 20ga. steel... I think he's still scratching his head!!!!!


I've built 'glass cars, original tin cars, you name it.... Mostly I just call them mine....if someone else wants to put a label on them, fine... now go build one just like it.....

Well I have a neighbor four houses down the street who does fairly rapid restorations of fine quality and I envy his real steel cars, expecially the Model As, but they are of the 40 HP, mechanical brake original type. A little further away about a mile across I95 there is the Outlaw Shop building big block drag cars based on late model steel and right next to that shop is John York Sports Cars specializing in turnkey Cobras. John does nice work and has a near assembly line; he seems to turn out about five Cobras a year and the retail price is about three times what I have in my Bebops '29! Still for folks who have the money he will build a nice cobra with a 351. The thing about the Cobra kits for him is that there seems to be only a little variation and he has templates for the dash cutouts and knows every step of the build very well. I think the Cobra kits are fairly complete in the sense that the body is relatively simple and the engine bay is huge compared to my Model A replica so working on it may be easier. Actually what I see in John York's shop is the same sort of hard work on any car build but he makes it look easier because he has done it over and over while I have a steep learning curve every step of the way. I think I have learned from this thread that I don't want to join a car club since I am pretty much doing my build "my way" with the main goal of meeting State Inspection and driving the car. During the summer months there are several informal meeting places for folks to show their cars and go to runs and other than my own driving that is all I aspire to do. One original goal was a local parade on July 4th and at Thanksgiving but that is really a mixed bag of restored cars and street rods. Originally the main motivation/goal was to have a rumble seat for the grandkids in the July 4th parade but they have moved to another state so I am left just wanting to drive the car myself.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Not sure that I should post my opinions here but what the heck. I have owned two Cobras, neither of which came from a kit company. The first one that I set up and road raced a friend built the fiberglass body for me to my specs and then kept the mold and went into business. That was a stretched wheel based copy of the Shelby Cobra. I did a lot of work on the car, but am not a mechanic in the least way as my world was computers. I have an original 69 Ford Cobra that was built by Holman Moody for NASCAR based on the Torino GT Body style. It still has the original weld seems under the paint in back where they cut the hatch back off and added the sloped fast back and rounded top rear fenders. That car still has the original Poly glass Tires on it and the other day when I took it for a drive it had 41,991 miles on the speedo when I got home, most of which was put on the first two years taking it to Sacramento and San Francisco and letting car magazines do write ups about it. That car I did no work on and won't restore it at all as the paint is still very good, but it doesn't have all the smog crap on it and I did change out the intake and carb and have it bored and blue printed. Also sonic tested. Anyway I took it to a local car show a couple of years ago and had one of the dam Ford Dealers Salesmen come over and inform everyone within 100' that Ford never built a car like that. I have a copy of the registry and original bill of sale so I showed him that they built 5,000 to get them certified for racing. When you take the registry and break down the whole VIN, they only made 29 exactly like mine. He not only refused to believe me but stated I had probably made up that sheet even though it stated From Ford on it.

Sorry for the long rant. I never put down anyone's car, no matter what I may think as I figure if they like it then it is theirs and they never built it to please me.

Ron

Ultimately it is not nice to bash anyones hard work. If it is what they want we should respect it. Anyone putting someone elses project down, probably is envious or jealous in some way. It's just another form of human defect or Bullyism if you will. I believe in Kharma, these guys will get theirs! In the mean time, I will be the guy drooling over the Cobra(one of the best roadster body designs ever created) IMHO.

G.R., I agree with you and feel you did the right thing even though it possibly make you an outcast in your club. I get criticisim about my cars all the time, and they are both all original steel bodies. People don't like the paint colors or the wheels or the interiors or the chopped top. Always somethng. I just let them talk and show their ignorance. 99.9% of the Cobra's on the road are glass kit cars, whether they came in a home built kit or delivered from the factory already assembled. As far as I'm concern glass steetrods are no different than glass Cobra's as kit cars. But that doesn't mean I don't like them. I like them all. Some people whether they be streetrod owners, hotrod owners, or sports car owners, are just arrogant snobs and without much chance of ever having a clue.

A friend of mine has both an original 289 and 427. He rarely takes them to shows, but when he does people always assume that they are glass kit cars. Rather than be indignant, he just lets them rant and rave. I think he enjoys it.

Don't let a car salesman's opinion bother you. I have know a few. Someday when you want to let somebody else own that car, knowledgeable people will stand in line to buy it! :-)

I agree with what many of you have said. It has been disappointing to me to see these extreme positions held by some groups. I think we all have more in common with each other, than we have differences. One of the reasons I love my "biz" is because I get to be involved in all kinds of builds. Lowriders....mucsle cars....offroad....drag cars....bikes....image cars....oh yeah, and rods & customs too!!!....both shiney ones, and flat black ones. I love it all!

Agree with the majority on this one.
I watched for years as my dad was questioned about his cars if they were a "kit" and he would always answer "no" as nothing on any of his cars have been put together out of a mail order "kit" Now that I have and have built my own cars I get the same "kit" comment and I proudly say "no its a 23 ford".

I have received mixed comments on my car (s) "Why didnt you put fat tires on the back?" "Why did you chose that color?" "why did you choose those those wheels" "Fuzzy dice?" I build my cars to suit me and my tastes.
My 23t gets 100 times more looks and stares than my Vette and that feels great. My 3 cents. Don Jr.

P.S. Original K.I.T.T. Picture below-hehe (god Im dating myself)

Shirley and I were at a show this summer that had 3 willys in the same class. One guy walked up to mine and said "Is your steel too? when I said it was glass he said "oh, too bad its not real like that one" pointing to one down the line. When I told him it was glass also and he said "no.. the owner just told him it was "..a real steel car". Shirl and I almost died laughing. You have to know the owner to appreciate the story but he is one of those that has to have the best, be the best, and do the best. He obviously thought admitting his was just another glass car made him less somehow. We only go to 2 shows a year (partially because of his attitude) but at another show he had such a contention with the another Willys owner that he went back to registration and and tried to change his class designation. At a show last year He accused the judges of being "bought" when our's took best of show and best paint both. He wanted us to give him the best of show trophy because "we didn't deserve both of them".
I have built 4 glass cars and a dozen steel cars and I tell you that they were all damned hard work. It is all about the labor not the material used.

I have only played a little with glass, but it requires a whole different level of skill to work on. What it comes down to is the car is cool no matter what it's made of! I've read hundreds of posts of the agonies of lining up door seams, hoods, etc, to appreciate the work that went into them. Besides most vettes were made out of glass right from the factory, so I guess the must be kit cars too!
I'd love to have seen the whilly's owner eat crow when you won those trophies! Nice Willy's by the way!

I agree with what Stovens said and that is one great looking Willys. I saw a guy at one of the local shows yelling at one of the Cobra owners about his dam fake car and it shouldn't be allowed in a show. I walked over to look at his Original 32 Ford and it had a glass body and 350 Chevy engine. Talk about being out of line. But that guy has a reputation around the area about doing that kind of stuff and especially if he doesn't win. I think it is ridiculous and when I used to take my Cobra to a show, it was just for the fun of being around all the great cars and if I won anything that was just a plus, as mine wasn't built to be a show car and I drove it hard. Common Courtesy seems to be vanishing these days.

Ron

Originally Posted by Ron75

I agree with what Stovens said and that is one great looking Willys. I saw a guy at one of the local shows yelling at one of the Cobra owners about his dam fake car and it shouldn't be allowed in a show. I walked over to look at his Original 32 Ford and it had a glass body and 350 Chevy engine. Talk about being out of line. But that guy has a reputation around the area about doing that kind of stuff and especially if he doesn't win. I think it is ridiculous and when I used to take my Cobra to a show, it was just for the fun of being around all the great cars and if I won anything that was just a plus, as mine wasn't built to be a show car and I drove it hard. Common Courtesy seems to be vanishing these days.

Ron

Something like the day when I was at a show and they grouped all of the Mustangs together since there were only a half dozen or so. Mine was an absolutely perfect (as stated by the judges), low mileage black '86 GT T-top. I took 1st, he took second and IMO, lucky to do that well as his engine compartment was rearranged by grenade. He protested and was politely told to leave.

Another time, same car, different show. Guy appears with a year or so newer 'stang. Gets bent out of shape at the judges because he thought because his car was newer, it had to be better and should have taken the 1st place trophy. It wasn't and it didn't. And neither did I - mine was second and his, well let's say he didn't get a trophy that day

So what I'm trying to say is, like it or not, some folks are at a car show for the competition and for recognition/trophy. They aren't always nice about it and are vocal. Yes, I do like my car to be judged highly - but what do you do with a trophy the next day or a year from now. I have a bunch for several cars - and they're in some boxes - that is if my wife didn't do some significant house cleaning........

[QUOTE=IC2]
- but what do you do with a trophy the next day or a year from now.

IC2 your so right.
If any of my cars trophied once that was enough. I know it does make us feel good when our cars are deemed good enough to be applauded by our peers. But once should be enough, after that doesn't it seem like vanity and get a little embarrassing?

well this 51 f1 is the first build I've been involved with. and before that I was of the opinion that guys that bought the whole thing weren't the same as guys that build them..

here's my current sentiments:

KIT= buy it all and put it together, that's it, no custom fab, no difficult stuff, easy peasy japanesy. I want to do a motorcycle this way. personally I don't have a problem with it either, still a hell of a lot of work but involves a lot less shop equipment and knowledge.

everything else varies, my friend's dad has a real steal body 32 coupe that he spent probably 10+ years building. did everything but paint and interior himself in that time. I don't think it being steal matters so much as the fact that he has had it for 40 years and raced it for a long time before making it a street rod.

glass- who the heck cares?! if it looks good that's what matters.

the truck I'm building with my uncle, we bought it with the front disc brakes and the engine already in, so I don't know that much about the engine. does that lessen the other stuff we're doing? we rebuilt (not quite done) the bed (steel rather than wood floor) made the custom brackets for the power steering pump and steering box, made the power brakes fit etc. and there's tons more to do. when I take it out later if guys try to give me s*#t because I didn't build the engine I won't care. as my dad said if they don't pay your bills why do you care what they think?

some guys don't have the time, the space, tools, knowledge, but they have the love. they can afford to drop 100k on a custom. more power to them. if the attitude behind it is good that is all that matters. I think you find a##holes everywhere, in every hobby/sport/passtime. I disregard them for what they are and focus on the people that are like me. out to have a good time and share something they love.

good on you for getting in their faces by the way. I would have given them a rash over 350's in their "ford" kits too. talk about taking every shortcut huh?!

and willys rock! I need a willys gasser!

Red

i have seen this to. i get ask all the time where did i get my kit for my 34 chevy. i tell them i got it from cheverolet. there is always a butt in the crowd some of them sit on theres, some wear them wraped around their heads and some of them use them to talk with. it not hard to pick them out. i go an try to enjoy the different people you meet. like the little old lady in the walker with hair up in a bun and long denim skirt down to her ankles. ask if that was my car, then informed me that it was a 1934 cheverolet sedan. she looked at me an said i lost my virginity in a car just like that. it dont matter what they are drive them till the wheels fall off. jonathan

When I owned my Cobra I did 3 shows a year, all benefit car shows, only because they were all for good reasons and spectators love to see Cobras.

The first show I brought the Cobra to, the car got dissed by several of the "streetrodder elite". I was parked by the staff of the event between a 'glas bucket T and a 'glas '32 hi-boy--nice cars. My car was a 289 FIA/USSRC replica--I heard "you can tell it's fake 'cuz Cobras all had 427's", "the Cobra sidepipes never looked like that", "Cobras were all Blue and white, never red" on and on.

I drove away from the show with a first in my class and Peoples Choice and the 'glas streetrod owners were pissed off---Laughed all the way home.