Cobra Replica: which one?
Discussion
Hello!
I am starting looking for a Cobra Replica and must confess that it is quite hard to find which one is better that the others without visiting them...
Since I leave in Switzerland it won't be easy for me to make visits...
Who can share his or her experience / Knowledge with me?
Last but not the least is there any swiss guy around here who sucessfully homolgate one Cobra Replica in our restrictive country???
Thanx in advance and all the best!
I am starting looking for a Cobra Replica and must confess that it is quite hard to find which one is better that the others without visiting them...
Since I leave in Switzerland it won't be easy for me to make visits...
Who can share his or her experience / Knowledge with me?
Last but not the least is there any swiss guy around here who sucessfully homolgate one Cobra Replica in our restrictive country???
Thanx in advance and all the best!
Hi,
Where in Switzerland are you? I have a New Zealand colleague working here in Basel with me who is interested in doing just that.
Gardner Douglas I believe is one of the better ones, and I think I remember an article about a couple getting TUV approval for Germany, and that was several years ago.
www.cobrakitcars.co.uk/info.html have gained TUV approval (in Germany)
Sparks
Where in Switzerland are you? I have a New Zealand colleague working here in Basel with me who is interested in doing just that.
Gardner Douglas I believe is one of the better ones, and I think I remember an article about a couple getting TUV approval for Germany, and that was several years ago.
www.cobrakitcars.co.uk/info.html have gained TUV approval (in Germany)
Sparks
Hello there,
As sparks says, Gardner Douglas are one of the better ones. In fact UK sports car champion Mike Jordan rates theirs as the best handling Cobra replica on the UK market.
Gardner Douglas also sell to Europe (not sure about Switzerland though) and when I was there to test the GD T70 recently they were building one of their 427s with a BMW V8 for a European client.
For more info see www.gdcars.com
As sparks says, Gardner Douglas are one of the better ones. In fact UK sports car champion Mike Jordan rates theirs as the best handling Cobra replica on the UK market.
Gardner Douglas also sell to Europe (not sure about Switzerland though) and when I was there to test the GD T70 recently they were building one of their 427s with a BMW V8 for a European client.
For more info see www.gdcars.com
I live close to Geneva in the french part of the country. Basel is in the german part, about 2 hours drive from Geneva.
DAX seems to have a good reputation too.
I contact most of the kit manufacturer and the very few who answer could not give me any warranty nor customer names...
Unfortunately TUV certificat does not mean that it could be homologate in Switzerland! I will contact the authorities to get more information, but the more I speak with them, the more I get different answers...
All the best
DAX seems to have a good reputation too.
I contact most of the kit manufacturer and the very few who answer could not give me any warranty nor customer names...
Unfortunately TUV certificat does not mean that it could be homologate in Switzerland! I will contact the authorities to get more information, but the more I speak with them, the more I get different answers...
All the best
Hawk are also very good kits. The chassis are built to be very similar in design and appera accurate in many other aspects.
Try
www.hawkcars.co.uk/
Try
www.hawkcars.co.uk/
divoux
The only other option is to try and get it registered in another country, which may not be completely legal, but I know there are people that do that (register in Germany) an just keep it at home in Basel. Do you have any friends/relatives that would allow you to register the car in France?
I will ask my work colleague if he has any details on this.
Sparks
The only other option is to try and get it registered in another country, which may not be completely legal, but I know there are people that do that (register in Germany) an just keep it at home in Basel. Do you have any friends/relatives that would allow you to register the car in France?
I will ask my work colleague if he has any details on this.
Sparks
Glad someone else posted a thread like this, im in exactly the same situation having got rid of a very troublesome MR2 Turbo. I have toyed with a few different marques and have decided on a Cobra kit car.
But which kit, what engine etc etc.
From my research so far its a choice between the Gardner Douglas and the Dax, Dax have just developed their De Dion chassis and they are building a new demonstrator with an 8.3L Big Block Chevy V8, 502bhp 600Lbs of torque. (Article in this months Kitcar)
Though a small block V8 would probably be more suitable so im told.
But which kit, what engine etc etc.
From my research so far its a choice between the Gardner Douglas and the Dax, Dax have just developed their De Dion chassis and they are building a new demonstrator with an 8.3L Big Block Chevy V8, 502bhp 600Lbs of torque. (Article in this months Kitcar)
Though a small block V8 would probably be more suitable so im told.
Sparks
Unfortunately I can not drive a car with foreighn tags in my country. The problem could rise in case of accident with the insurance...
I Cooke
Price are too high, I am looking on a £25'000 or EUR 40'000 complete car.
Dakkon
Small block should provide a more balanced car
Thank you to all for your contribution
Still no Swiss???
Unfortunately I can not drive a car with foreighn tags in my country. The problem could rise in case of accident with the insurance...
I Cooke
Price are too high, I am looking on a £25'000 or EUR 40'000 complete car.
Dakkon
Small block should provide a more balanced car
Thank you to all for your contribution
Still no Swiss???
divoux,
I saw, well heard then saw
a cobra (not sure what) in Basel yesterday, with Basel plates on. It was blue with a racing stripe, and some serious drainpipe side exhausts. The sound was great.
So it is possible, you just need to ask the right people. If I ever see him again, I will try and get some info from him.
Sparks
I saw, well heard then saw
a cobra (not sure what) in Basel yesterday, with Basel plates on. It was blue with a racing stripe, and some serious drainpipe side exhausts. The sound was great. So it is possible, you just need to ask the right people. If I ever see him again, I will try and get some info from him.
Sparks
I think it's difficult to make an informed decision on a Cobra replica without seeing them first hand, and driving them yourself.
Whilst I appreciate that is not going to be too easy from Switzerland, I think it will be necessary for you to try and arrange something.
Because there are so many different manufacturers making cobra replicas, each with their own benefits and pitfalls, you need to find the one that suits YOU rather than anyone else.
Whilst I appreciate that is not going to be too easy from Switzerland, I think it will be necessary for you to try and arrange something.
Because there are so many different manufacturers making cobra replicas, each with their own benefits and pitfalls, you need to find the one that suits YOU rather than anyone else.
Sparks said:
divoux,
I saw, well heard then saw
So it is possible, you just need to ask the right people. If I ever see him again, I will try and get some info from him.
Sparks
Thank you I would appreciate any kind of information on which replica can be imported... then I will make my choice!
All the best
Why does everyone go for a Mk 3 replica??
Be different and build a 289. Look at Hawk cars and talk to Gerry Hawkridge, his cars even have options covering replica chassis and aluminium bodies, They are much cooler than the mk 3 (Yes I have built a MK3)
If you are set on a Mk 3 then look at some of the american kits which offer a much better build and quality than the Brit Kits
Neil
Be different and build a 289. Look at Hawk cars and talk to Gerry Hawkridge, his cars even have options covering replica chassis and aluminium bodies, They are much cooler than the mk 3 (Yes I have built a MK3)
If you are set on a Mk 3 then look at some of the american kits which offer a much better build and quality than the Brit Kits
Neil
heightswitch said:
Why does everyone go for a Mk 3 replica??
Because they look so damned gorgeous!
heightswitch said:
Be different and build a 289...
..they are much cooler than the mk 3
Don't dispute they are still great looking cars and would certainly be a refreshing change from the "norm", but better looking than a Mk 3?
I wouldn't go that far! 
Chris
heightswitch said:
If you are set on a Mk 3 then look at some of the american kits which offer a much better build and quality than the Brit Kits
Neil
Matter or opinion. Quality of top British fake snakes is very good, and doubt any Yank version will drive as well as a Gardner Douglas or Magnum.
Hey Divoux,
Just saw this on the News section of the Dax site:
Have a look on www.daxcars.co.uk
Chris
Just saw this on the News section of the Dax site:
daxwebsite said:
Talking of export orders, German agent Christian Nowak of CN Fahrzeugbau – who builds turnkey Tojeiros in Germany – has switched all his orders to the new chassis after seeing it on a recent visit to Harlow. Christian, who also races a Toj – winning in Holland this month - builds around 12 cars a year for customers in Germany, Italy and Portugal and is about to start selling into Switzerland.
Have a look on www.daxcars.co.uk
Chris
visit www.magnum-engineering.com they built the best chassis and you can adjust the price to your budget with no problem.
I think you need to decide whether you want authenticity (like the Hawk or a Crendon) or whether you want a more modern interpretation with a "better" (but less authentic) chassis like a GD. If you want something very good dynamically, make sure you choose one that wins races. Everyone seems to claim to have the "best handling" Stiffest chassis etc on the market but the proof of the pudding is how they perform on the track, I feel.
Haven't a clue how you'd get one into Switzerland though!
Haven't a clue how you'd get one into Switzerland though!
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