Need Help: 996, GT40, RS60, AC COBRA, OR DAYTONA COUPE?!

[Johan]

Get the 997. Great car and the only car you list that is close to a daily driver.

[Doug Sainlar]

OK, I know SD is in the great nation of California, and there is great weather there, but at some point it has to rain or you'll all be living in a desert. So, IMHO, if you truly want a daily driver you will need a car with a roof and windows.

While some of the Cobra replicas can be had with tops and side curtains, they aren't very weather-proof, I'd forget them if you really plan on using the vehicle as a daily driver.

Do you want roll up windows, or is a "toll booth window" satisfactory? Many of the replicas you mention used fixed windows with a porthole, mostly useful for ventilation, but depending on whether it hinges or slides it might be useful enough to toss money into a toll road money machine. If a "toll booth window" is satisfactory, I'd say you'd be OK with a 40 kit or the majority of the Daytona kits.

I haven't seen one in person, but I think the Superperformance Daytona has roll-up windows, if so it is one of the few replicas thus fitted. If roll up windows are a definite must have, look at the SPF Daytona.

As for the mechanical maintenance issue, with most replicas YOU choose the motor, even if you buy the vehicle as a turn-key, so you pays your money and you takes your chances. Good rule of thumb--the more power you buy, the more maintainence you'll need. The nice thing about these vehicles is that a 300-400 horsepower motor, which can be had with hydraulic lifters and a compression ratio that is street-gas friendly, is perfectly adequate to blow the doors off most anything except a factory racecar, and at that power level they won't require much maintainence, most of which could be done at your local Ford or GM dealership (yeah, some of the Daytonas and 40's have been fitted with GM power, sacrilege that it is).

It appears to me that the engine you choose won't likely be the limiting factor, unless you want something that has too much power to be really usable but gives you great bragging rights (when I was questioning why nobody used a supercharged engine in a 40, one of the manufacturers made a very astute comment to the effect of "...if you really must be foolish..."). Do you want to be foolish with your choice or do you want something with adequate power and reliability? The choice is yours and there is a wide range available from mild to wild.

IMHO, a nice Daytona with a 400 hp Windsor, which is easily streetable, would be a decent choice, and IF the SPF ("they" say..."...IF is the biggest word in the English language") has roll up windows, have it fitted with an A/C system and you'd have a street car that has that "wow" factor you seem to be pursuing. OK, so I admit it sounds undesirable to me, but if you had a S.O. who insisted on being able to drive and couldn't manage a clutch, I've even seen front engine/RWD replicas fitted with automatic transmissions--talk about the ultimate cruising machine!!

Doug

[chuck smith]

here is my SPF Daytona; roll up windows, AC, weather tight and very fast with a 427w Roush and 6 speed tranny.

[TonyM]

Some how I don't see this one fitting in the under $50k budget.... What does a turnkey minus SPF coupe go for ?

[chuck smith]

about 70K. Has anyone here stuck to their budget? Not me , that is for sure.

[TonyM]

Agreed..... I started with a $75k budget and am over $100k at this point.

Doug states that his budget is $50k or less, if that's the case for sure then his only real option is probably a pre-owned Cobra replica or a Porsche.

[domtoni]

Watch out for Boxsters and 996s. I have been told by various Porsche people in USA and the UK that their motors are weak, and can come unglued between 50 and 100k miles.

If looking for a Porsche, go for a 993 or an old 3.2 Carrera.

Best
Dom

[Doug Sainlar]

Originally Posted by UKTONY

Agreed..... I started with a $75k budget and am over $100k at this point.

Doug states that his budget is $50k or less, if that's the case for sure then his only real option is probably a pre-owned Cobra replica or a Porsche.

I agree, Tony! The only 40's I've seen go for less than $50K were incomplete ones, admittedly some very nice and very close ones a couple of years ago, but not drivers yet. I don't keep track of the market like Ron does, the only ones I am familiar with are the ones that I see on this forum

If his budget really is $50K, I say he has only one option--I don't think the Cobra is a daily driver--not weather-tight enough. This gentleman owns 6 jewelry stores, I'd suspect he drives around in a suit most of the time, one good rainstorm will spoil his desire to drive around in a Cobra!

Go for the Porsche. If you still need a roadster, save up about $20K after you get your 911 and look for a good 550 replica--it won't be blindingly fast, but it will get attention!

Just curious--I've been a member at ClubCobra for years, have only gone there a few times--does anyone know how much used Daytona's are selling for? The Cobra replicas I've noticed for sale, even very nice ones, seem to have been losing value lately, perhaps a used Daytona would be within his $50K budget????

Oh, yeah, Raphael, I'd give some serious consideration to rethinking the Lone Star idea. I went to Ft. Worth a few years ago to talk to them about a kit, walked into the hanger (it's based on an old airport site), walked around for 45 minutes without anyone even approaching me to ask if they could help me. I finally asked some people just sitting around chatting if there was anyone I could speak with from LS and they sorta acted like my experience was pretty normal. I did finally get to talk to a representative, but I wasn't interested in a Cobra and they had quit making their 40 replica at the time (not the current LS40, but an actual SBF V-8 powered model they use to make). I've heard from a friend who bought an incomplete kit that they didn't know answers to fairly simple questions (such as which diameter wheels would fit their cars, what backspacing, etc.) when he called them. He was sort of on his own, I guess.

His Cobra did turn out very nice, so their products can be built to a good state of finish (check out the member 427HISS, I think he has a photo gallery).

If you MUST stick to the $50K limit, I agree with the developing majority regarding the Porsche, but you might get lucky and find a used Daytona for that price--that would, IMHO, be incredibly good luck. Lots of Porsches out there, but how many Daytonas do you see on the streets on a daily basis, even in SD?

Doug

[chuck smith]

Superformance Daytonas will go for 75-95K in todays market. Factory Five Daytonas can be had for well under 50K and can be very nice, but are not as civilized as the SPF. The cobra market is pretty saturated, the high end cars, CSX 400 series and Kirkhams still bring big bucks and sell quickly.

[Doug Sainlar]

Originally Posted by chuck 1

here is my SPF Daytona; roll up windows, AC, weather tight and very fast with a 427w Roush and 6 speed tranny.

Thanks, Chuck, for confirming my suspicion. I've never seen one in person, only photos, but it sure looked like they were roll ups! I think the FFR Daytona uses fixed windows with a slider, not sure about the Shell Valley, but I think they are fixed windows, too. The Shell Valley, however, might be less expensive and labor intensive in the end, as they don't require the paneling that the FFR kit needs.

I've held off for years, haven't bought a kit for 2 reasons, first is that I need a 4 season car, as it will truly need to be my daily driver, and the second is that I want to be sure I have the mechanical knowledge and skills it will take to bring one of these to completion. The 40 kits scare me due to the amount of engineering and fabrication they need, but the Daytona might be a better idea, and particularly the SPF if I could afford to have them essentially build it for me, but then if I could afford their Daytona kit, I'd probably just save up for a few more years and buy one of their 40 kits. Unfortunately, I'm stuck building my own, so..........onward through the fog...

Doug

[Doug Sainlar]

Originally Posted by chuck 1

Superformance Daytonas will go for 75-95K in todays market. Factory Five Daytonas can be had for well under 50K and can be very nice, but are not as civilized as the SPF.

Thanks for that, too--we'll just have to see how the SPF models hold their value. Given their high build quality, I bet they'll hold well!

I like the way FFR describes their Daytona replica as "....that psycho girlfriend we've all had".

I bet they can be a handful!!!

Doug

[Johan]

I would say that a porsche 993 C2S would be a great car to have and will perhaps hold value well.

[Eric Johnson]

Here is my 550 spyder replica.As Doug says it could be a great alternative because they are relatively inexpensive (20k for an excellent example) and startlingly quick.This would leave you 30k left over for a 911 or similar to drive on rainy days.As far as attention goes , I'm amazed at the reaction it gets just by stopping for gas or if I take it to the track, forget it, it gets swarmed. Worth a look.

[Steve C]

Eric,

Great looking car...Although not a GT40 perhaps you will tell/show us more...Who is the mfg (or if you; cudos)...More detail...engine ect and pics...$20K complete as shown??

Tx, Steve

[Eric Johnson]

Steve,

Thanks for the compliments on the 550.

Specifics are : Beck spyder (early beck from California ) #113 built 1886-1990 by a fellow named Jim Marshall of Daphne, Al. I am the second owner and have owned the car since 2000.

It has a stroker vdub displacing 2016cc with twin Dellortos putting out about 150hp through a specially prepared transaxle by Transform with higher 1st and 2nd gear ratios (Sound familiar Renault folks). Hydraulic clutch.Morse boat throttle cable .It utilizes a JMAR rod shift linkage arrangement . It has Porsche 914 4 wheel discs ,etc
It has the Beck tube frame that is faithful to the original so it weighs in at about 1250 lbs. The body has a tendency to lift at speeds above 100mph ,so I always keep the fuel tank topped off -that seems to help!

The body has some neat extras- a hand formed grill opening and nostrils (on most of these cars, they just paint the fake openings.)The twin red fender "darts",and the side mirror was fabricated using a sectioned mustang body.

My car was a little more than 20k but worth it.

I don't have any digital interior or engine pics right now,but attached are a couple more. Spyder Mike might want to weigh in as I know he has a nice Spyder that he built himself. A good Spyder forum can be found by visiting Redirecting you to the new Spyderclub Portal...

[Steve C]

Eric,

How about some more detail re the "fender darts"...Have never seen that treatment befor.

Really great car...Got me thinking...Would look great next to the 986 and open air alternative to the GT40 but, finding one like yours probably not easy.

Steve

[SpyderMike]

The Spyders are great, fun, low cost to own and maintain cars. I have yet to meet anyone that doesn't appreciate the lines.

Mine is early the same vintage at Eric's late 1980s S/N 191 bought from Mr.Beck himself as a kit. I built mine and have rebuilt it over time (updating systems and bits). I bought the kit for $6,750 back then and with the engine (2165cc with dual weber 44s) and a bunch of donor parts I had about $12k into it. It is not as nice as Eric's. Nice spyders can be found used in the low $20ks. Really nice new ones in the sub $30k range and up. Engine choices seem to be the VW Type 1 on steroids, the Type IV, the Subies, water cooled VW and the Porsche flat 6s. From mile to wild.

Driving it is a different experience that the 40. It's kind of like a 4 wheeled motorcycle. Light, tossable, nimble...loud. Good power to weight ratio and skinny tires make for a fun experience.

Mike