Cobra Daytona Coupe

Mike Dozier · 10th March 2006, 10:46 PM

I noticed on the Cobra Forum that FFR has now shipped 250 Coupe kits. The Coupe is not attractive at all to me, and am really surprised how many FFR has sold in a relatively short period of time.

The Coupe has great history, but to me the styling is not attractive enough to offset that fact. I guess at least 250 customers disagree.

MikeD

Jac Mac · 11th March 2006, 03:35 AM

Make that 250 customers and 1 Coupe fan. I agree they are not pretty,more of a brutal get the job done appearance,which they did and for a lot less cash than Ford threw at the first GT40. Rather than argue which is best I would have one of each.Cobra, Daytona,& GT40.
Cheers Jack.

Bill Hough · 11th March 2006, 08:13 AM

Back when I was making the Daytona Coupe bodies for FFR, they wanted to make two bodies per week! I really didn't think that they would sell two per week. 250 isn't bad though! I doubt if I'll pass another Daytona driving around Boston. I see FFR roadsters all the time! One nice thing about the Daytona Coupe; the heater, I drive it in the winter!
I saw the Daytona and the GT40 at Watkins Glen, 1965 when Shelby had that tour of the country as word champs. I thought the Daytona Coupe was the strangest looking car that I had ever seen, but the GT40 that was there, was the coolest, sleekest and meanest, looking car there!

Allan Feldman · 11th March 2006, 08:45 AM

Bill
Then the Super Coupe 1965 427 would have seemed even stranger?
I am stating the obvious but Martin Covell's car (P1084) was the Shelby caravan Ford GT that you saw P1005.
Regards Allan

Bill Hough · 12th March 2006, 02:41 PM

Allen, If I understand your post correctly, P1005 was the caravan Car.?? That car ran my toes over going out to the pits from the barn. I just wanted a closer look... long story!!
The Super Coupe is one of those designs that grows on you after a while. Good from the front, ugly from the back. I guess it was a case of function over form!
I wonder where the plans are for the Super Coupe are?

Allan Feldman · 13th March 2006, 07:36 AM

Bil I am glad the "caravan" gave you good memories. P1005 was upgraded as a Gulf car for the Spa race in 1968 I suppose it got its new number P1084 then. Since I get all of my information from books and magazine articles. This is what I know about the Supercoupe. I know it was completed in the mid to late 1980's and raced in historic racing meetings then owned by George Stauffer. I think it was sold on to a new owner.
I think that this designs i.e. the Ford GT and Daytona Coupe were like nothing else at the time of design.
I can think of one example in 1962 when I was eleven I took a picture of an E type Jaguar. It stood out like a sore thumb all the other cars on the road were boxes!
Regards Allan

Bill Hough · 13th March 2006, 08:16 AM

Same here with the XKE! It seemed every year we had new designs to look forward to seeing. It was a "ground breaking" time then! It doesn't seem the same now. No real dramatic designs that wow! us. Maybe I've been around race cars too long. My eighteen year old son feels the same way. He like my Daytona though!

Mike Dozier · 13th March 2006, 02:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Bill
Then the Super Coupe 1965 427 would have seemed even stranger?

Regards Allan

[/ QUOTE ]

Allan...the word is butt-ugly....(apologies to the owner).

MikeD

Allan Feldman · 14th March 2006, 06:21 PM

Bill I might have my Numbers mixed up . I did it by memory and in another thread on the Lemans Classic It was P1004 (not P1005) Still the 1965 Shelby caravan car that became Martin Covell's P1084 ( Thanks Rob).
Regards Allan

Rob · 14th March 2006, 08:30 PM

Mike,
Hmmmm...... don't think I can agree with you on this one... [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

Mike Dozier · 15th March 2006, 12:38 PM

Rob

Obviously styling taste is a subjective matter...but from certain angles the Supercoupe looks like a beached whale
to me...while I'm hard pressed to find a bad angle
on the GT40.

Interestingly, I heard (read?) an interview with Shelby where he stated a strong preference for the 289 Cobra styling over the 427 body. Obviously most replica buyers disagree with ol Shel's opionion !

MikeD

Rob · 15th March 2006, 12:43 PM

Mike,
No issues mate.... However I do agree that the 40 MKI is georgious from all angles.

Yes, I too have heard that Shelby and his team too preferred the 289.

Allan Feldman · 16th March 2006, 04:15 PM

I like all Forties. But my favourite version will never be made. Because I like the looks of the 1964 Prototype even if it takes off. My second favourite would be the short nosed 1965 Ford GT 7 litre in USA colours Dark blue bonnet white overall.
Some of the cars I like are influenced by their guardsman blue colour schemes. The ugiest forty has to be the 7 litre Can Am X1 still retaining complete with lights the 1965 Le Mans nose.
Regards Allan [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img]