Would the Cobra's legacy be as large as it is today without the massive replica industry keeping it alive? Easily the most replicated car in history, the Cobra legend is significant and irrevocably tied to raw performance with no frills. If you want electronic driver aids, power assisted brakes and steering, and sophistication, well, the Cobra is the wrong choice. But if you want an unfiltered horsepower experience that mainlines itself into your hypothalamus, a brute-force hammer that beats competitors into submission, and the most elemental motoring experience possible, the Cobra is for you. Fast and crude and unapologetic, it delivers the kind of thrill ride that stands the test of time—just man and machine with no barriers between them and the pavement. It's why the legend endures and why Cobra replicas remain special cars that sell by the tens of thousands almost sixty years after the Cobra's invention. Nothing else has this kind of staying power, and it's for a very good reason.

This particular bright red Cobra is based on a Shell Valley platform and was completed in 2012. If you're not familiar with Shell Valley, they're one of the oldest Cobra replica companies, known for robust hardware and a durable Kevlar-reinforced fiberglass body that accurately replicates the original Cobra shape. Finish work is excellent throughout and they did spend a lot of time prepping the stout fiberglass tub for the final finish. No waves, no thin spots where you can see the weave, just clean bodywork that reflects evenly from any angle. Bright red is always a great choice on a Cobra, accentuating the curves and, let's face it, nobody's sneaking around in something like this anyway. Factory-style stripes were laid down nose to tail, silver to work with the interior, and you'll note that they wrap around the hood and into the jambs and under the cowl. This was not a cheap paint job. The car wears a correct windscreen with Plexiglas wind wings and sun visors, reproduction Lucas taillights, bumpers, and flip-up gas cap, all of which make it look pretty authentic. But just in case, it also carries reproduction Shelby badges as well as the all-important "427 Ford COBRA" emblems on its flanks. If you miss this beast sitting next to you, you deserve to get beat when the light turns green.

The handsome gray leather interior uses correct low-back buckets to keep this Cobra looking like it should (nothing looks worse than modern high buckets in one of these cars). Gray is a nice change from the usual black and helps keep things cool. Matching door panels with neat little hinge protectors and map pockets give it a finished look and black carpets tie it all together neatly. A wood-rimmed 3-spoke steering wheel looks suitably vintage and the controls are laid out sensibly, with speedo and tach in front of the driver and vintage-looking Stewart Warner auxiliary gauges in the center. Pedal placement is actually better than most of the replica Cobras we've driven, with more room for taller drivers with larger feet, and despite the massive amounts of power it's forced to handle, clutch action is pretty light. The shifter is a vintage Ford unit, as it should be, and it's connected to a proper Toploader 4-speed manual gearbox that sits right next to your right thigh. No radio, no heater, no windows, no top, and if you need any of those things, well, you might not be Cobra material after all. What you do get is a killer stereo complements of a 427 cubic inch V8 exhaling through side pipes and enough heat coming off it to keep the chill off on a cool evening. The Cobra was a man's car and that's how it remains today, so make sure you're up to it. Fortunately, you do get a nice-sized trunk that's been neatly upholstered in black carpet to give it a finished look.

The badges aren't lying and I meant it when I said this car captures the authentic Cobra experience, complements of a real-deal 1963-vintage Ford 427 medium-riser V8. This particular 427 was built by the legendary Kurt Neighbor, and if you take the time to look him up you'll discover that there's probably nobody on the face of the planet who knows these Ford 427 engines better than he. In fact, if you want a brand new 427 "Cammer" engine, he can supply one built with 100% new parts. So when the time came to put an accurate Cobra powerplant under the hood of this car, well, that's exactly the right choice. It's fresh (obviously) and rebuilt with modern pump gas and good street manners in mind. There's a solid lifter cam inside, so it sounds right, and two big Holley double-pumpers on top to feed it properly. Other details include the remote expansion tank there on top, a giant radiator up front with an electric fan, and a set of Cobra finned valve covers on top. It starts easily, idles nicely, and doesn’t get at all fussy, hot or cold, which is a testament to Mr. Neighbor's tuning skill, and there's a definite stop in the throttle travel when you hit the secondaries—pay attention before going past it, because all kinds of things start to happen really, really fast. There's a virtually endless supply of torque, yet this deep-breathing big block winds across the tach without acting like it's ever going to run out of breath. And in a package that weighs scarcely 2500 pounds, well, it's not hard to understand how a legend was born. Long-tube headers feed the side pipes, which absolutely sound epic at full boil. Just be warned that you WILL burn your leg on them once if you're good, and twice if you're a slow learner—don't worry, Cobra fans recognize the leg burn as admission to the club.

The Shell Valley chassis doesn't break any new ground, but it is sturdy. Rectangular steel frame rails with round cross-members and reinforced body and floor components make a very stiff platform that you can feel from the driver's seat. The front suspension is a familiar Mustang II setup with rack-and-pinion steering and disc brakes, so parts are plentiful and service is easy, and with everything being new it'll be years before you need to worry about it. The rear end uses a Ford 9-inch on a 4-link setup with adjustable coil-over shocks, so the thing hooks up extremely well. A custom driveshaft with heavy-duty U-joints tie them together, so go ahead and hammer it through the gears. You'll note that virtually everything under the car is new, including lines, hoses, and the custom fabricated stainless fuel cell out back. Weld Pro-Star wheels aren't quite what Ol' Shel was using but they look great and work well with the drag race sensibility behind the build, and they're fitted with fat 235/60/15 front and 295/50/15 rear BFGoodrich T/A radials.

There's a very good reason why Cobras remain so popular after all these years. They're insanely fun to drive, the community is one of the best in the hobby, and everywhere you go the car will be recognized as a legend (and the guy behind the wheel treated accordingly). This beautiful red Cobra delivers a very authentic experience thanks to the expertly-built 427 under the hood, and that alone makes it stand out. No stroker motor, no Chevy V8, no late-model stuff, just the right motor that lived there when these cars were winning races 55 years ago. Add in a price that's probably less than the cost of duplicating the car yourself (even if your labor is free), and you get a smart way to own a small piece of the legend. Call today!

This car is titled as a 2011 Assembled Vehicle and comes with a 100% valid, transferable Ohio title.

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.