Everybody knows that the Shelby Cobra is the most copied car on the planet. Who can argue with the voluptuous good looks and performance image that it embodies. Even folks who don’t know anything about cars understand on a visceral level that these are fast cars. There dozens, maybe even hundreds of companies making ersatz Cobras, leaving a guy with a bewildering array of choices and not a lot of guidance along the way. Some are obviously better than others and they all have a slightly different mission: authenticity, ease of assembly, price, or functionality, and it’s rare to get all of those virtues in one car. And then there’s the decision of how to build it, whether as an accurate-looking replica or something a little more personalized.

What this gorgeous Electric Red roadster represents is the Cobra as imagined by a street-rodder. Exceptional build quality coupled with an eye towards purity of line and a sleek overall look were chosen over absolute authenticity, and in a set of similar cars with stripes and other period details, this one will truly stand out without being too radical. The body and chassis are by Classic Motor Carriages out of Florida, who built a lot of Cobras back in the ‘90s and eventually changed their name to Street Beasts (you’ve probably seen their ads). This was an incomplete project, which seems to be a theme with the CMC cars, whose instruction manuals were apparently fairly sparse, but it was finished by a professional race shop and experienced fabricators who have built cars for the NHRA, so figuring it out was obviously not a problem. This is one of the big advantages that this car offers, as there is no assembly required and the pros who built it knew what they were doing. As a result, the quality is exceptional and it drives superbly, resolving the biggest complaints about these cars.

The fiberglass shell is a pretty accurate Cobra representation and without a real one next to it, nobody will be able to spot the very slight variations. The overall look is potent and I keep coming back to the word “smooth” simply because there’s nothing there to catch the wind. The emblems were shaved, the roll hoop behind the driver was deleted, and there’s a minimum of trim and other fussiness on the body. Like all great street rods, the mods blend into the design, leaving an onlooker to wonder where the factory stopped and the customizer began. The fiberglass body is exceptionally nice and the paint is so fresh you can still smell it (not really), and it definitely has a street-rodder’s attention to detail with a miles-deep finish. The doors open and close easily and fit flush, the hood latches into place without a lot of effort, and the entire car looks like it should be resting somewhere other than on pavement. Of course, things like the chrome bumperettes and windshield frame are like new, there are practical and functional wind wings, and correct Cobra taillights out back.

The interior is basic Cobra, which is how they came when they were new. Wrap-around buckets look right and are just as comfortable as the modern seats you see in a lot of replicas. They’re like new and it’s easy to settle in behind the woodgrained steering wheel, where you’ll probably feel at home rather quickly. Burgundy carpets on the floor were professionally stitched and bound and help control noise and heat, which is critical in any V8-powered car this small. A custom instrument panel was fabbed up and wrapped in more black upholstery to give it an authentic look, then filled with attractive Vintage Reproduction instruments. The basics are there to make it street legal, but like many street rods, it was pared down to the bare essence to maximize performance, so even the windshield wiper is manual. That button on the center console next to the shifter is for the high beams and all the lights and signals are fully functional. You will have no problems licensing and driving this car. There is no top or side curtains, but most Cobra owners have them laying around in the garage somewhere and the hardware spoils the look, so this is a fair-weather car only.

For power, this one has a Ford 302 cubic inch V8 that was worked over and dropped into the tube chassis. With a big Holley double-pumper under that Cobra air cleaner, it has an appropriate look and the engine is set well back in the chassis for exemplary handling. The engine barks to life through those side pipes and there’s nothing small sounding about this small block, which speaks with real authority. The basics are all there and brand new and everything works properly. It was initially constructed with a 5-speed manual transmission, but they quickly found that it just wasn’t easy to drive with the narrow foot wells—even a guy with normal-sized feet might struggle to nail all his shifts. So the 5-speed was yanked and a stout C4 3-speed automatic went in its place and paired with a high-stall torque converter, this Cobra really moves! Thanks to the featherweight chassis, it doesn’t need a lot of gear so a Fox Mustang 8.8-inch rear end with 3.08 gears on a Track-Lok limited slip went in, making this car an easy machine to drive on the highway. The front suspension is familiar Mustang II up front and a Fox Mustang Quadra-Shock setup out back, and ride quality is surprisingly good for a car with this much performance. And like a true street rod, this sucker’s low, giving it a wicked stance. No power steering or brakes are needed in this lightweight and the glorious side pipes have been ceramic-coated for long life. Gorgeous reproduction Halibrand wheels wear spinners and staggered 205/60/15 front and 255/60/15 rear BFGoodrich radials that totally stuff the fenders.

Why build your own? This one is ready to go today and has a professional build behind it. It’s not a traditional Cobra, but that’s what makes it special and once you’re behind the wheel, you won’t even remember what kind of stripes you wanted in the first place. A neat little car that offers a lot of fun for not a lot of cash.