If you wanted to build a replica of the original Shelby Cobra today, you have a fair number of options. Most would look to a company like Factory Five Racing for a turnkey kit, and it’d be a high quality build. But there’s something to be a said for a car that was meant to be so close to the real thing that it even passed crash testing and a variety of other requirements to meet the specifications of both the EPA and DOT. The Aurora Cobra GRX was that car, and it perhaps one of the best clones of a “slab sided” Cobra ever made. They rarely come up for sale, so check this one out here on eBay where it’s offered with an opening bid of $59,000 and a Buy-It-Now of $65,000.
The Shelby Cobra is likely one of the most often imitated, but rarely duplicated cars of all time. Kits abound of varying quality and you can still find a discarded project on Marketplace with surprisingly regularity. These cars are discarded once the build takes a wrong turn or the owner runs out of time, money, and interest. It gives the broader “replica” industry a bad name, especially if the kit in question has numerous flaws or other obvious ways it doesn’t come close to being the real thing. The car shown here was never conceived to be a quick and dirty replica. In fact, the Canadian company Aurora claimed to have 450 man hours in each car.
Sadly, this is hardly the path to revenue-positive operation, and Aurora would eventually file for bankruptcy. However, the cars they did produce were beautifully crafted. The GRX shown here is equipped with a powerful Ford 302 V8 engine paired to a manual transmission, which means it’s reliable and cheap to buy parts for. The Aurora was sold direct from local Ford dealerships when new, setting it even farther apart from other replicas due to the level of quality it would have to achieve for the factory to approve showroom sales. However, this particular car when new sat for three years at a New Jersey Ford dealership, not finding a buyer until 1986. This likely had something to do with the high sticker price, which was over $32,000 at the time.
The beautifully crafted body sits atop a dual plane tubular space frame, and the dash is adored with handsome Smiths gauges. Leather seating surfaces and plush carpets make the cabin feel luxurious, with high quality materials throughout. The seller notes his GRX benefits from a recent respray along with new carpets, floor mats, and Connolly leather imported from the U.K. The wheels have also been replaced with pricey Dayton AC Cobra 70-spoke wire wheels and recent Vredestein tires. While expensive, the build quality is exceptional and the attention to detail won’t be matched by many other replica Cobras on the market today.
“If you’re looking for the 289-style AC Cobra experience, this is the most accessible, best driving opportunity you’ll experience.”
I’d say this sentence is spot on. Beautiful car.
I’m amazed that this totally sorted out, factory built car is priced near the same price as other “kit” cars when it is so elevated.
I owned one 20 years ago. Really miss it. Well built.
The obey body era I would ever want, engine and transmission too.
I disagree with sellers advertising a kit car as the actual year the kit replicates. It is disingenuous and eBay has removed the ability to repot these sellers. Which is a sad change for honest sellers.
Sometime in the mid 1980’s I saw one for sale at an exotic car resale facility. I talked to salesman into giving me a ride in the car, but made it clear it was beyond me financial ability at the time. Either he was looking for an excuse to take the car for a quick spin or he took pity on me; regardless, I managed to score a ride and was impressed with the build quality (no rattles), road manners, and felt like a football being dropped-kicked every time he shifted gears.
I know it isn’t a real Cobra, but close enough to the real thing that I imagine the performance would be about the same – with the exception that this one has a five speed Tremec gearbox. Considering what other desirable classics sell for, this seems like a fair price. Unfortunately, still outta my price range, but I’d love to be the proud owner of this slabside, factory built, EPA and DOT certified Cobra replica.
$65,000 is about the price of a year-old quad-cab pickup these days.
And what kind of fun can you have with a pickup versus a roadster? Good for trips to Home Depot and that’s about it.
Oh ‘Country’ girls like ‘RIDES’ in a pick-up truck. lol
Looks better than the typical over-blown Cobra kit car with chrome roll bar, gaudy paint, big flares, sidepipes, etc. Unfortunately, the impact bumpers spoil the looks, but the mounts could perhaps be modified to get the bumpers closer to the body. Other external details differ from the original (back-up lights, fuel filler, etc.), and the dash is different. Price seems in the ballpark, and the owner has probably not had many bites, so haggling might lower it.
Much agreed. I’m in my mid 60’s so I can absolutely appreciate the slab sided version Cobras because they were the original Cobra.
Too many modern enthusiasts go immediately for the bulging fenders and often don’t build them as powerful as the older wide body’s needed to be to house the tires needed for any traction from the old FE Side Oiler 427s of the day.
So yes kudos on this one. And best outcome with the sale.
My Aurora Cobra was even cheaper than this (very nice) one. It was $2.50 IIRC. In HO scale!
I had a 1:32 scale I the 60s!
Price might be a tad high but, given the quality of the manufacture, not by much. I’m so impressed by its condition, equipment and obvious care it has been given that if it weren’t for how far it’s located from me (Colorado) and because it is titled as a 1983 vehicle I would most certainly bid to buy it. The former impediment is easily overcome with a trustworthy shipper, however my state’s draconian emissions requirements for cars manufactured post 1975 put it out of my reach–I’m afraid it would never pass DMV’s mandated compliance. Sure wish it had been titled as a 60’s Ford instead just as eBay pretends.
They aren’t just titled as an 83. It is an 83. Aurora was classified as a manufacturer. The cars met emissions and crash standards at the date of manufacture and were sold through Ford dealers with a Ford backed warranty.
I somewhat understand your feelings about the 427 replicas simply because there are so many of them, but in my opinion they are beyond cool if they are true to the original. Also if they are from Factory Five with a bbc or Shelby American with a bbf they need those big tires. Again, just my opinion.
I agree that you need as much traction as you can with these cars especially if you drive a little bit on the wild side. A Factory Five Racing replica will weigh about 2200 pounds and some of the earlier versions running the stock 225 hp Mustang engines, if I recall correctly, we’re doing 0 to 60MPH in 4.2 seconds. That’s pretty quick and that’s only with a stock Mustang engine from the 80s. Throw more power in there and a light short wheelbase vehicle like these replicas can be quite a handful. You don’t necessarily need 500 hp in these cars to go really fast and if you ask anyone that’s driven one of these and they are mature, they will tell you 300 hp is plenty for the average driver on the street. More than that could possibly kill you.
I agree regarding a need for only 300 or so hp.. A friend had a 460 in one with well over 500hp. Scary… literally! Could break tires loose doing 75mph. Not for the faint of heart; certainly not my heart…
Definitely agree. Factory Five are true representations of Shelby. And I only dream of owning one.
Teams like them do try bring the Cobra experience
Got one! Older friend and I were looking to build a kit and it was real difficult to find a slab side to build! Yeah, the pregnant 427’s just don’t cut it for the original look! He raced the real Cobra’s in the 60’s. Was around Shelby, Hollman Moody, and wanted to relieve his youth. He helps me restore cars, so I wanted to help him with that. When we discovered the Aurora!
Bought one out of Canada. Was sitting for years. Only has 25k miles on it so needed some sorting out. Great car. Fast! Handles! Fun! Definitely not a kit, but a replica. They took an original Cobra and went from there! Lasted about 4 yrs, the company. Story of GM possibly bankrupting them in an evil manner, as it was faster than the Corvette and that upset those tiny people!
I doubt very seriously that GM gave two shakes about whether or not a small independent car company from Canada was producing a vehicle that could run with a Vette. (Plus, do you really think that one of these could trade blows with a 427/435 Corvette?)
Well, research it.
These were made 1981-1983. There wasn’t a 427/435 Corvette being made then.
We are comparing to what was being made at the same time.
And what Corvette was putting is none to impressive!
And these are way undervalued!
There was NOTHING being produced domestically in ’81 thru ’83 that was anywhere near impressive, including these. Remember, this is an American motor being produced by an American manufacturer for use in America, so it was subject to the same performance killers that all manufacturers were constrained by, At any rate, I never said that these weren’t cool little cars, I merely pointed out how absurd it was to contend that GM would purposely “attempt to bankrupt” a small manufacturer because they felt like they might be a direct competitor for the Corvette.
Again, research it. It’s an interesting story and nothing to do with sales
Again, your facts are wrong.
This is not an American car and it is damn impressive!
Maybe you should research it. It was a car being manufactured for the American market with an American motor. And you are the one that alluded to sales when you brought up a rumor that GM tried to bankrupt them. Also, I said it was an American engine, not an American company. I also never said that it wasn’t an amazing car.
Do you have the internet there? Is it really too much trouble to research it? And you said this. You “Remember, this is an American motor being produced by an American manufacturer for use in America,”
And you also said this wasn’t impressive.
Well, this is damn impressive…achieved
0 to 60 mph. in 4.83 seconds & a top speed of 175 mph and would blow away the Vette of the day!
If you’re going to argue, do it with actual facts. My lord. Feel like I’m talking to maga.
Woah there cowboy, there is absolutely no reason to be rude and nasty. I haven’t disparaged the car in any way, as a matter of fact I have praised the little dude. What seems to have your motor running is my comment about an American motor so let’s break that down.
I said that it is an American motor being produced by an American company: It is a 302 cu. in. Ford engine being produced by Ford Motor Company, and the last time I checked, FOMOCO is an American company.
I also said that it was being manufactured for use in America, and I base that on the fact that Aurora went to the time and expense to get the car certified as meeting the requirements of the USDOT and the USEPA so they could be sold in America. Now why those facts seem to have struck a nerve with you is beyond me. What about any of those remarks is untrue?
I have one other quick point: you said that the little dude has a top speed of 175 MPH, which 5 MPH faster than a ’66 Cobra 427 FE side oiler. Ya gonna’ stick with that?
And…. it’s gone. Scooped up for 59k. Someone got a fine deal.
The impressive thing to me is that it exists. And Mr Shelby seemed cool with it. A company in Canada decided to help us car guys out by building a very impressive replica good enough to meet safety standards demanded of it in that time to market American style horsepower to the American market and at a time when there wasn’t anything else like it out there.
So Kudos all around. We’re all car guy and girls enjoying the hobby. Let’s all agree on that. And Congratulations on the sale and the purchase of this truly amazing car. I think Mr. Shelby would approve!