There are a few classic cars that make you do a double-take if you see them on the street. Cars that are so rare or valuable that you might not believe you are seeing the real thing. One that comes to mind is a Porsche 356 Speedster. Or how about a real-steel ’32 Ford? Another might be a Shelby Cobra. When I come across these cars, my first thought is “is it real?” Well, the project seen here is one of the numerous kits that replicate a Shelby Cobra. It can be found here on Craigslist with an asking price of $5,000. Located in Oakland, California, there isn’t a ton of information in the ad, but we can learn a few things about these popular kits. Check it out and thanks to Matt R. for the tip on this project.
The base for this kit is a 1959 MGA with a Camaro drive train. Yep, you are reading those valve covers right…Gasp! “Corvette.” The engine is a 283 and doesn’t look too bad.
The interior is pretty sparse. As you can see, the dash has a couple of gauges and switches. The seats appear to be fiberglass units that don’t look very comfortable.
Based on the rust this is likely a steel kit, which is a bit unusual. Most kit cars are fiberglass. There are literally dozens of manufacturers of Shelby Cobras, most of which are not authorized by Shelby America. If you think you know what kit this is, leave a comment. Let us know if you’d like to have a kit car of your favorite model.
Waste of a good car and a good drive train.
What good drivetrain? There have been thousands of cars ruined because chevy engines. While this one isn’t one of those it still deserves a small block Ford.
In Calif…go figure
Looks like a modified MGA (not a steel kit).
Right you are
LOL a Chevy Shelby Cobra can’t make that s___ err stuff up that would really make a cobra fanatic sick to his stomach I believe
It does. Absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Looks like it was put in the too hard basket before it was finished. What a pile of junk.
Looks like an MGA that someone put some Cobra-like front end modifications on and some Chevy pieces in. Probably needs to be restored as what it became (a Cobra tribute), rather than what it was (a 1959 or earlier MGA, at least by the taillights).
To me it looks as though it was an orignal MG A tand hat they put flares on the fenders and modified the nose, all of which were horribly done, and in the process ruined a perfectly good steel body. I suppose at the time it was modified MG A’s were as cheap as chips so no harm done at the time.
At first glance I thought it was a Daimler SP250 Dart.
This is a long ways away from another Mecum moment.
Do you think someone can turn this car into a $1.8M Cobra that was on the block at Mecums last night?
Solution make it a 59 MGA restomod keep driveline and make the exterior Mga sell as mga not a cobra replica the price for a shell with good motor or 289hipo but it is still a mga restomod a mga HOTROD thanks Dannys mustangs.
To begin with, the proper contractual name per ‘Ol Shel’s February 5, 1962 contract with AC Cars Ltd. of Thames-Ditton, Surrey, south of London, is “Shelby AC Cobra”. “Shelby Cobra”, in widespread use in popular American culture, is actually a reflection of how successful Carroll Shelby was in undermining AC and taking ALL the credit himself for the hybrid, joint-venture car. The car had TWO parents, not one.
Second, as for the car in this ad, there is NO kit manufacturer. Someone has taken an MGA and given it a custom nose to vaguely resemble that of a Cobra, and also given it custom wheel flaring…all done in steel as one sees surface rust in these areas. The rest of the car is pure MGA, including the hood/bonnet which has had an air intake grafted on.
Back in 1966 an MGA was made to look like this for the Elvis film Spinout. If you watch the movie, it is seen when Elvis’ real 427 Shelby AC Cobra is driven into a river by Shelly Fabares in her Ferrari. Rather than ruining a real Cobra what you see is an MGA just like this one doctored to resemble a Cobra. I would have to say that to someone who knows about real Cobras, a Cobratized MGA doesn’t look like a Cobra. It would be interesting to find out if this MGA is the actual one from Spinout?
Looks like it could maybe it is a Robo Cobra.
I’d take the drivetrain for something useful. Is the 283 even loose though.
All the items on this car that indicate a possible Cobra, Shelby, or A/C connection, can be quickly summed up in the following list . . .
Since the shape of the flares and the hood scoop is wrong, it would all have to be redone. Not only do I like the idea of kit cars in general, I have owned a simulated Cobra-style MGA. Sold it to a gentleman in Italy 2-3 years ago.
These have value, if done right (or able to be re-done right).
This example is a true hot mess.
This is going to require a huge amount of work. You may as well consider it completely stock, needing at least a proper kit installed (the nose and possibly front fenders may be salvageable). The Chevy engine makes no sense. A 289/302 would have been no more work, little if any extra cost, and would have that feeling of ‘rightness’ that makes the hobby fun.
Best of luck to the next owner.