For Sale: FFR1086 Mk I $18,000

[highplainscobra]

Factory 5 Mark I Cobra Replica, professionally built in 1996. Fortes Bump Steer kit installed. Has donor Ford 302/5.0 HO EFI V8 with after market headers, T-5 WC 5 speed, 8.8 Trac-loc (posi) rearend with 3.08s - this is the running gear from a '92 Mustang GT. Coil overs on all 4 corners., remote oil filter, oil cooler, 4 point harnesses (not race legal), King Cobra clutch. Side pipes are white High Temp Painted (have extra set of pipes, unfinished, if you want them). Full instruments (Oil Temp, Oil Pressure, Water Temp, Voltage, Vacuum, Fuel Tank, Fuel pressure (not hooked up)). Replaced plug wires, distributor, TFI, MAF, O2 sensors within past 3 years (less than 1000 miles). Has 4 lug hubs from Mustang, with 235/60/15 BFG front tires, 275/50/15 BFG rears. Front disc brakes and rear drums. Halibrand (faux) knock-off rims, with spinners. British Racing Green with White stripes. Black interior, low back seats. NO STEREO (you have side pipes for music). Horsepower is probably around 250-260HP.

This car is a "Driver". Do not expect a show car/trailer queen. It has road rash, nicks, dings, and shows wear and tear. It was built in 1996, and as the saying goes "it was road hard, and put up wet". Due to a lack of opportunity to drive it, it has been gathering too much dust the last few years. Note that it currently has a stumble around 3000-3300 RPM when you get your foot on the pedal.

IMPORTANT: Valid Colorado title with valid DR2365 form. Car is bench marked on 1992 emissions.

This is one of the first 100 Factory Five replicas produced - serial number FFR1086. This is before they added the designation of "MK" to the model.

What you will never be able to get ever again on a Cobra/Replica: The drivers side door is signed by Carroll Shelby.

Send me a PM if you are interested.
You can see the Cragislist add here:

Factory 5 Mk I Cobra Replica

[Motorhead]

Here are the pics... Damn good looking Roadster. Mark, posting an engine bay shot and trunk compartment shot wouldn't be a bad idea. Good luck with the sale. You rarely see the original FFRs any more, pretty neat.

[highplainscobra]

Motorhead (Joe?), Thanks for the advice. I will take some shots tomorrow morning and amend my ad. I am the third owner of this vehicle and have had it since 2002. Gerhardt Gast was the orignal owner. As I understand it, he wrote an article for Kit Car magaizine (was published) about his experience having the car built, picking it up, driving it across country, then putting it on a boat and shipping it to Hawaii (where he lived at the time). It was sometime back in '97/98 the article was published. Wish I could find the links to the on-line version of the articles (at one time I had them saved-newer computer blues).

[Motorhead]

Yeah, I'm one of the many Joe's on here. Probably the most controversial one lol.

That is some interesting info about the car. If you could find the online article, that would be pretty cool. Any idea what the title of it was? I'll try and see if I can dig it up via Google.

*edit* I tried searching for that article and couldn't find it. I did find some background story on it when it was in Hawaii...

Originally Posted by Gerhardt Gast

Gerhardt Gast
CC Member
Registered on 02-14-99
Honolulu
(Cobra Make, Engine: FFR 5.0)
posted 09-29-2000 03:48 AM

This is a copy of the letter I sent FFR tonight.

Mark, Dave, etc.

This is to inform you that Hawaii hates Cobras. They have a reconstruction law here that will never, ever let a kit car of any make pass their safety inspection. I've been driving my FFR here for three years, and last week, after getting my fourth safety inspection, I got a call from the service station that initially passed my car informing me that I must surrender my safety inspection sticker. Apparently, some bean counter noticed that my VIN didn't have 17 digits, and therefore, they knew it was a kit car. Today, they came with police to my garage and confiscated my sticker, thus effectively grounding my car. I can't even sell it 'cause no one will buy it if it can't pass their reconstruction laws. I called the reconstruction department, and they told me that no kit car has, or ever will pass their safety inspection laws unless the manufacturer accepts all liability for the car's safety. Had my car been registered as a 1965, the car probably would have escaped detection, but nonetheless, it would still be technically illegal to drive. Strangely, this "reconstruction" law applies only to the island of Oahu, not Maui, Big Island or any of the other islands. Those islands have populations of less than 100,000, and therefore are exempt--that's just what the cops told me. Despite total outrage by my insurance company, there is no foreseeable hope of repealing this antiquated department.

I have had it with Hawaii. I'm moving to the mainland, and shipping the car with me. Of course, it's not just the car that has prompted this decision, it's the high cost of living, the low wages, ridiculously high car insurance rates (three to four times mainland rates), and the stupid government that taxes at a higher rate than any other state. The price for living in paradise is too high for me.

I just wanted to let you know this because, ironically, I met a guy today who said he just got your brochure, and I told him to forget it. You should tell your customers that if they plan to build a kit car on Oahu, they should change their plans, for no matter how it is titled, it will technically be illegal. The guy at the "reconstruction" department of the motor vehicle department told me that no kit car has ever passed inspection or ever will. He told me sympathetically that "rules is rules." He also noted several people who had spent small fortunes building kits here have had to send them to the mainland because they couldn't get the cars registered here.

Gerhardt Gast
FFR 1086

[M DOUGHERTY]

P/M sent
I may have a guy.

[highplainscobra]

Joe,
I found the article about the car that was written by Gerhardt. Took me a few hours as it was buried in a geocities archive.

Home Page

Article was published in Kit Car Illustrated back in 1999. Guess you could say my car has a little history.

[Joe T]

say it ain't so buddy.....I just ran into Ralph and he told me your car was for sale. Here a picture from the day I moved into the neighborhood.



Matt's going to miss the car...he'll be ready to drive it in a few years.


on a side note, for you guys in Canada, This car is eligible to be imported into the country because it has been registered longer than 15 years. Mark's asking price is less than a base kit for you guys

so what's next for the garage?

[Motorhead]

Originally Posted by highplainscobra

Joe,
I found the article about the car that was written by Gerhardt. Took me a few hours as it was buried in a geocities archive.

Home Page

Article was published in Kit Car Illustrated back in 1999. Guess you could say my car has a little history.

That's pretty cool and thanks for finding the article. The price you're asking is certainly right for anyone wanting to get a Cobra and not wanting to spend a lot.

[highplainscobra]

Looks like the cobra is sold. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, should be a done deal come Monday. Some might say I was under priced, but I have the feeling the future new owners have a real understanding of what a cobra is all about. I feel real good about the deal and feel no remorse at this time. Once the deal closes I will post a picture of the new owners.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[RE63]

That is a great looking car at a great price.

[M DOUGHERTY]

Congrats mark
very nice car at a great price

[Motorhead]

Congrats Mark, I'm sure your price had everything to do with how fast you sold the car. I might know who bought the car, I got a PM from a very serious buyer in CO on accident. If I'm right, the new owner is also new to the forum.

Could you by chance still post some pics of the engine bay and trunk compartment? You don't see an "original" every day.

[highplainscobra]

Thanks joe, when the buyers were here to see the car I told them to go to the forum. Must've told them at least a half dozen times what they don't know they will get from the forum. I will get the pictures for you.

In the last 15 minutes I got 2 emails wanting to know if I would consider trades - a 78 Harley shovel head custom bike and a Dodge Dart drag car.
It has been a busy and interesting day.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[highplainscobra]

My cobra is SOLD. It left the garage about an hour ago.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[highplainscobra]

Joe,
Here are the trunk and engine shots you requested. Only took a couple as I almost forgot to do this before the new ower came by.

[Motorhead]

Thanks. The engine bay pic must be at an interesting angle, because I saw it and thought for the first time, hey its somewhat spacious in there.

So, who are the new owners?

[highplainscobra]

New owners are Travis and Steve Eaton (son and dad). I need to upload the pics of the new owners from my wife's camera.

Yeah, the engine compartment is real roomy at the front. Damn tight at the back. Plug #8 is a bitch to change. Engine is really dusty in the pic because I had the hood off for awhile and it just sucked up dirt.

They are really good people, real car guys. Travis said he was on the forum after he first saw the car Saturday, but hasn't signed up. I checked new members and they weren't there as of this morning.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[Motorhead]

I'm curious if the new owners will do anything on the car? Make it their own. It looks like they got a great vehicle to start on. What condition was the paint in?

[highplainscobra]

Yes they have plans for the cobra. They are thinking of tracking it out at high plains raceway in Byers CO (I had my handle way before the track was a thought in anyone's mind). They have experience there and I will leave it at that.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[highplainscobra]

Paint on my car had a lot of stone chips, and a few scratches around the body. If they track it it shouldn't be a big deal. They currently have a formula ford they run, and have had a few late 60s muscle cars. Like I said they are car guys.

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[Motorhead]

Dang, they need to join and share some pics of their collection. It sounds pretty cool. A Formula Ford, I wonder if it's a new or an old one? The new ones have the Ford EcoBoost V6.

[Twood0221@gmail.com]

Is the car still available? Very interested
Thanks
Tim

[Motorhead]

Tim, no it was sold. Not trying to be mean here, but it helps if you read the whole thread first to see if it was sold. Or at least the last few posts. Welcome to the forum by the way.