2021 AC Cobra (Classic Replicas)

The kit was initially purchased way back in 2001 for the princely sum of £2,950. What then happened to it over the next 17 years remains a mystery.

Someone clearly had intentions of doing a nice little project, but no doubt everyday life got in the way and it was doubtless consigned to the back of the garage.

Our seller, a serial kit car builder with a couple of cars already under his belt, bought the kit in 2018. No longer was it to remain unstarted.

The build manual was included, but with the expertise necessary the car was completed over a three-year period. A labour of love, without a doubt.

The kit included the chassis, fibreglass body and XJS donor parts, leaving our seller to source a 3.5-litre Rover SD1 engine. This was to be fully rebuilt.

The Cobra passed its IVA in March of this year and was registered on 1st April. As such, the first MoT is not due until 31st March 2024.

Our seller has used the car little since completion and is already on the hunt for his next project. With that in mind, he has asked us to sell the car for him and we are of course delighted to be able to offer for sale what is essentially a brand-new replica AC Cobra. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Our seller informs us that the GRP body took many hours of fettling during the build to achieve a smooth finish. It shows!

The unusual colour, Sage Green and one emanating from the good folk at Subaru, suits the Cobra rather well. It is quite unique, and our seller informs us that it is much admired. He has a couple of litres of spare paint too, should it ever be needed.

The sprayer certainly knew his art as we are rather impressed, and we struggle to find any flaws or imperfections.

The Cobra sits on fully refurbished Halibrand replica 15-inch wheels complete with chrome spinners. New Galaxy R1 Radial tyres have been fitted and combined they do look the part.

The chrome and stainless-steel parts fitted to the exterior by our seller, such as the rear number plate holder, engine bay vents and mirrors are all in perfect condition and glistens gently when the sun catches them.

During the Cobra’s build, our seller modified the rear of the cockpit slightly to provide an additional 80mm of legroom. He’s a tall chap, well over six foot and he now finds he has room to spare.

All the leather work was subcontracted to a quality trimmer who used high grade materials throughout.

The seats are grp shells that have been padded and leather clad. They are heated too, both to base and back rest. Willans harnesses are fitted for the full race car effect.

The dashboard is clad in matching leather for that fully coordinated look. ETB instruments, and there’s plenty of them, will present all the information you need to monitor the car’s vital functions.

The 13-inch wood steering wheel is a delight to hold and with an electric power steering system fitted, you won’t need the strength of Hercules to manoeuvre the car in tight spaces.

The Brasscraft windscreen comes complete with sun visors and wind wings, which do help prevent side drafts a little. The car is also fitted with a heater which serves both the windscreen and the interior.

Rot resistant carpet is fitted throughout, a good idea in case you get caught in an unexpected downpour. The boot is fully carpeted too and is surprisingly commodious.

So much has been done beneath the skin it is hard to know where to start. Deep breath….

The beating heart, that lovely Rover V8 was completely stripped, rebored and the crankshaft tested. Upon rebuild it was fully balanced and fitted with chrome Edelbrock chrome rocker covers & a fast road camshaft.

The Rover SD1 LT77 gearbox was also stripped and rebuilt and mated to a brand new Borg Warner clutch.

A FiTech fuel injection system on an Edelbrock Performer 351 intake manifold is fitted, which is fully mappable and comes complete with the handheld plug-in programmer.

The 123 Ignition distributor is mappable and despite the classic appearance it contains the most modern of electronics. A powerful spark guaranteed! There is also a lightweight lithium battery.

A twin pipe underslung stainless steel exhaust system has been fitted. It sounds fab and was measured at 98.5 dBA during the IVA test.

The XJS suspension to front and rear has all new seals and bearings and were protected with a UV resistant chassis topcoat. Gaz coilover shocks/springs all round will ensure sharp handling.

The Jaguar Powerlock diff with a 3.54 ratio has been fully rebuilt with new bearings and seals and has been derated to suit the lighter weight of the car.

The Cobra has XJS brake callipers all round with the rear brakes inboard. An XJS fly-off handbrake sits inside the driver’s door, leaving the transmission tunnel nicely uncluttered.

Keeping things cool is the high capacity 3 core alloy radiator. On hotter days or when in standing traffic, the high flow Spal Axial fan will kick in.

Other fitments of note include:

Le Mans style Aston filler cap

Gas struts to bonnet and boot panels

P700 headlights

LED front indicators and repeaters

LED Spiyda designs rear lights

Combined LED fog and reversing lamp

Bespoke wiring loom

We would mention that although the manufacturer of the kit, Classic Replicas, are no longer trading, parts from other manufacturers such as Dax, Pilgrim and AK will fit the car. There is also a company called Cobretti who make an identical kit so spares should be readily available from them.

After our seller completed the first 500 miles in his newly built Cobra, he changed the oil and filter.

As previously mentioned, no MoT is due until 2024, so there should be nothing left to do but enjoy the car.

There are lots of receipts in our picture gallery and copies of other assorted paperwork which all makes for interesting reading. Pause a while…

There will be many of us who would love the idea of building their very own AC Cobra replica, but perhaps lack the skills to do so.

Well, our talented seller has done the job for you. Buy it, tax it, insure it, drive it! Sounds easy, doesn’t it?

The quality of the build is quite outstanding and really does need to be seen to be appreciated.

We estimate that the car will sell for between £25,000 and £30,000.

Viewing is always encouraged and as stated this car is located at THE MARKET headquarters near Abingdon; we are open Mon-Fri, 9am-5pm and to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing to make an appointment. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.