£21,000
There aren’t many cars as instantly recognisable as the Cobra. First released to an unbelieving public in 1962, it quickly became the sports car of choice for the driver for whom performance was everything.
It went through many iterations, being sold as the Shelby Cobra in America and the AC Cobra in the United Kingdom and was fitted with a wide range of engines, including what is for many the definitive version the Mark III Cobra 427, built between 1965-67.
There aren’t many cars as instantly recognisable as the Cobra. First released to an unbelieving public in 1962, it quickly became the sports car of choice for the driver for whom performance was everything.
It went through many iterations, being sold as the Shelby Cobra in America and the AC Cobra in the United Kingdom and was fitted with a wide range of engines, including what is for many the definitive version the Mark III Cobra 427, built between 1965-67.
With the price of a genuine Cobra spiralling beyond the reach of all but the super-rich, many British enthusiasts looked to the kit car market to satisfy their yearning and no company is as well-respected as Gardner Douglas.
Built in 1995, this Gardner Douglas Cobra has been modelled on the Cobra 427, whose badges it wears. Built around a triangulated steel chassis and GRP bodywork, it uses the running gear from a Jaguar XJS. But, and this is a big but, this example is fitted with a bespoke, hand-built 5.7-litre ‘small block’ Chevrolet engine rather than the more common Rover V8. This makes it as close to the real thing as you can find for sensible money.
The seller has owned the car for five years, and despite averaging under 1,000 miles a year he has lavished an enormous amount of time and money on it in order to bring it to the condition you see today.
The black coachwork is in fabulous condition and is beautifully set off by the twin silver stripes that run over the bonnet and down the boot. Front and rear over-riders and chromed wire headlight protectors add a wonderfully period touch and are an essential element of the Cobra look. The hood is still in excellent condition, as is the cover that hides it away when it’s furled.
The 16-inch silver alloy wheels are in perfect condition and are shod with high-performance Toyo tyres. The front tyres are almost new while the rear tyres have approximately 50 percent of their tread left. However, the car comes with a brand-new set of rear tyres as well as a set of four well-worn tyres that would be ideal for track use.
Speaking of which, the car is fitted with two new exhaust silencers and a balance pipe to keep it under the noise limit that is in place on many circuits but please don’t worry; despite only pumping out 96dB it still sounds utterly sublime…
As befits such a faithful recreation, the Cobra’s interior is minimalistic, uncompromising and utterly gorgeous. An array of seven traditional dials, complete with chrome bezels, dominate the centre of the dashboard and keep the driver up-to-date with the car’s speed, engine revs, fuel level, water temperature, charging voltage and oil pressure. There is also a clock and a 12-volt power outlet to keep your sat-nav or phone charged.
The interior is finished off with a pair of low-back bucket seats, a series of toggle switches, a three-spoke Mountney steering wheel and a short, stubby gear lever topped with a solid billet knob.
The 5.7-litre chevy ‘small block’ engine was built by Mike Huddart, the world-famous engine builder and Chevrolet expert. It breathes through a Holley carburetor (obviously…), produces around 350bhp and has proved to be utterly reliable in both road and track use.
It’s fast too; with an all-up weight of around a tonne the performance is mind boggling but one of the joys of fitting such a ubiquitous engine is that the power output is limited only by the depth of your wallet, so if you need more it’s available at a reasonable cost!
The engine bay is as clean as the rest of the car and has been beautifully detailed with a carefully chosen selection of chrome parts including steel braided hoses and a Chevrolet-branded air cleaner cover and valve covers.
The power is transmitted to the rear wheels via a twin-plate racing clutch (fitted two years and a couple of thousand miles ago) and a close-ratio, five-speed Tremec gearbox. The front brakes have been uprated to four-pot calipers, ensuring this Cobra stops as well as it goes.
The vehicle was recently fully rewired at a cost of around £3,000 and also benefits from a new radiator. A battery conditioner is also included, helping to ensure that it is ready to use at a moment’s notice.
Work to do is limited to sorting out the handbrake, which works but doesn’t operate as well as it might and is the car’s sole weak point.
The Cobra comes with an extensive history file running to hundreds of pages, demonstrating that this example has been looked after to the same standard as it was built.
The car comes with a full 12-month MOT and the online MOT history check shows nothing untoward.
With under 20,000 recorded miles and looking almost as good as the day it was built, this is a rare opportunity to get behind the wheel of a properly sorted Cobra replica for sensible money.
With a guide price of £25k, we think this Garner Douglas Cobra represents unbeatable value. That is will probably be the most beautiful and fastest thing in your garage is a very welcome bonus…
The Cobra can be viewed near Abingdon in Oxfordshire, to arrange please use the 'Contact Seller' button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments or view our frequently asked questions below.
