C & SC Feb. issue

[cliffordl]

Advance notice to all- next months'(Feb.)Classic and Sports Car will have a feature on the AC428. Looks somewhat coincidentally like the presumably not yet sold HurstPark fastback is featured.
   
   Also of note in Jan issue is an ad for a Mistral coupe at £25K - seems cheap?

[Classicus]

Hopefully true recognition at long, long last ?

[nikbj68]

Slight correction: The March issue will feature AC428 CF57, reg no.PNB 909J (available 7th Feb)
   The current (Feb, below)issue compares the Picadilly showroom MkIV(currently for sale at Rod Leach`s Nostalgia) with a TVR Griffith and Dodge Viper against their 'inspiration', 'the' original Cobra.
   

[cliffordl]

Not a bad article - sums up the history of the 428 fairly succinctly with a re-hash of the many earlier articles and a few more recent comments. Car featured is PNB909J - now sold by Hurst Park but with another similar still available from them (N.B. have you noticed the 428 convertable for sale in the latest ACtion?)
   Digital processing gives a dreamy blurred appearance to the photos. Overall the write up must be good for the marque.
   I like the HP comment that the 428 is, due to rust "Like an Alvis, either worth a load of money or worth nothing".
   
   Guess my bucket knows its place then!!!

[Classicus]

Very nice pics, and agreed it's definitely great to see the 428 in the public eye again as every little bit of publicity is invaluable. However whilst its well known background and history is always going to be essential material for younger/ potential future owners, it is the 428's own future survival prospects that must still remain the topmost consideration of all. Before and above all else. And most disappointingly yet in common with quite a few earlier 428 write-ups elsewhere, this was again either glossed over or left unanswered.
   
   It was also painfully obvious too, given the ever present threat of still more 428/ Cobra replica conversions occurring, that everyone was very careful to stop well short of mentioning anything about a full re-evaluation of the 428 to combat this. For despite it obviously putting an instant stop to the whole unnecessary threat once and for all, it would also mean that rust could never be an issue or offered up as the same old tired excuse again as well. So once again it would seem that good intentions aside everyone is still sitting on the fence and nothing's changed.
   
   The question is what and where on earth does it take to get some action going on all this ? Surely there must be one or two people out there who love and admire the car sufficiently enough to get the wheels at least moving towards these 428 long term survival goals ? Action in itself which is already long overdue in any case. Otherwise and as I originally said (URL below) on the 29th December '07, the longer things drag on the way they are it will only continue to leave existing owners exposed to ever greater temptations instead. And in all seriousness is that what everyone really wants ?
   
   http://www.racecar.co.uk/acoc/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=776
   
   An increasingly very frustrated
   
   Paul/ Cass
   Incidentally I heard that PNB 909 J was returned and subsequently re-sold to someone in Bucks.  And Cliff any idea of the chassis number of the convertible for sale in ACtion ? Thanks [:)]

[Mark IV]

I don't understand why anyone would re-body a 428 today. As the value is rising and it does NOT carry a CSX/COB VIN, a Kirkham would be cheaper and more "correct" than shortening and skining a Frua? Yes, it is a genuine "AC" but it will never be a "Cobra", a "Shelby" or even a "COB" car. A waste really, the 428 I worked on and drove (CF64?, I don't remember the number, but it went the northwest USA)was a very nice gentlemans express.

[Classicus]

I'm definitely no mechanical expert at all, but agreed - that is if it weren't for the ridiculous prices currently being asked for existing 428/ Cobra conversions, which as you'll see from the two examples given below and taken from the old Register (CFX 35 and Query 21.) are or were approx. Euros 200,000 each which defeats all logic and reason. ($ 290,100 - http://www.x-rates.com/calculator.html) Anyway I've included a complete thread on the whole issue which I think will be self explanatory....
   
   http://www.racecar.co.uk/acoc/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=776
   
   Up until about a week or two ago there still existed the above mentioned first draft AC 428 Register of all cars known including a general Query section for pics etc. of cars lacking a chassis number, however the thread's since been removed - hopefully to be replaced soon with a much improved Club version ? Anyway in the meantime CF 64 is now being rebuilt out in Australia having I think been exported from Canada by Peter aka "Englishman". Last progress pics he sent shown at bottom.
   
   HTH....[:)]
   
   Paul/ Cass.
   __________________
   
   CFX 35:
   Fastback. Automatic. Now 428/ Cobra Conversion.
   Manual. LHD. Trade advert: La Baule, Brittany France.
      Status: Active.
   E-mail received 5/1/08.
   "Dear Sir,
   the car we have for sale is a conversion from an AC Frua 428 to an AC Cobra 427. The engine is not the original 428 but a 302 that has been fully
   prepared and that devellopps 450 HP. The body is a SC one. The chassis
   number is CFX 35. Aluminium oil and water radiator. Aluminium vapor oil
   Tank. Aluminium water expansion tank. Special laiton 3 discs clutch. Gearbox is a toploader close ratio, wheels are original halibrand with hoosier tyres.
   Price is 200 000 â,¬uros.
   Sincerly yours,
   Nicolas QUERARD
   PH : 00 33 2 40 24 10 36"
   
   http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/23219
   
   
   
   __________________
   
   Query 21).
   
   AC Cobra 427 SCX 3239, Red, Black interior. Side oiler engine, Borgwana, Transmission. SC Dashboard, Side pipes. Car was recreated on AC 428 Frua Chassis. Completed and Restored with original parts. Engine since restaurations 1500 Miles. Story of this car You can read in Shelby American World registry - Page 221. Original Car was sold at Auction on Long Iland in June 1991. Last owner unknown. This Car is registered in Germany under Chassis Number SCX 3239. It drives like the original and looks like real 3239."
   (Euro 199,000 = £ 138,043 GBP approx. 0.693687p = 1 Euro.)
   
   http://www.classic-centerniederrhein.de/angebotsliste/oldtimerbestand/seiten/accobra427.htm
   
   (As the original ad for this conversion has since been removed (!) here's a copy.)
   
   
   
     
   
     
   
   _____________________
   
   CF 64.
   Fastback.
   Status: Active. Australia.
   
     
   
     
   
   1/10/07 Update :
   
   "Slowly but surely getting there, still one more door to go. I have raised the center hump in the bonnet by ½  inch to let out some of the heat and we will put a couple of spoilers under the engine between the radiator and engine block to push a bit more air through. It looks good in silver though the original colour is Guardsman Blue."
   
   
   
   15/10/07 Update :
   
   My car is now finished at the Coachbuilding stage however I am now looking for a good colour. Looking at the lines on the car I am not convinced that the original Guardsman Blue does the car any favours.
   
   I will get it right eventually.
   
     

[nikbj68]

quote:Originally posted by Classicus
   ...CFX 35:
   Fastback. Automatic. Now 428/ Cobra Conversion.
   Manual. LHD. Trade advert: La Baule, Brittany France.
      Status: Active.
   E-mail received 5/1/08.
   "Dear Sir,
   the car we have for sale is a conversion from an AC Frua 428 to an AC Cobra 427. The engine is not the original 428 but a 302 that has been fully
   prepared and that devellopps 450 HP. The body is a SC one. The chassis
   number is CFX 35. Aluminium oil and water radiator. Aluminium vapor oil
   Tank. Aluminium water expansion tank. Special laiton 3 discs clutch. Gearbox is a toploader close ratio, wheels are original halibrand with hoosier tyres.
   Price is 200 000 â,¬uros.
   Sincerly yours,
   Nicolas QUERARD
   PH : 00 33 2 40 24 10 36"
   
   http://www.classiccarsforsale.co.uk/classic-car-page.php/carno/23219
   
   ...

   I`m pretty sure this car & owner featured in the MotorsTV documnetary that I mentioned HERE It was certainly in France, bare Ali and converted from a 428.

[Emmanueld]

I would love to see actual selling prices for these so called converted cars, not asking prices. One can ask whatever, it does not mean one is going to get it. Also, outside of registration ease, I don't see the value in this. If the chassis is to be cut, it will have to be sleeved for safety, also on the Frua, the cross member behind the engine is in the wrong place limiting the choice of oil pans for an SC car. Also, all the the Frua undercarriage structure would have to be cut off the frame leaving many marks on the chassis and seriously weakening it. I would be far cheaper and easier to just stamp the Frua numbers on a Kirkham chassis and make the rest disappear, I don't see the added value here. The amount of work required is enormous, one has to build floors, trunk floor, gas tank, foot boxes, inner fenders, a tubular frame for the alloy body and then skin it, etc. Also the rear upper control arms on the Frua are not adjustable which will be a problem as well. I addition, to build an accurate body, one would need a template or an original car, far too costly! These cars above are just fraud. The unpainted one above looks a lot like a Kirkham as a matter of fact, so it's probably what was done here. The red car is more MKIV like as far as general look. The interior is all wrong for an SC, instruments are in the wrong place (also the FRUA's instruments are the same as a Cobra and these are not it), also the glove box is deleted on an SC, etc and the foot boxes in the engine bay are all wrong as well, looks more like an ERA kit car to me. Also, looking at the intake manifold installed, (the size of the runners, small Edelbrock performer 390), the motor probably is in the 300hp range, everything looks as cheap as can be. Anybody paying big $$ for this would be a fool! I am sorry guy's, but I still think this is a non issue. It's far cheaper to buy a MarkIV or a Kirkham. THIS IS FRAUD! pure and simple, buyer be aware!
   
   Emmanuel

[Classicus]

AC 428 Article - Extract from Classic & Sports Car. Feb/ March 2008.
   Pages 134 & 135
   
   Have a chat with Hurst Park then....
   
   
   
   With grateful acknowledgements.

[Emmanueld]

I am waiting for the new issue of Classic & Sports Car here on this side of the pound!
   
   Emmanuel

[Emmanueld]

quote:Originally posted by nikbj68
   The current (Feb, below)issue compares the Picadilly showroom MkIV(currently for sale at Rod Leach`s Nostalgia) with a TVR Griffith and Dodge Viper against their 'inspiration', 'the' original Cobra.
   
   

   
   This was a horrible article, not worth the paper it was printed on, to do the Cobra justice when comparing to the Viper, they should have used an original MKIII. I did not buy it, just looked at it at the stand.
   
   Emmanuel

[Classicus]

[jbottini]

Interesting how some one who has never owned a genuine 427 CSX car has become a "who said". Some of the statements are simply not correct not correct based on 33 year old pictures I have of 3327.[}:)]

[Englishman]

Mark IV,
   
   When and where did you work on CF64 ?
   
   I am keen to try and track how the car got to the USA and Canada, I have the ownership details of its Canadian adventure but am unaware of how it got there.
   
   The car spent some time in the UK, not sure how long and then appeared in Canada.
   
   Any information would be much appreciated.
   
   Cheers