I really can't believe that 12 months has passed since I last posted on my blog. During the past year, I have learned more about the Cobra as an icon and how to go about building a copy of this icon than I imagined. No longer do I see it as a most desirable sports car that I had a passion for but truely iconic.
At the start I had a strong desire to build a Cobra and a vision to what it should be. Although my veiws are as strong as ever as to what I want to achieve, I have had my knowledge expanded by reading the Cobra Forums and following other peoples ideas and learning what is available and have developed a very healthy respect in the manner in which I see other builders go about doing what they do and how they overcome problems.
I have spent virtually every night for the last 12 months searching the web, looking up manufactures, reading ADR's and I actually went through a stage where I said "this is all too hard". I have created a spread sheet of components and prices and have changed it a hundred times. I have learned all about what I can't do but not much of what I can do, I have a daily ritual where I light the candles and burn the incense (and pour the red wine) as I open up the Australian Cobra Forum to see what little gems are on display today and even though I have not contributed I have a sense of getting to understand the personalities of the contributors and the banter that goes with it.
Through all of this research I have come to the conclusion that if one is to enbark on a project such as a Cobra it has to be done right. I had predetermined ideas of design, components, budget (don't mention the bloody budget) and what all of this is going to mean in the end. To see how others have put into action there own veiws of what a Cobra should be has been an eye opener, I have learned that it is open to interprtation. Some see the car as a show piece, others want to rip around Winton shedding rubber. One thing in all of this that is conclusive is that the original budget that I had anticipated is now rolling around on the floor laughing its bits of, well so be it. This has been the most interesting year of learning and finding out what I didn't know and if you think this is the end, well, I am more fired up than ever as I can now see and feel what I am looking at, my vision has progressed at such a pace (now there is a hint) that the only thing capable of outstripping the vision is the budget but at the moment we are still friends..well sort of.
I am now in discussions with manufacturers and am mightly impressed with two of them but one is shining through with a product that will stand this industry on it's ear to the point that the folding is about to be laid on the table as I believe they have the goods, more on this later.
I will be making a move in the not too distant future and will add to this blog on a more regular basis and will become involved in the club and contribute to the forum, so to all of the owners, builders and enthusiasts, thanks for your contributions as I am one who has learned a lot from what you have to say.
