1980 LR Ram Cobra – Classified of the Week

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Chris Pollitt

Let’s not beat around around the bush here, replicas can be a bit, well, they can be a bit naff, can’t they? Those Z3 BMWs that have been made to look like a slightly melted 250GTO, the myriad Toyota MR2s that have been hacked about to look, if you squint, like an F355. There’s even a kit that makes a Peugeot 406 Coupe look like a 458. Except none of these cars look like the vehicle they claim to. Instead, they sit in an uncomfortable automotive Uncanny Valley. It’s not a good look. And honestly, if you drove one, could you look someone in the eyes and tell them it really is a Ferrari? No, of course not. But should we tar all replicas with the same brush? Of course not. Some, like this LR Roadsters RAM Cobra are something to aspire to, truly. Just look at it.

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The Cobra is one of those cars that is more common in replica guise than it is as the real deal. Built in small numbers, the original AC Ace and later Shelby-tickled Cobra are today big ticket items. A real Cobra 427 could kick over £100k out of your wallet. And that’s not something we all have. This is why the Cobra has been so widely replicated. A replica Cobra can be had for a fraction of the price, but thanks to the essentially simple construction of the original, it’s easy to ensure the replicas have the same V8 bark. Replica Cobras are a good thing, and they’re big business. Plus, because the replica world for these cars is so big and so established, there is no need to cringe when they rock up to a show. If you were in an MR2 with eBay Ferrari badges, however…

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Of course, some are better than others. The Cobra is not just a car that people replicate, it’s also found popularity thanks to being available as a kit car. Something the budding mechanic can tackle at home, on their own, with nothing more than blind optimism and a Halfords socket set. TV vet, Mark Evans, famously proved this with his brilliant TV show, A Car is Born. And he did a proper job, but some of the Cobra replicas out there can be a tad… lacking. We’ve even seen one that still had a 2.0 Pinto engine care of the Sierra donor car. Not a strong look.

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Happily though, there are a great many Cobra replicas out there that are nothing short of outstanding, and that both look and sound every bit as mean as the original car that burbled out of Carroll Shelby’s brain. This 1980 LR RAM Cobra is one of them. Powered by a 5.7 litre Chevrolet V8 mated to a Tremec five-speed manual transmission, it’s as fast as it looks. LR Roadsters, once regarded as one of the better replica makers, ensured this model had a stiff chassis care of Reynard. It’s stiff but light, and has been refined and proven both on the road and the track. There’s a Jaguar limited-slip differential out back, too. Perfect for leaving elevens on the road.

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The cabin is perfect, with black leather bucket seats, a wood-rim steering wheel, chrome roll-over hoops and period correct mechanical gauges. The exterior is just as stunning, finished in metallic silver with a contrasting stripe over the whole body. All the chrome details are there; fuel filler, wipers, handles etc. It sits on a set of staggered Halibrand style alloys. It looks utterly magnificent, and it looks… real. So real, in fact, that this car wears its AC badges with legitimacy. Shelby himself saw the production of these cars, and signed off the use of “AC Cobra replica personally approved by Carrol Shelby”. This RAM Cobra proves, with aplomb, that if done right, imitation truly is the truest form of flattery.

For more replicas (and if you’re looking for the real deal) here’s where you can find a Cobra for sale.

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