questions on buying a used Unique

[streetfire]

Test drove a 289 today. 351W built out to 396 (450-475hp), 4 speed toploader, Wilwood brakes, Jag IRS, etc.

This is my first time driving a Cobra. Right before I drove this I drove a 600hp 911 Turbo, the Cobra was easily as quick. The seat wasn't bolted down which made for a fun ride up to 100.

The clutch was impossibly firm and the brakes were not power boosted. Both of those things drove me crazy.

What can I do to make the clutch easier (larger slave?) and how difficult is it to retrofit a power booster on the brakes? Also what would be involved in swapping in a T56 6 speed transmission and is the toploader worth much on the used market if I sell it?

Car had 2k miles on it, paint looked great, they're asking $38k, sound reasonable?

Thanks guys!

Chris
Streetfire.net

[brfutbrian]

chris, it may be the pressure plate thats making the clutch pedal hard. the clutch pedal in my fe equipped car was so soft and took so much travel i switched out the master cylinder from the stock 3/4" bore to a 7/8" bore.got the exact results i wanted.( firmer pedal, less travel, much better feel) on the brake side, i just switched the front brake master cylinder from the stock 3/4" to 5/8". the pedal went from 1/4" of travel that went rock hard to a pedal with about 1 and !/2 inch travel that gained pressure to rock hard. havent put enough miles to come to a real conclusion, but its an absolute improvement. im planning on doing the same change to the rear master cylinder when ive got this setup completly tweaked out and i feel like i have a baseline to compare this change with. as far as whether the price is reasonable or not, i think it depends what year the car is, and how updated it is compared to a late model the was built with the upgrades. the trani swap should be pretty straightforward. youll probably need a different bell housing or an adapter for the current one , a new driveshaft. not really sure, maybe a different crossmember, maybe somebody thats into small blocks and a t56 combo can chime in with a more definitive answer than i can give. later, brian

[rdorman]

Master/slave change and/or higher CF pads will take care of your concerns. Good luck!

[eliminator]

May want to think about the 911 or Corvette instead! Cobra's are not for everyone.

[Russ Dickey]

Chris:
That price range is reasonable for the car that you are getting. You probably couldn't build it yourself (from a Unique Deluxe Pallet kit) for that amount, although as mentioned earlier, the year of the kit and quality of the build have a lot to do with it. Any pics of the car you can post?

I haven't heard of any Unique guys running the T56, but switching it to a TKO500 or 600 with a hydraulic clutch would probably accomplish what you are looking for. That would get you an overdrive gear and a lot softer clutch. I doubt you could really take advantage of what the T56 trans has to offer, as the poor Cobra aerodynamics will be the limiting factor in your top speed.

Depending on which particular toploader you have, and it's condition, it could sell from anywhere from $600 to $2000, although I think a reasonable estimate is around $1000.

The brakes on my car are very hard as well, but I have read on these forums that a change of brake pads, and proper break-in, can help this. Like anything else though, you get used to it and will simply learn to drive it with the non-power brakes.

[streetfire]

I've already had a 550hp C5 vette, looking for something more fun and a little more raw, vettes and 911s also don't turn heads at all, not that that is a deciding factor. I don't care if it drives "authentic", if the clutch pedal is too stiff then it takes away from the fun and that's the whole point in getting one of these cars, to have fun with it.

I can't find any pics of it on the dealership's site or this car.

Would a TKO500/600 bolt right in?

This car had the close-ratio toploader which seems to be more rare so perhaps it'll make it easier to sell.

[JeepSnake]

Chris,

Not sure about swapping trannies, but I've got the T-3550 in my 289 car. Don't know how similar the others are to it, but it fits nicely. I'll also mention that I don't know how much good the extra overdrive will be in a Cobra. This car has 3.31 gears, which make blasting around the backroads in 4th (1:1) just wonderful. But, this trans has the 0.67 overdrive instead of the 0.82 - that drops the revs just a little below the powerband on my 351. It'll hold it's own on the freeway just loping along, but it would be happier with a few more revs.

But, if you've got two overdrives, you can always leave it in 5th, right? :)

On the clutch, I truly wouldn't worry about it if you are seriously considering swapping the trans. When you swap the trans, you'll put in a new clutch, so you can then spec it however you want to, and you can change the cylinders up to fine tune the effort even more.

That's one of the fun things - most of the systems on these cars are almost "infinitely" adjustable to suit any personal driving taste.

(To heck with authentic - my personal preference would be a paddle-shifted semi-auto!)

[peter]

I think you should own both! I have an '97 993 and 289 FIA. I love them both, but they are completely different to drive and maintain.

The Porsche is refined, smooth and completely bulletproof-- and the one to take on a long trip with air, heated seats, CD player-- also the one to drive fast-- rock solid to 170+ MPH-- not that I know personally :).

The cobra is raw, rough, fun, full of personality, loud and what I really look forward to driving. Its a blast and scary! but limited based on the weather and needs a little attention to keep it running well-- its part of the fun. I think about it this way-- the Porsche is the wife- you know what your getting and it just works well. The Cobra is the other woman-- and you better watch out!

[will butterworth]

Now, that is the best characterization of a cobra I have seen yet.Will-alabama

[dmswann]

I to am blessed to own a Porshe and a UNIQUE FIA. The Porsche is a 2002 Boxster S and the FIA is powered by a relatively high-performance 302. The wife vs other woman analogy above is right on. The Boxster with 6-speed, AC, "top" and stereo is great for the individual looking for fast+fun+creature comforts. But the Cobra is what winds my clock, turns heads and causes people to pull along side an ask; "What the heck is that?". The Cobra reminds me of high school and the day I saw my first 427SC. No frills, no bells and whistles, stiff clutch, harsh ride.....and I love it!

[Justin Upchurch]

A few weeks ago a friend came down from Austin with a new 911 S to see my car (pre pucker factor). I let him take a drive and he couldn't wipe the grin off his face, he said that it was more fun than his motorcycle and Porsche put together.
I did get to drive the new Porsche, what a fantastic car, but too refined and quiet to be a weekend car.

Justin