Project Cobra - Build Progress

Well I've just about overdone it. My buddy Matt Hoyt called me up one fateful day in November of 2001 to tell me that he wanted to build a Shelby Cobra kit car from Factory Five Racing. Now I had definitely noticed that fine automobile at the back of pretty much ever car magazine I picked up. (I'm currently subscribed to Motor Trend, Road & Track, Car & Driver, and Autoweek...sick, I know.)

Being the "enthusiast" that I am (read: car fanatic psychopath), I couldn't help but start to drool a little when he started talking about actually going through with it. We were both working men bound for success in the not-too-distant future. All throughout college we shared a ridiculous passion for the automobile and had decided that we should build a car together some day...I had no idea it would be just a few months after we had graduated. I was initially very skeptical of the whole idea...I mean I was working full time up in San Francisco while he was living in a nice home in Costa Mesa with a fabulous 3-car garage.

Fate was smiling upon me.

After much persuasion (didn't take much), we agreed on certain arrangements: we would only work on the car while I was down there, the car would be split 50/50, and I would come down to socal about once a month to work on the car, where the cobra would be built.

I'm a lucky bastard.

The kit was purchased in late December of 2001 and delivered in January the following month. Hoyt's dad Peter eventually wanted in, and we were more than happy to have a graduate from Harvey Mudd that was pretty much one of the smartest guys we knew join in on the fun (and expenses). His only requirements were that the exhaust pipes and roll bar be nice and shiny, the car be blue with white stripes, and it had to have a stereo system.

Fair enough.

Thus begineth our journey.