Two Unique 427 SC's - Built To Own & Not A Prank

Winning anything is pretty special. Whether it's a contest on an athletic field, as a participant on a TV quiz show, or games of chance, the feeling of success is very satisfying. Each year, the London Cobra Show raffles off a Cobra replica that has been built and donated by a group of leading companies in the kit car industry. The proceeds from the sale of the tickets go to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, whose mission since 1955 has been to find a cure for the disease.

Top Ford big- and small-block V-8 racing engine builder Southern Automotive provided a 452ci big Ford thumper that they mated to a TKO-600 five-speed manual Tremec trans. Bruce Bunn, Jodeco Auto Body's owner, accomplished the artful finish body and paintwork. The longstanding and highly esteemed Cobra replica manufacturer Unique Motorcars constructed one of its superlative 427 SC replicas for the raffle. These companies chose to contribute their products, hard work, time, and expertise not merely for the publicity, but more importantly for raising research money toward eliminating Cystic Fibrosis. When the doctors and scientists fulfill their mission of discovering the cure, that will really be a victory worth celebrating.

Until then, the Ohio Cobra Club will produce the London Cobra Show. They'll continue raffling off exemplary Cobra replicas like this year's black over Mercedes Silver Unique Motorcars 427 SC won by La Plata, Maryland, resident and Capitol Area Cobra Club member Jim Harding. Though Jim had attended Saturday night's dinner, he was in his hotel room resting when the Ohio Cobra Club drew his winning ticket from the drum of entries. A Capitol Area Cobra Club member phoned his hotel room at the same time that another crony knocked on his door with the same news. Jim thought they were pulling a joke on him. Moments later, an OCC member pulled up in a golf cart and asked him, "Are you Jim Harding? You just won a Cobra." At this point he finally realized he may have won.

Jim is no stranger to Unique Motorcars Cobra replicas. In '99, he purchased an all-black 427 street Cobra with an underbody exhaust, no rollbar, and a small-block Ford V-8. He's the third owner of this Unique machine and has put about 16,000 miles on the odometer. Now he has a big-block SC to keep the black beauty company in the garage. To date, his new Cobra has a scant seven miles showing on the odometer.

Jim worked for the Maryland Police Department for 33 years as a communications expert, handling the maintenance and service of the department's radar and microwave radio communications technologies. Ironically, he has had a bit of trouble getting the car titled and registered in Maryland. The local DMV keeps telling him he needs a Bill of Sale. It's rather difficult providing a Bill of Sale when you won the car in a charity raffle, wouldn't you agree? We hope he has the situation resolved by the time you read this.

We'd be remiss if we didn't also tell you about the white over Guardsman Blue Unique Motorcars 427 SC in the photos. For the time being, Maurice Weaver is its current caretaker. From the last issue of KC (September '07, "What Makes Unique So Exceptional"), you know that Maurice co-owns Unique Motorcars with his younger brother Alan. In the almost 30 years that Unique has been building Cobra replicas, Maurice has always wanted a Guardsman Blue 427 SC with a big -block Ford mill and a four-speed Top Loader trans. He finally got his wish, if only for a moment. The car serves double duty as a show car and demonstrator for the company. Maurice shared with us that he might consider selling it if someone makes him the right offer, and why not? He could always build another one!

Both of these Unique Cobra owners are big winners. Winning always comes from hard work and perseverance. That's also why someday doctors will achieve victory and find a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. We hope it's soon.