Hard-core high performance is a term that all Cobra owners are familiar with due to the fact their cars are able to accelerate hard, corner as though they are attached to rails, and stop in a blink of an eye. Whether you own a roadster or a coupe, the feeling you get when you light the fire under your healthy V-8 is sure to bring a smile to your face, but there are times when the outside temperatures can wreak quite a bit of discomfort with your time at the wheel.
We're talking about those days when there is a definite chill in the air that a jacket alone can't remedy, as well as the dog days of summer when all you crave is a cold blast of air to keep you comfy. Up until recently there was little that you could do to get all of these creature comforts in your Cobra-that is, until now!
Sensing the need of Cobra owners to find an alternative to either sweating or freezing in their cars, Chris Richards of Quality Roadsters in West Brookfield, Massachusetts, set out to create a system that would be tailored to work within the tight confines of the Cobra, as opposed to trying to get an existing off-the-shelf system to adapt to the car's needs. He contacted a leader in the heating and air conditioning business, Vintage Air (San Antonio, TX), and explained all of the requirements the Cobra needed in order to create a proper system that would be adapted specifically for the car.
After designing and developing the product, Vintage Air came up with a system designed solely for the Cobra, and presented it to Richards, who then added all of the necessary additional components to create a complete off-the-shelf system that fits both roadster and coupe owners. Offered exclusively through Quality Roadsters, Richards offers three different kits, one specifically for 4.6 Ford-powered cars, one for all other Ford V-8-powered cars, and one designed just for the Daytona coupe.
The kit's compact design fits neatly within the confines of the engine compartment and behind the dash, while all vents are hidden from view and the dash controls look factory (that is if Carroll would have ever thought of putting A/C into his racers!), and there are options for a polished compressor, chromed drier, and stainless-steel braided lines with Aeroquip fittings available should you desire them. Interested? Then follow along as Chris installs his complete system in a brand-new Factory Five Racing Cobra.