If that Cobra replica of yours is in need of a little exterior attention, a great place to start is to check out Miller Customs in Temecula, CA. Your car needs the kind of special attention it deserves and these folks have been in the business for over 25 years. They specialize in custom, race and unique classic show vehicles and specifically the Roadster Replica. You can get the car painted in any color you wish and, according to the owners, “chicks really dig a guy who drives a car painted by Miller Custom’s.” Who can argue with that?
Before you get too carried away dreaming of your calendar girl in the garage, let’s talk about the specifics of the job at hand. The process of fixing up the exterior of a Shelby Cobra is actually quite technical but it helps to understand a bit about it before you drop off your car. The process involves two stages of painting with a basecoat and a clear-coat afterwards. This gives the best finish and longevity in terms of the paint life so you won’t find yourself returning for touch-ups anytime soon. Miller Customs (www.millercustoms.com) finishes by color-sanding the cars to a 3000-grit and then buffing and polishing to the show quality finish. They also use the highest quality paint and materials available including West Systems, PPG and 3M. The whole process takes about 5-6 weeks, sometimes less so you won’t have to par with your baby for too long.
Before you decide to go with a company that prides itself on such high quality, there are also a few things you also need to know about the preparations before drop-off. The chassis on your Roadster needs to be at least finished to the go-kart stage, with all of the aluminium panels in place. Once the car is painted, it can go right back on the chassis and not have to be removed again. Also, the body, hood, hood hinge assembly, doors, deck lid, hinges, roll bar and body mounting hardware are all required for fitting the body. As long as you have these considerations in mind, you should be ready to find these guys on the web and start making an appointment for the coming months. Just give them about 3-4 weeks “heads up” and you will be well on your way to a brand new paint job for your little Cobra.
