The Cobra Classic 40th Edition, marking forty years of the shell. Part number Classic-40th.
An anniversary finish
What the 40th marks is the trim rather than the engineering. Underneath it is the Classic shell Cobra have built for four decades, and the fact that it is still in production largely unchanged is the more interesting thing about it.
So you are buying the finish and the badge. On a car being put together properly that is a fair thing to want, and we would rather say so than pretend there is a performance argument.
Size
710mm tall, 480mm wide, 700mm deep, at 6kg, and listed for drivers under 6ft.
Six kilos is genuinely light for a steel framed seat. If you need more shoulder height, the Classic RSR is 820mm in the same family and suits taller drivers.
Specification
Road and Track approved rather than FIA homologated. Steel frame, fixed back, base mount, harness slots for a 4 point belt.
Seat only. Tell us the car and we will match a frame. Cobra frames come with the sliding runner included.
Have you written anything about this exact product?
Yes, we have covered this exact product: The Cobra Classic Tartan Range: Every Seat, Eight Tartans, And How To Measure Your Classic For Them, and Customer Question: Can You Add Heating to a Cobra Classic Bucket Seat?. Some of that comes straight from real customer questions, so you are reading answers other buyers actually needed.
Will I fit in this seat?
The maker sizes this seat for drivers under 6ft in height with a 32in to 36in waist. Those are the paper numbers; how a seat actually feels to sit in and climb out of is a different question, and our showroom team sit in these seats every day, so call us with your height and waist and we will give you the honest answer.
What kind of car suits this seat?
Classic and retro vehicles, which is exactly what this shell is designed around. The low-back retro style belongs in a period build, not a modern car, however tempting the weight figure looks. If you are kitting out a modern road or track car, we will point you at the right modern shell instead.
Is this seat FIA approved?
No, this is a road and track day seat rather than a homologated competition seat. For events that require an FIA seat, look at the FIA-approved shells in the range, and ask us if you are unsure what your series needs.
What do I need to fit it to my car?
This is a base-mount seat: it bolts down through its base, the simpler stack for road cars. You will need the car-specific frame, and a sliding runner if you want fore-and-aft adjustment. Our guide on base mount versus side mount walks through the whole stack, and tell us your car and we will quote the full kit.
Does it work with harnesses and a HANS device?
The shell takes 4 point compatible. If you are planning the full seat, harness, and HANS setup, tell us the car and we will spec it end to end.
How do I know it will feel right, not just fit on paper?
Fair question, because makers publish widths and weights, never feel, and two seats with identical numbers can feel nothing alike in the car. We keep the ranges on display in the Nottingham showroom, you are welcome to come and sit in them, and if you cannot get to us, call and describe your build, as the team sit in these seats every day. Our head support measurements guide shows the kind of real-world data we collect.