E.R.A.'s 427 - THE ULTIMATE AMERICAN ROADSTER

Making the best choice from the many kit car companies can be daunting.  We may not be the best choice for you, but this site presents our philosophy of design and construction.

Compare our body, engineering, and level of support with our competitors.

Why Era Replica Automobiles?

The E.R.A. 427 (SC or optional versions) gives you the best of both worlds: a visually faithful reproduction where you can see. Improved where you can't. The chassis is strengthened over the original design - and stiffened to reduce body shake, an important factor in an open car. Our unique body structure is engineered to create a long-lifed body that never gets stress cracks or surface distortion.

The special E.R.A.-designed suspension works with the stiffer chassis to produce a combination of excellent handling and smooth ride not available in any other reproduction.  It doesn't fieel like a kit.  It feels like a real car!

We know that buying any kit involves a considerable commitment of your money and time . Our goal is to protect that investment, as well as our reputation. The result: our standard kit has almost every part either hinged, latched, or fit before it leaves the E.R.A. factory.  It's difficult to assemble this kit wrong!

The E.R.A. 427 is not available in a stripped down version that will probably never be finished properly. Our "Standard Assembly" is the most comprehensive basic kit offered by anybody. The reason for this is simple. We are proud of what we do. We took the time to design and manufacture the best replica available and we want it to stay that way.  In addition, if you don't want to spend the time to find and/or rebuild parts, we stock nearly everything that you need to finish your kit.

Inconsistency dilutes the value of other kits no matter how well they were built by the customer. In fact, other marques have been falsely advertised and sold as E.R.A.'s because of this. Our cars have achieved a reputation of uniform high quality, ensuring consistent demand and the highest market value of any replica. The E.R.A. 427 may even appreciate with time, although you won't think much about that -

You'll be having too much fun driving!

The E.R.A. 427 is available in two basic styles:  The standard competition version has rectangular tail-lights, jack pads and special instrument layout. 

The optional street version has round tail-lights,, street dashboard, and chrome bumpers.

Either model can be changed to suit your taste with various options, as many owners of original classics have done.

The E.R.A. 427 is a visual clone of the original 1960s' roadster.   Our specialty is getting all the small details just right, from the configuration of the competition jackpads to the exposed roll bar.  Our body shape is indistinguishable from the original, and the relationship of the tires to the body is correct, unlike many other "replicas", whose suspension's relationship to the body just doesn't look right.

Click here to get more
visual details!

THE LOOK!

Customer Image Gallery

Look throught the many variations on the ERA Roadsters

And a little COMFORT, CONVENIENCE and AUTHENTICITY E.R.A. is unique in offering as standard fresh air to both footboxes. All the necessary ducting, valves and controls are included. And, by lengthening the footboxes, we have even increased the interior room without lengthening the wheelbase or widening the cockpit.  The staandard car has leg room for people up to 6'3" tall and minor modifications can add an extra one or two inches of leg room and available height.

 An authentic 427 replica!
Just like a real car!

The shift linkage is correctly located, and we include a trim ring and boot just like the original.  A replica of the original modified Ford shift handle is optional, with variations to fit Ford or Hurst linkage. Since the linkage is moved toward the back of the transmission, E.R.A. offers the complete modified linkage also.  We even include tubes that extend from the tunnel to the dashboard, like the original car.

BODY STRUCTURE The integration of our body , interior panels and supporting frame creates a unique structure among kit cars. On the road, the E.R.A. 427 is rock-solid, without rattles, drumming, or shakes. Other manufacturers bond the inner panels, hinge and latch supports directly to the backside of the outer body. On the E.R.A. 427SC, the outer body is just that - the unstressed outer shell of the car. Because it carries no supporting loads, the body will remain straight and stress-crack-free for a long, long, time.

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The Look - Chassis - Suspension - Drivetrain - Specifications -Kit Details -Options -Turnkey Cars

Era Replica Automobiles makes Shelby roadster kits, roadster 427 replicas, 427SC roadster kits

THE CHASSIS

THE E.R.A 427 CHASSIS was designed from the ground up to handle the power that most E.R.A. owners expect. The original roadster's narrow ladder frame was its weak link.  So - we changed the chassis - for the better.   All the body supports are integrated into the basic design, and the suspension pickup points are the basis of the chassis design, not the other way around.  We also use the fiberglass and aluminum inner panels to further stiffen the basic structure.	More Details...
The result:   No body shake.  Predictable handling.  Reliable longevity.
The Look - Body Structure - Chassis - Suspension - Drivetrain Specifications -Kit Details -Options -Turnkey Cars - Links

FRONT SUSPENSION

The E.R.A. 427 independent front suspension uses our own custom made tubular control arms in a non-parallel, unequal length configuration. Good camber gain and anti-dive are designed into the geometry.  Because we started with a clean design slate, we were able to avoid the problems associated with using a donor car's pieces and geometry.  In other words, it's correct for the car, not a compromise. We have allowed more than 6" of wheel travel.  It's almost impossible to bottom out this car!  We also have duplicated the original cars "X" spring mount for visual authenticity. Because the steering knuckle is GM based, all wearing parts - bearings, seals, ball joints and standard brake parts - are cheap and easy to get. Some very good suspension videos on YouTube: Suspension Geometry, Part One Suspension Geometry, Part Two Ackerman Steering

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Era Replica Automobiles makes Shelby roadster kits, roadster 427 replicas, 427SC roadster kits

REAR SUSPENSION

The standard E.R.A. independent rear suspension unit is based on Jaguar XJ-6 components, but modifies the configuration for maximum performance and comfort.   Except for minor housing details, the Salisbury center section is identical to the one used on the original car and has proved reliable with very high horsepower engines. A limited slip differential is available.  Because the gearset used is identical to the Dana 44 series, there is a good choice of affordable gear sets.

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Axles and control arms are modified for the correct track, and the components fit in our unique SUBFRAME. This subframe isolates the suspension and differential noise, vibration and harshness from the chassis and allows us to properly feed suspension loads into the chassis.  The subframe with all the suspension is a simple bolt-in, and may be installed or removed very quickly. Our own urethane-bushed and heim-jointed trailing arms are included to locate the rear axles. Anti-squat geometry is designed in, and an anti-roll bar is optional.

We stock used XJ6 cores and sell them at our cost, as is, but you can usually find one locally even cheaper. For those not wishing to do their own rebuilding, we offer complete rebuilt units. If you build your own, we will modify the parts at no charge with the purchase of our subframe.

E.R.A.'s optional rear suspension is undoubtedly the most sophisticated rear suspension ever offered on a 427 replica.  With outboard brakes and improved geometry, it is still mounted in a subframe for noise and vibration isolation.  While the new design offers little improvement for street use, it has definite advantages for the track.  The weakest link on the Jaguar inboard brakes was high speed cooling.

While we do offer optional vented rotors, our new setup is better - straight out of the box - and it weighs 50 lbs less.  Price is only slightly more than the standard suspension.

The Look - Body Structure - Chassis - Suspension - Drivetrain - Specifications Kit Details -Options -Turnkey Cars

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DRIVE TRAIN AND BRAKES Because the E.R.A. 427 has a reputation for authenticity, we encourage our customers to use an original type engine. The E.R.A. 427 is designed specifically around the FE series blocks: the 390, 428 and the 427 center and side oiler engines.   We can also fit many other engines:   We have mounts and footboxes for 289/302/351 and 429/460 Fords, Chevrolet mouse and rat motors, and even the monster Ford 427 Cammer.  Primary exhaust pipes, though, are only available for the Ford FE and some Ford small block engines, although anything can be custom made.

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Richmond Gear 5 speed with ERA handle

Our standard chassis will accept the following transmissions without modification:   Ford Top-loader 4 speed Richmond Gear 5 speed Tremec 5 speed Ford C-6 automatic Ford T-5  We also have shift linkages to make original looking shift handles for the Top-loader and Richmond Gear transmissions. The others require some visual compromises because the linkage location cannot be changed significantly.

Our standard brakes  (11"O.D. x 1"W vented rotors with floating calipers) at the front are based on mid-size GM components - oversize for a 2600 lb. car with less than 50% of the weight on the front wheels - and also quite economical.

At the rear, the standard inboard Jaguar rotors are 10.5" O.D. x .5" W, with 2-piston fixed calipers.  Quite generous for the street.

We also offer front and rear oversized brakes for track use.

The bottom line of all these components is PERFORMANCE. Many make claims, but E.R.A. delivers!

THE KIT YOU CAN BUILD, EASILY

Look at the details of Construction!

Real people with normal tools can build an E.R.A. 427 kit in about 100 hours, excluding the paint and body preparation. To demonstrate this ease of assembly, we put together an unpainted  427 kit at a Shelby American Automobile Club convention in California in 35 man-hours. If you have any experience in normal automobile service, putting our kit together will be easy. Using our comprehensive, 140 page assembly manual posted on the web in PDF format, and the complete manual is also available  in PDF (on CD) or hardcopy. even novices can do it.   If you want to take a look, the text portion of the manual is available at the above link.

Or, E.R.A. can arrange any or all of the assembly for you, through a turn-key car

You simply put the pieces together. There is no fabrication necessary. Building the E.R.A. 427 is like a building a production car in your home. Carefully chosen components are integrated into the total design. The mounting holes, caged nuts, brackets, adapters, etc. for these components are included in our kit already. This not only makes your job easier. It makes the quality of all ERA cars higher. If you ever sell your car, the advantage to this philosophy will become obvious. People have come to expect ERA's to have consistent quality, and they are willing to pay for it.  No fabrication is necessary when you build our 427SC kit.

Look at our detailed list of required parts (lifted right from the manual),
or download the entire manual (sans pictures) from here.

ALL GAIN, NO PAIN!

We keep in close contact with all our customers, and any problems are quickly resolved. Good service is inseparable from a quality product. We know that a satisfied customer is our best salesperson. Although others may be initially cheaper to buy, they are not necessarily cheaper to build. All replicas need the same basic parts. If they don't come with the kit you still have to purchase or fabricate them later. No other replica offers the bottom line value of E.R.A.. When you consider the high resale value of E.R.A. products, the 427 becomes a great buy.

Don't take our word for it. Look at all the others. Talk to people that have built E.R.A.s and other makes. E.R.A. 427 owners have always been our strongest advocates, especially those that have also built other brands. They are the ones who really know the difference. We will be happy to put you in touch with E.R.A. owners in your area.

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF YOU, LABOR-WISE.......

Assembly of the kit, with the drive-train ready for installation will take about 100-120 man-hours , with body preparation and paint additional. Except for some straight-forward riveting and bonding of the body, all work is of the "wrench turning" variety. Most people can beat this conservative estimate! At a SAAC convention in California, we assembled a standard kit, without interior and paint, in 35 man-hours.  You can see the whole process HERE .

And look at our standard parts list !  We give you just about all the pain-in-the-butt pieces that you otherwise would have to dig up new or in a junkyard.  That alone will save you many hours of frustration - and a bit of money, too! For a more detailed idea of the labor involved, the text portion of the manual is posted on the web in MSWord format, and  complete hardcopy or PDF versions are available for a refundable fee.

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THE OPTIONS

If you are not mechanically inclined or are short of time, E.R.A. can do the labor or supply anything to help make your assembly job easier. We will also make every attempt to accommodate special requests.  Many people choose to have us create a "roller". We install the suspension and permanently bond the body on at the factory.  We also have a painter who does near-show-quality jobs at reasonable prices - and on time!  He does approximately 15 cars a year for us.  When you visit, you'll see the excellent job he does.

CLICK HERE for the options list!

Check out the Complete Guide to Replicas by Curt Scot.

See the details

Call any time during business hours, Monday through Friday 8am-5pm at (860)224-0253, fax us at 860-827-1055, or contact us through e-mail.

(Please - I can't do quotes via e-mail.  Phone or fax Peter at the above numbers)

Want references?

Adobe PDF files of our
printed information
are available HERE .

For real hard copy of our  printed information
just drop me a note HERE.

Check out our 289FIA!

Our ERA GT - a Ford GT40 replica

Roy Allen races in the Tulsa Vintage Series against Shelbly Challenge Series cars and 4000s

2012 EVENTS

Look at the CobraCountry site for lots
of interesting stuff, including our
COMPETITION!

Congratulations to Sam Watson (#745) on his 2008 Run'NGun performance: Fastest Big-block/Street in Road Course and Autocross!

2001 Carlisle Kit Car Replica Nationals
And by the way , we've been voted the "Best Replica " at the world's most prestigious event - the annual S.A.A.C meet - almost every year since we started building kits!	Jeff Burgy's car wins in '99, 2001, and 2004!

Results of the 2000and 2001 Northeast Replica Challenge 
ERA First in four out of five classes in which we were entered!  
Fastest-Time-of-the-Day too.

Our display at the 2000 SAAC meet at Michigan International Speedway

Enzo Alibrandi of Finish Line (left) and Peter Portante, G.M. of ERA (right).  Centered in the background is rumored to be one of the Smith brothers of Factory Five.