When you walk into the business and past the showroom and offices, you come into a large room where most of the assembly is taking place. It isn't uncommon to find eight to ten vehicles in this one room going together, all in various stages of completion. To the far right is the fiberglass room, where workers are busy laying up new parts and popping cars from their molds (nearly everything concerning the building of a Unique car is done onsite).
At the other end of the main room is the fabrication and welding facility, and where the all-important chassis jigs are set up, ready to accept more rectangular tubing that makes up the base for Unique's 289s and 427s. Charlie Barnett does most of the chassis welding and, when he doesn't have his welding helmet on, is busy with Unique's newest project: creating the molds for a brand-new '36 Ford cabriolet. Years in development, the Weavers wanted to make this new '36 cabriolet perfect, and it looks like they have. Initial pieces and body sections being popped from their molds are without waves or pinholes, and looking like they only need to be scuffed before being painted! It's that good. Much more complicated than a Cobra body, their new '36 cabriolet bound to make a big splash in the street rod world when it debuts at the Goodguys show in Columbus, Ohio.
Nowadays Unique offers their 427 and 289 replicas in different forms, with their most popular kit being the Deluxe Pallet Kit. It consists of a powder coated chassis with Jag independent suspension out back and twin A-arm front independent suspension, disc brakes all the way round, rack-and-pinion steering, aluminum radiator, 20-gallon fuel tank, with brake and fuel lines installed. The body is bolted to the chassis, and all doors, hood and the trunk lid have been installed, hinged and properly fit. The lights, windshield and dashboard are installed (filled with Stewart Warner gauges), the seats leather upholstered, and all pre-cut and edged rug pieces and door panels are finished and ready for installation. The roll bar is also installed, and the side pipes are bolted in place. The custom headers for your choice of engine are included with the kit as well. Also included are the original style steering wheel, and many other authentic deluxe items.
You can easily finish a Unique kit in about 100 hours or less (no welding, fiberglass work, or fabrication is required as many of the parts, such as the complete front suspension, are already in place). Unique's paint man can prep and paint a body (with stripes), in as little as five 8-hour shifts, so you could be on the road faster than you think. There are also two other kit packages Unique offers that allows the owner to build more of his vehicle, as well as a completed, turnkey version where all you do is pick the paint and upholstery colors.
Unique Motorcars knows it owes its success to its customers, many of whom have returned for more than one car in the nearly 30 years they've been in business. To show their appreciation, the Weavers have organized a homecoming event for each of the past 12 years (except in 2003) and roughly 50 vehicles and their owners (some who drive in from as far as Connecticut) and friends attend the 1-day get together (coverage of the 2004 event will be in the November KIT CAR). It's a friendly relationship between the Weavers and their customers, and something they recognize as a Unique experience!
Unique Motorcars230 E. Broad StDept. KCGadsdenAL 35903(256) 546-3708www.uniquecobrareplicas.com