For creature comforts, Katzkin crafted a black leather interior with Everglade alligator-skin inserts and red stitching (the closest thing available to a snakeskin treatment, we surmise). Red seatbelts and chromed rollbar hoops complete the seat treatment. When he's not enjoying the music from the side pipes, a Sony Xplod Sound System, designed and wired by Eddie Blay, boasts three 10-inch subwoofers mounted in a custom fiberglass center console fabricated by Hulst Customs. Midrange frequencies emanate from four 6x9-inch speakers. In the rear headrests are Sony monitors, and the head unit has a DVD monitor with a touchscreen. The Sony Xplod amplifiers are innovatively mounted in the leather-upholstered headliner. Dynamat was used throughout the interior for sound deadening and heat dissipation.
Strike Power
The musclecar power comes from a Banks Big Hoss bundle, striking with an extra 138 hp and 231 lb-ft of torque through the use of a new intercooler, ducting, and the High Ram intake along with programming. A Power PDA mounted on the dash not only provides key data readouts but allows Hulst to fine-tune the output to precise performance levels. So this reptilian rig can be fine-tuned to either tow a Cobra to the track or make a lightning-quick strike on the dragstrip. The Banks exhaust was modified by Peterman to route spent gases into the functional side pipes.
Looking back at that first Cobra built by Carrol Shelby in the 1960s, he probably never dreamed what his roadster would one day inspire-pickup trucks with more horsepower than big-blocks and tow ratings over 10 tons. Diesel owners, watch out. In a few years, hot rodders will be looking to snatch up '06-and-earlier trucks because they are the new musclecars.
Snake In A Box
In case you're curious about the Cobra shown in the photos with the similar paint scheme, it's a Hurricane replica from Exotic Re-Creations (www.exoticre-creations.com). The company's owner, Bonnie Hite, a long-time car collector and enthusiast, graciously stepped into the breech with one of her roadsters to complement our photoshoot of the F-350. She grew up with the long-held belief that factory stock vehicles are against her religion and can't resist modifying, hot rodding, and racing cars. This particular replica has a 302 Ford Racing engine with GT40 aluminum heads, but even hotter Cobras are in the works. Bonnie uses only new components in her turnkey replicas (no junkyard parts allowed), and Exotic Re-Creations also offers a snake in a box for those who want a hands-on buildup experience.