[Thumbie]

Hello my 4-valve amigos. I've had my '96 GT for about a year and a half now, loved it, but now I'm thinking I am wanting a cobra. Let's face it, 4 > 2. Anyways, I was just wandering if there are any common problems among SN95 cobras that I should be aware of, or even if there is a certain year that is best. My price range is around 8 grand (got a good job this summer) so its most likely going to be a 96-98, possible 99 or 01 if there is one for cheap. Any input at all will be greatly appreciated. thanks, guys.

[ReverendDexter]

Really depends on what you want.

'96-98 are b-ports, which have less low end, but are better heads for putting boost to.

'99 is the first year of the C-port heads and IRS, they were known to be down on power compared to advertised, and the IRS is the weakest unit (27 spline, weak halfshafts).

'01 has an improved IRS, but not quite as good as the '03/04 unit. Early '01s still have the Teskid block, later have the WAP block which is considerably weaker. Early '01s still have T45s, later have 3650s.

[Thumbie]

My plans involve some tastefull bolt-on's and suspension. Maybe coilovers...but probably not. Eventually I might add some chasis stiffening components, maybe. Definitely no boost or NOS or anything intense like that. The biggest thing I might do, because I hear it's kind of straightforward, is swap IRS to solid rear axle, but I have a feeling I will never get that involve. I'm not looking for a street monster or a corner carver or awesome drag racer, just a DD that is a whole lot of fun to take cruising

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by Thumbie My plans involve some tastefull bolt-on's and suspension. Maybe coilovers...but probably not. Eventually I might add some chasis stiffening components, maybe. Definitely no boost or NOS or anything intense like that. The biggest thing I might do, because I hear it's kind of straightforward, is swap IRS to solid rear axle, but I have a feeling I will never get that involve. I'm not looking for a street monster or a corner carver or awesome drag racer, just a DD that is a whole lot of fun to take cruising

If that's the case, I wouldn't bother with an SRA swap if you get a New Edge. Just do a light build on the IRS; it has much better ride quality/street manners.

I'd definitely recommend SFCs on whatever you get, no matter how you're using it.

[rk_2000_Z/28]

The 96-98 have a solid axle already. 99 is when they started the IRS.

[Thumbie]

Originally Posted by rk_2000_Z/28 The 96-98 have a solid axle already. 99 is when they started the IRS.

got it, thanks. and thanks again Rev for your vast bank of knowledge. It's not that I WANT solid rear axle, its just that I heard Mustang IRS wasn't the best because it was tailored to fit the same body as solid axle. Does the IRS still allow for some powerslides every now and then?

[termin8er03]

I have level five half shafts and irs brace which makes a word of diff!!! The cheaper way to go and strong is the straight axle. I wanted to keep my cobra reasonably original far as structure of the car. If u dont care about that straight axle all the way. I have about 1500 in my independent...

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by Thumbie got it, thanks. and thanks again Rev for your vast bank of knowledge. It's not that I WANT solid rear axle, its just that I heard Mustang IRS wasn't the best because it was tailored to fit the same body as solid axle. Does the IRS still allow for some powerslides every now and then?

My understanding is that once you put a diff brace on it and replace the IRS subframe bushings, it's actually fairly stout.

I'd talk to FTBR (Full Tilt Boogie Racing Homepage) about your plans and see what they say.

[manolith]

For that money you could get the heart of a terminator in your gt. Can't beat that.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by manolith For that money you could get the heart of a terminator in your gt. Can't beat that.

Unless you're into that whole "turning" thing. Termie motors are HEAVY and would make the car even more front-heavy than it already is.

[manolith]

Horsepower laughs at weight all day long.

[rk_2000_Z/28]

I don't think weight is the problem so much as weight distribution.

[97mustanggt]

get the 96-98 cobra, sexi as hell...wit 8k u can find yourself a nice one for sure

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by manolith Horsepower laughs at weight all day long.

Uh-huh. That's why sportbikes are so slow, right? Psh, 180hp. Most Hondas have more than that, and look how slow they are!

[manolith]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Uh-huh. That's why sportbikes are so slow, right? Psh, 180hp. Most Hondas have more than that, and look how slow they are!

Talk about taking it to extremes. But if you want to take it that far give me a 1000hp 4500lbs bugatti veyron and lets race your 200hp bike.

[ReverendDexter]

Veyron does the quarter in 10.8 @ 140
Kawasaki ZX-12R 10.06 sec @ 142 mph
Suzuki GSX1300R 9.86 sec @ 145 mph

[manolith]

Originally Posted by ReverendDexter Veyron does the quarter in 10.8 @ 140 Kawasaki ZX-12R 10.06 sec @ 142 mph Suzuki GSX1300R 9.86 sec @ 145 mph

0 to 200....
If you will compare bikes to cars then a z06 is garbage because its slower than a bike. We are talking about cars here. You really think than an extra 85lbs up front that the terminator has will impact performance much. A battery relocation kit and fiberglass hood will almost get rid of that extra weight and you skill uavw another 30 lbs to drop with a tubular k member.
If we were talking about a ferrari then I would have to agree with you tuat 85 lbs is a big deal but on a mustang.. comon ... this things have so much crap that can be dumped for weight reduction.

[ReverendDexter]

Originally Posted by manolith 0 to 200.... If you will compare bikes to cars then a z06 is garbage because its slower than a bike.

Not really as cars easily outhandle bikes. But when you're talking race on this board (much to my chagrin) people are almost always talking about 1/4 mile. You want to talk 0-200? Then you don't want a bike - at those speeds aerodynamic resistance plays a much bigger role than weight.

Originally Posted by manolith We are talking about cars here. You really think than an extra 85lbs up front that the terminator has will impact performance much.

Absolutely. We're talking 85 lbs on the nose of an already front heavy car. Ford thought so, too, with the N/A Cobras they elected to use an aluminum block to make up for the added weight of the DOHC heads. The saving grace of a Terminator is that it has all the extra weight of the IRS out back to try and balance it out, but even then they're still very front-heavy.

Now, if all you care about is straight line, it's not as big of a deal, because you don't care about the polar inertia of the car (it is more mass you have to accelerate, though, and that's always bad. 85 lbs is almost a passenger). If you're doing top speed, you don't care, because wind resistance is a much bigger force against you than mass.

Originally Posted by manolith A battery relocation kit and fiberglass hood will almost get rid of that extra weight and you skill uavw another 30 lbs to drop with a tubular k member.

And much like the V6 vs V8 argument, if you had started without that extra 85 lbs, you could do the same things and be much better off.

Originally Posted by manolith If we were talking about a ferrari then I would have to agree with you tuat 85 lbs is a big deal but on a mustang.. comon ... this things have so much crap that can be dumped for weight reduction.

Oh, so a Ferrari with 400hp can feel the difference, but a Mustang with 400hp can't? That's just asinine. There's nothing magical about Ferraris other than how they convince their customers that it really is worth $100k just for the prancing pony on the hood.

[termin8er03]

My car is a mild to upper horsepower car and no I don't care for the weight of and iron block but in boosted applications the aluminum block tends to be weaker. Yes termys are heavier but not enough to justify not gettin one. I had an 03 mach 1 with a few suspention mods and my termy has a few also and I'll take the termy any day hands down!

[04MachOne]

Originally Posted by termin8er03 My car is a mild to upper horsepower car and no I don't care for the weight of and iron block but in boosted applications the aluminum block tends to be weaker. Yes termys are heavier but not enough to justify not gettin one. I had an 03 mach 1 with a few suspention mods and my termy has a few also and I'll take the termy any day hands down!

Are you comparing the handling of an SRA Mach with a "few suspension mods" to an IRS termi with a "few suspension mods"? I'd hope the termi can out handle the SRA Mach.

And you are telling us you'd take your iron block out of your termi over the aluminum teksid block out of the Mach?