2003RedFireVert’s Run-of-the-mill Build

[FleeMan]

What was supposed to be a couple hours turned into a couple days. Just changed the oil and basically just laid there in peace checking everything over.

The second picture is for @LS WUT, shiny stuff all day on a black car!

 

[2003RedfireVert]

What was supposed to be a couple hours turned into a couple days. Just changed the oil and basically just laid there in peace checking everything over.

The second picture is for @LS WUT, shiny stuff all day on a black car!

You could take a nap under there.

 

[LS WUT]

I

What was supposed to be a couple hours turned into a couple days. Just changed the oil and basically just laid there in peace checking everything over.

The second picture is for @LS WUT, shiny stuff all day on a black car!

looking sweet man! Sounds good, and I love them wheels. Thanks for sharing!

 

[FleeMan]

You could take a nap under there.

Definitely plenty of space for it. I have all the faith that nothing will happen either. Had the car up in the air on those for almost 8 months and didn’t budge.

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Front end alignment tomorrow.

Dyno tune next Wednesday! Wish me luck! If I'm over 650w I'll be happy

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Took the car to the local mechanic to get an alignment. Now days, apparately, shops don't call their customers (at least one doesn't) when "issues" arise. They take it upon themselves to make your decisions. My driver's side inner tie rod was "loose". They decided to not align it because of that. No phone call. I get these automated text updates with links to a website displaying the service they provided. I go pick it up....and no alignment was done. No phone call. No nothing. I told them I would have had them do the alignment anyway since I needed to drive to the dyno. The tie rod has no in/out play. Yes it was loose but it was no where near "unsafe". So, I went ahead and bought new inner tie rods. I watched this video several times and did an alignment in my garage with string, PVC pipe, a ruler, and several hours out of my life. I must have measured each wheel 10 times. I would measure and adjust, re-measure, walk away, come back, re-measure, re-setup the strings, re-measure....it was a painful experience that tested my patience. All in all, it drives pretty damn good for such a rudimentary alignment. It's not perfect but it dives WAY better than I expected it to.


Also, the fuel filler neck issue I had is fixed. So putting this piece back on ended up fixing the issue and it now pumps gas just fine.

Fuel Filler Neck Question - Video inside

Watch the video and let me know your thoughts. Does this look normal and Ok? It actually does have a small crack on the plastic piece that the spring apparatus rides on but it’s not bad. Let me know your thoughts. If I don’t have to replace I won’t but if folks say I do I will.

www.svtperformance.com

Tank is full of E73-ish - winter blend E85. Tune is Wednesday. I'll video it and obviously post updates. I'm excited and nervous. I can't confirm whether I have fixed the boost leak officially since I don't want to get into boost on the base tune. If it foes south at the dyno, I'll drive home and get after it again...Wednesday should be a good day.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

What was supposed to be a couple hours turned into a couple days. Just changed the oil and basically just laid there in peace checking everything over.

The second picture is for @LS WUT, shiny stuff all day on a black car!

next time you have it in the air can you take a couple pics of you have them situated under the car? Still kicking around the idea of buying a set

 

[01yellercobra]

Can you smoke the intake track to check the blower gasket?

I picked up a set of toe plates just to check things after doing work. When I took the car in to a pro they said the toe was good front and rear. The only "issue" was the camber was off side to side in the rear.

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Can you smoke the intake track to check the blower gasket?

I picked up a set of toe plates just to check things after doing work. When I took the car in to a pro they said the toe was good front and rear. The only "issue" was the camber was off side to side in the rear.

I don’t have a smoke machine. It’s one tool I wish I had but I don’t even have an air compressor yet. I don’t think it’s leaking. I used gray RTV on the blower gasket so it’ll be good. I’ve sprayed enough brake clean around the whole engine bay finding leaks with good results that I’m confident it’s all sealed and ready to make some boost. If I see 18-20 on the guage I know it’s working.

 

[01yellercobra]

Do you have any friends that vape?

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Do you have any friends that vape?

Ha no...we live a pretty sheltered life, by choice. No vaping for anyone I know. My dad smokes cigars...maybe I can get him to puff some smoke for me.

 

[01yellercobra]

Ha no...we live a pretty sheltered life, by choice. No vaping for anyone I know. My dad smokes cigars...maybe I can get him to puff some smoke for me.

That's actually how I saw it done the first time. An old guy with a cigar blowing into the intake. Worked pretty well from what I remember.

 

[DSG2003Mach1]

That's actually how I saw it done the first time. An old guy with a cigar blowing into the intake. Worked pretty well from what I remember.

you see plenty of em on sloppy, drop one in a bottle with a hose out the cap

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Final numbers are 668/561, 18-19lbs of boost, E70 (pump winter E85). Runs great! Pulls hard. I’m happy! He removed a degree of timing for the street tune (21). This “racetrack” tune is at 22 degrees.

 

[2003RedfireVert]

Here is a Marti Report on my car. Kind of cool.

I wish I could find decent parchment seats and not have to pay an arm and leg for them. I see a set on eBay for $2500…yeah that’s not happening. A non 10th anniversary interior will happen but not right now.

 

[01yellercobra]

Thanks for posting that. I just ordered one for my car. Maybe people will see the paint really is a factory option.

 

[2003RedfireVert]

The last several months I’ve been trying to find a 96-04 chassis that I might want to build into a 1/8 mile race car. Nothing crazy. Maybe a 6 second 1/8 mile car. I have a teksid block, ported 2V heads with cams, some other odds and ends from my old GT. I’m getting a itch to work on something again….

I haven’t wanted to do anything drastic to the Cobra (thinking of preserving it in its slightly modded state but still resembling a stock-ish car) but seeing how low clean convertibles are going for right now in favorable colors…mine being probably the least desirable color combination…needing paint (at least in my opinion)…I might end up using this car for my 1/8 mile drag car…

Ill decide over the winter but basically I would build a solid axle for the car, probably plan on doing some major chassis work to stiffen it…26 spline input with a good clutch…something I can somewhat beat on at the race track…

This car will never be valuable to anyone else but me. I doubt I could get $25k for it honestly…

I regret buying it frankly but it is what it is. It’s mine now. I don’t make millions like most SVTPers so selling/buying/selling/buying is out of the question. I’ll work with what I have. Sell some parts I was going to use for the old plan and see how it goes.

I just know I want another project to work on and it might as well be this one…it’s basically worthless in the Terminator world so I won’t be losing anything tearing into it.

 

[01yellercobra]

JMO, but I wouldn't turn the Cobra into any kind of track car. Keep it as your street car. I think you'd be very unhappy if you went that route with a nice car. My buddy decided to turn one of this foxes into more of a track car because he was having fun. I kept telling him not to, but he was stubborn. So we threw on open headers and he gutted the doors to save weight. That car came off the trailer to race once before he sold it. He lost interest because he couldn't drive it to meets or hang out with friends anymore.

We just sold my daughter's 2003 V6 for $900. So deals are out there.

 

[2003RedfireVert]

JMO, but I wouldn't turn the Cobra into any kind of track car. Keep it as your street car. I think you'd be very unhappy if you went that route with a nice car. My buddy decided to turn one of this foxes into more of a track car because he was having fun. I kept telling him not to, but he was stubborn. So we threw on open headers and he gutted the doors to save weight. That car came off the trailer to race once before he sold it. He lost interest because he couldn't drive it to meets or hang out with friends anymore.

We just sold my daughter's 2003 V6 for $900. So deals are out there.

It won’t be a full on drag car. I do want something I can comfortably beat on at the track. I’ve seen some good chassis’ come for sale in my area but haven’t pulled the trigger. Starting from complete scratch is kind of a pain. This car is 75% there…

I don’t drive it much anyway. Being on E85 makes it a pain to drive around for any medium distance trips. It’s basically a drive-to-church car and some cruise-ins that are within 30-40 miles.

We’ll see…

 

[FleeMan]

Fook all that noise. Pulley it down, get a safe pump tune you can beat on and most importantly be able to drive long distance.

You turned that car into a dyno number that you can’t enjoy. I love cars like yours that aren’t perfect but still look nice. Those are the ones you drive the hell out of and not leave in a garage because you’re scared a leaf might chip the paint.