Rolled it out to grab a few pics in the light. Pretty damn happy with how it's sitting now that the coilovers have settled down a little bit more.
2003 Cobra - New restoration/project
- Thread starter hatchke
- Start date
Long but good day here! Made it over to Lee Blankenship tuning this morning and got some things dialed in on his mustang dyno. It's supposed to be calibrated to be pretty close to a DJ and i'm pretty happy with the numbers.
With smoothing I made:
629/601 on 93
690/645 on E85!
I also ended up making just over 21psi on a 3.25" even with longtubes too. Air density was SUPER high so I expect that it'll be more like 19-20 in more normal conditions. We talked about throwing the 3" on and cranking up the base fuel pressure, but I wanted to keep it so I could flip between 93/E85 easily.
Without the smoothing I hit 697whp on E85 and I believe it was 639whp on 93. Car absolutely rips now and honestly faster than I had expected. I'd definitely have made over 700 but I had the tiiiiniest bit of breaking up in the upper RPM. I may pull the plugs and check the gap again. I set them to .028 but might tighten it up a touch to .025. Otherwise i'm super happy with it. I really set out with this project to make around 650whp for a car to drive around town and enjoy, but really has exceeded expectations. Not with out a lot of work and heartache, but feels good to have this together.
E85 dyno: 93 dyno:
With smoothing I made:
629/601 on 93
690/645 on E85!
I also ended up making just over 21psi on a 3.25" even with longtubes too. Air density was SUPER high so I expect that it'll be more like 19-20 in more normal conditions. We talked about throwing the 3" on and cranking up the base fuel pressure, but I wanted to keep it so I could flip between 93/E85 easily.
Without the smoothing I hit 697whp on E85 and I believe it was 639whp on 93. Car absolutely rips now and honestly faster than I had expected. I'd definitely have made over 700 but I had the tiiiiniest bit of breaking up in the upper RPM. I may pull the plugs and check the gap again. I set them to .028 but might tighten it up a touch to .025. Otherwise i'm super happy with it. I really set out with this project to make around 650whp for a car to drive around town and enjoy, but really has exceeded expectations. Not with out a lot of work and heartache, but feels good to have this together.
E85 dyno: 93 dyno:
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This is the 93 vs. E85 overlay. You can see it breaking up a bit, but the a/f was still super solid throughout. I'll check the plugs and such but still super happy with it.
I'll also note here that as expected I was running out of injector. I KNEW I shouldn't have done the 80lbs and gone with something bigger, but you live and learn. I'll just keep the car how it is for now and swap eventually, retune, etc.
At that point, who knows. I want to keep the car able to be roadtripped if I feel like it so i'll need to keep it able to be tuned on 93 as an absolute minimum fuel. Maybe i'll slowly build a higher-comp motor with some cams to keep things interesting.
I'll also note here that as expected I was running out of injector. I KNEW I shouldn't have done the 80lbs and gone with something bigger, but you live and learn. I'll just keep the car how it is for now and swap eventually, retune, etc.
At that point, who knows. I want to keep the car able to be roadtripped if I feel like it so i'll need to keep it able to be tuned on 93 as an absolute minimum fuel. Maybe i'll slowly build a higher-comp motor with some cams to keep things interesting.
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Also wanted to note that the majority of this wouldn't have happened or really kept me going on the project if it weren't for the forum. Sounds sappy, sure, but losing the first '03 in the fire was really ****in' hard after all the work I had put into getting that car all settled. Thanks for all the support, help and troubleshooting along the way while I still get this car all ironed out.
Naturally, this thing isn't quite done but it's getting there. I've developed a little exhaust leak out the front of cylinder 5. I think I must have torn the gasket somehow a little. Of course, live and learn, and I knew I shouldn't have used the BBK gaskets. I ordered some Ford ones, and i'll see if I can't get the driver header loose enough to be able to swap gaskets without dropping the subframe again. I feel pretty confident I can can at least get the first couple bolts off and maybe slide the new gasket into place but we'll see. If I can't then i'll just deal with it for a while and then maybe swap the headers for some Kooks and do an aftermarket k-member while i'm at it.
Not dropping that damn K-member again for a couple of stupid gaskets so I've gotta try to make it worth my time lol.
Naturally, this thing isn't quite done but it's getting there. I've developed a little exhaust leak out the front of cylinder 5. I think I must have torn the gasket somehow a little. Of course, live and learn, and I knew I shouldn't have used the BBK gaskets. I ordered some Ford ones, and i'll see if I can't get the driver header loose enough to be able to swap gaskets without dropping the subframe again. I feel pretty confident I can can at least get the first couple bolts off and maybe slide the new gasket into place but we'll see. If I can't then i'll just deal with it for a while and then maybe swap the headers for some Kooks and do an aftermarket k-member while i'm at it.
Not dropping that damn K-member again for a couple of stupid gaskets so I've gotta try to make it worth my time lol.
Lee is a extremely knowledgeable man. I bet I asked him 30 stupid questions back to back and he wasn't annoyed in the least. I have nothing but good things to say about him.
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I think myself, and many others have gotten some good inspiration to work on our cars considering all the hoops you’ve overcome with your cars. Hell I know I can confidently say that if I lost all my tools, cobra, engine, amongst all the other things you did and came back swinging? That’s hard work and dedication my dude. Unsure if I could have done what you did. Respect for you indeed, hats off to you. Thanks again for documenting the build it’s always a good read, and happy to hear you’ve got her ironed out for the most part.
I really appreciate that. I'm sure i'll never quite stop tinkering with it, especially when the first car was supposed to just be a ported Eaton street car lol. So it goes, but i'm really happy with where this thing is now, even with the imperfections. My bank account hopes that the updates slow down on this thread a bit, but I still have a few things left to do.
I ended up getting a little MMD style bar, a different catback to try out and then obviously those 15x10's to roll around in sometimes. I'm waiting for my MM brake lines to get in (backordered) with the small banjo bolts. Otherwise i'm just hoping to keep the maintenance up and enjoy the thing.
The BMW needs a little love these days anyway, I have a big intercooler to throw on and some intakes so I can finish up my tune. Then I think the plan is to take them both down to a local dyno and have a little runoff lol.
I will say for instance, I’ve had little motivation to finish up my black cobra. I’ve been gathering more parts than working on it. My second garage is full of parts for it, and just haven’t done it
To keep or to watch over ?
Both, til death do us partTo keep or to watch over ?
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Figured it was time for a little update since i've still been tinkering.
Got my header gasket swapped out with an OEM piece, a BMR tubular K-member installed to drop some more weight off the front of the car and changed up the cat back to a MBRP brushed black exhaust (I'm SRA-swapped).
Sounds about perfect to me, has a nice throaty tone and isn't insanely loud until you're really deep in the throttle.
Next on the list is swapping out for a fresh set of spark plugs, some new Ford COP to hopefully address a little stumble i'm feeling at higher-RPM under load. Also picked up a 0 gauge wire grounding kit for the "the big 3".
Otherwise, I need to swap out the rear brake lines for some braided lines with a smaller banjo fitting so I can drive around with the 15x10's. They should hook really well so i'm pretty excited.
In other news, I did manage to get this heavy pig to a sub-7 60-130 too. I kinda thought it would be a little faster tbh. My M4 is running low-6's and it's pretty traction limited on the hit. Once I have a drag pack for the BMW it'll probably turn some 5's. I'll see if maybe the fresh plugs and coils will help pick up some potential lost power.
The T56 is SO notchy, but I'll learn how to really rip that 3-4 shift and hopefully pick up a tenth or two.
Otherwise, I have a CDC hoop to install in the car when the weather holds out a little bit and also try to find a couple small leaks in the top lol. I really need to just replace the top at this point but I also don't really want to spend the money and effort on it just yet. That might be a job that I farm out and have it done correctly. I don't know if I trust my abilities to make sure it's water tight.
After that... the car is... done? Nah, lol. I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can as it sits and then maybe swap out the injectors for something with some more headroom than I have on the 80lbs, swap to a 3" pulley and push the 2.9 a little harder. I could increase the base fuel pressure and probably be ok, but idk. I'll figure it out later.
Got my header gasket swapped out with an OEM piece, a BMR tubular K-member installed to drop some more weight off the front of the car and changed up the cat back to a MBRP brushed black exhaust (I'm SRA-swapped).
Sounds about perfect to me, has a nice throaty tone and isn't insanely loud until you're really deep in the throttle.
Next on the list is swapping out for a fresh set of spark plugs, some new Ford COP to hopefully address a little stumble i'm feeling at higher-RPM under load. Also picked up a 0 gauge wire grounding kit for the "the big 3".
Otherwise, I need to swap out the rear brake lines for some braided lines with a smaller banjo fitting so I can drive around with the 15x10's. They should hook really well so i'm pretty excited.
In other news, I did manage to get this heavy pig to a sub-7 60-130 too. I kinda thought it would be a little faster tbh. My M4 is running low-6's and it's pretty traction limited on the hit. Once I have a drag pack for the BMW it'll probably turn some 5's. I'll see if maybe the fresh plugs and coils will help pick up some potential lost power.
The T56 is SO notchy, but I'll learn how to really rip that 3-4 shift and hopefully pick up a tenth or two.
Otherwise, I have a CDC hoop to install in the car when the weather holds out a little bit and also try to find a couple small leaks in the top lol. I really need to just replace the top at this point but I also don't really want to spend the money and effort on it just yet. That might be a job that I farm out and have it done correctly. I don't know if I trust my abilities to make sure it's water tight.
After that... the car is... done? Nah, lol. I'm going to enjoy it for as long as I can as it sits and then maybe swap out the injectors for something with some more headroom than I have on the 80lbs, swap to a 3" pulley and push the 2.9 a little harder. I could increase the base fuel pressure and probably be ok, but idk. I'll figure it out later.
Can confirm that the plugs/coil packs really helped smooth things out a bit. Hopefully with permitting weather i'll be able to swap on the new x-pipe from @LARperformance ! and fresh wideband this weekend. Maybe i'll attempt the CDC hoop, but I don't want to get too optimistic about my working speed haha.
I keep dragging my mid-pipe and killed my wideband on speed bumps or other imperfections. Super frustrating.
I keep dragging my mid-pipe and killed my wideband on speed bumps or other imperfections. Super frustrating.
So you got the X pipe huh? That’s awesome if so! Happy to hear it was something stupid man!
Haha yeah same here. I was able to really wring it out the other night without any hesitation in 3rd/4th. Sounds awesome with the new x-pipe too!
Next things on the list here are my CDC bar install, MM rear brake lines and to fix a broken bolt on my passenger rear exhaust hanger. Then the exhaust will be perfectly straightened up.
Also may need to get a good look at the front brakes (passenger front, really) since I have a little wobbling from that corner under higher-speed braking. The brakes are a little lackluster anyway, so may add a BBK to the list of things to do.
That's actually why the 4lb lower I have is still in the box in the cabinet. I've been toying with throwing it on, but I know once I do I'm pretty much E85 all the time. I'm sure I could road trip on pump gas if I wanted, but why chance it right now? I'm taking it to Vegas next week and they don't have E85 anywhere around there. I want to still be able to make some noise when I'm with my friends.
She sounds really good with the new X-pipe and the LTs.
I'm inching closer and closer to maybe doing a killer chiller and throwing the 3" on to make a retune feel more worth it, but still, I have one foot firmly in your camp. Being able to drop down to 93 without any issue and still make plenty of power to have fun is really nice. That's the whole point of having these cars anyway right?
She sounds really good with the new X-pipe and the LTs.
Thanks! I was getting ready to order some of your gaskets but turns out the car came with them installed on the MGW. Looks like someone along the way knew what they were doing
JMO, but skip the killer chiller. Maybe if it was a track only car. But it seems like most people pulled them off and upgraded the rest of the system.
That's good advice, I know I haven't read a ton about them but seemed like a logical upgrade. Maybe I'll invest that money elsewhere.
Currently just have an AFCO dual-pass, larger reservoir and VMP brushless pump but stock intercooler, inlets, etc. I just worry about the amount of heat that i'll generate with a Gen 2 2.9 running 22-23psi (with a 3" upper)
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