Good Cobra to build?

[Last Ride]

Hey all--
I have been looking for a new fun car ever since I sold my ZR-1 Corvette this past March. I had been looking at the 05 Mustang until my wife mentioned that she liked the "older style" Mustang better. I have looked at the 03-04 Cobras, but I think they might still be a bit expensive for what I want to do. I am looking to build a 10-second street car. Obviously, forced induction is the key here. I have been eyeing twin turbo setups as a way to achieve this. Originally, the plan was to buy an 03-04 and remove the blower in favor of the turbos. The 03-04 would also be most like the Vette in terms of IRS and 6-speed. More recently, I began looking at the 01 Cobras as well. They are 5-speed and live axle, but the platform is generally the same, and they can be had far cheaper than the 03-04. What do you guys think? Which would make a better platform for what i want to do? If I go with the 01, is there a source for shortblocks or anything like that? Thanks for helping out a newbie.

Bryan

 

[cobra_4]

I sold my ZR-1 Corvette

Damn the ZR-1 are bad ass vettes what year did you have?

You can't go wrong with an 03-04 Cobra. Chip,pulley,and exhaust and youll have one of the fastest cars around for under thirty.

 

[Last Ride]

Damn the ZR-1 are bad ass vettes what year did you have?

You can't go wrong with an 03-04 Cobra. Chip,pulley,and exhaust and youll have one of the fastest cars around for under thirty.

The ZR-1 was a 91. It was prepared by Doug Rippie and came with a 368 motor, coilovers, rollbar, Wilwoods, etc. It was bad ass! It was also more expensive to mod than I ever cared to go. For the price, I could make a Mustang go a lot faster and still have enough left over to eat! Thanks for the tips.

Bryan

 

[ka3ak]

99s and 01s still have the IRS

 

[Last Ride]

99s and 01s still have the IRS

Good to know. How much abuse can the IRS take? can it be set up to take 800 hp or so?

Bryan

 

[XtremeAceX]

Get a 99 or 01 Cobra and do a TT setup if you want turbo.

OR

There are Cobra's with supercharger swaps that are in the 9's if you preffer superchargers. so get an 03/04 if you want supercharged.

If you want a more reliable drag car, swap the IRS for a solid rear. Or you can get parts to strengthen the IRS and you dont lose handling going from IRS to Solid Rear.

 

[kneedragger]

Hey all--
I have been looking for a new fun car ever since I sold my ZR-1 Corvette this past March. I had been looking at the 05 Mustang until my wife mentioned that she liked the "older style" Mustang better. I have looked at the 03-04 Cobras, but I think they might still be a bit expensive for what I want to do. I am looking to build a 10-second street car. Obviously, forced induction is the key here. I have been eyeing twin turbo setups as a way to achieve this. Originally, the plan was to buy an 03-04 and remove the blower in favor of the turbos. The 03-04 would also be most like the Vette in terms of IRS and 6-speed. More recently, I began looking at the 01 Cobras as well. They are 5-speed and live axle, but the platform is generally the same, and they can be had far cheaper than the 03-04. What do you guys think? Which would make a better platform for what i want to do? If I go with the 01, is there a source for shortblocks or anything like that? Thanks for helping out a newbie.

Bryan

As far as 10 sec street car, I doubt you'll find an easier one to build than an 03-04. Whipple, injectors, fuel pumps, intake. For 5Gs, you could be in the tens with your daily driver easily.

 

[sonicboom141]

id say go with a cheap foxbody, new motor, twin turbo
it would be fun

 

[XtremeAceX]

id say go with a cheap foxbody, new motor, twin turbo
it would be fun

He wants the 99 - 04 Body style.

 

[rezcobra]

As far as 10 sec street car, I doubt you'll find an easier one to build than an 03-04. Whipple, injectors, fuel pumps, intake. For 5Gs, you could be in the tens with your daily driver easily.

Agreed! But it can be either Kenne-Bell or Whipple for the forced induction. Plus you would have to upgrade on the halfshafts to take the extra HP and torque.

 

[kneedragger]

Agreed! But it can be either Kenne-Bell or Whipple for the forced induction. Plus you would have to upgrade on the halfshafts to take the extra HP and torque.

I was just using Whipple as an example. I am blower brand agnostic. ;-)

 

[bp03svt]

As far as 10 sec street car, I doubt you'll find an easier one to build than an 03-04. Whipple, injectors, fuel pumps, intake. For 5Gs, you could be in the tens with your daily driver easily.

Plus, they already have forged internals, so they can handle the stress of around 800 without having to buy a new block. :beer:

 

[Last Ride]

You guys think supercharging is the way to go over the turbos? I know turbocharging is the closest thing to free horsepower, but they can be difficult to tune and work on. Would I be able to achieve my goal of around 800 hp with a Whipple/ Kenne Bell and still retain some semblance of streetability? I suppose you don't really need that much for a 10-second quarter, but that is what the turbocharging kits I have been looking at produce. I don't plan on drag racing every weekend, so this will be primarily a street machine. Basically, I want to own the streets around here. I know there will always be someone faster, but I digress. In a perfect world, I would look at 03-04's exclusively, but the 99 and 01 can be had $10k cheaper! Thanks for all the help!

Bryan

 

[bp03svt]

Yes, the Kenne Bell or Whipple and other mods will get up there in horsepower. These cars can have stock driveablity with 700 and up horsepower, all you need is the right tune. Even if you decided to go with turboing an 03 or 04, you'd end up saving money by not having to get a block with forged internals--they come factory with them. I'd leave it supercharged though if I were you, but that's just me.

I think you need to go drive a 99 or 01 Cobra, and then go drive an 03 or 04. Then you will know which one to get, trust me. :beer:

 

[kneedragger]

You guys think supercharging is the way to go over the turbos? I know turbocharging is the closest thing to free horsepower, but they can be difficult to tune and work on. Would I be able to achieve my goal of around 800 hp with a Whipple/ Kenne Bell and still retain some semblance of streetability? I suppose you don't really need that much for a 10-second quarter, but that is what the turbocharging kits I have been looking at produce. I don't plan on drag racing every weekend, so this will be primarily a street machine. Basically, I want to own the streets around here. I know there will always be someone faster, but I digress. In a perfect world, I would look at 03-04's exclusively, but the 99 and 01 can be had $10k cheaper! Thanks for all the help!

Bryan

Turbocharging will give you more peak power and is the way to go if it's just a drag car. If it's a daily driver, you can't beat a roots or twin screw for immediate torque production. A centrifugal supercharger splits the difference between turbo and TS/roots.

The one issue you way run into is that if you want a reliable 10 sec car, you will have to go into the motor on an 99/01 and build the internals. on the 03-04 you're starting out with a much stronger bottom end in the first place.