My build thread: 2004 Cobra Vert #871.

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Thought I'd start a build thread instead of posting pics all over the forum. This thread is going to be a bit random because I've owned this car for 6 years now and done a lot of work on it over that time, plus the car came heavily modded from the previous owner. Updates posted won't be chronological but I'll be starting with my most recent project.

I yanked the drivetrain out of the car over the winter to fix 2 issues. 1) Repair oil leaks I could not find with the engine in the car. 2) Swap out the Crower Stage 4 cams for something more street friendly.

Here's what the long block consisted of:

Teksid block bored 0.020

05+ "DC" heads

Diamond pistons part# 30002-4. 0.020" overbore. 9.1:1 compression.

Cobra crank, Manley GT Supercar H-beam rods, ARP main and rod bolts.

ARP head studs

Crower Stage 4 cams. 0.486/0.495 lift. 236/244 duration. Crower springs and retainers. Way too much duration and overlap for a low compression street engine. They've been a never-ending source of grief since I bought the car so they are being replaced.

Here's a vid of it idling. Sounds great, drives like shit....lol!

Melling oil pump with billet rotors

Cloyes adjustable primary gears.

Intake cam gears with integral key ground off to allow adjustability.

 

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Didn't take long to find the source of the oil leaks once the engine was disassembled! Old-style MMR rear main seal carrier has no sealing surface between the crank case and the rear oil pan bolts. Oil would seep into the bolt holes and then drip from the bolt heads!

Here's the new styler carrier, a big improvement!

Oil leak #2. Hole on the left if a factory hole for the timing cover, on the right is a new hole I drilled and tapped. This factory hole in the Teksid block does not line up with the hole on the 03-04 timing cover. You are suppose to fill this hole in the block with RTV silicone so it can seal with the timing cover gasket. As you can see the gasket passes right over this hole. Whoever built this engine filled the hole in the timing cover but not the hole in the block...lol!

This is the drill fixture from Cobra Engineering. It allows you to drill and tap the block to upgrade the timing chain guide pins from 6mm to 8mm diameter. It also lets you drill/tap the new hole for the timing cover pictured above.

Set up to drill/tap the guide pins:

8mm pins installed.

Set up to drill/tap the timing cover bolt hole:

New cams: Crower Stage 2. 0.475/0.475 lift, 222/222 duration.

 

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All new timing chains soaking in oil. Lash adjusters were re-used.

Checking for base circle runout.

Cams were degreed to manufacturers specs with lobe centerlines of 110/118. I just realized now as I scroll through my photo album that I have no pics of the degreeing process...lol!

New wear strips and you can catch a glimpse of the MMR secondary tensioners. Crank timing gears are also billet steel.

Canton windage tray attached to the block with "The Right Stuff" RTV.

Canton oil pan.

All new stainless steel fasteners!

Wrinkle black cam covers with anodized black MMR inserts. Painted timing cover, new idlers, polished tensioner, Innovators West damper with Metco stock sized ring. A/C compressor, PS pump and water pump were painted POR-15 black. Gates RPM belt.

 

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Billet Pro Shop 100mm idlers in "clear anodized" as well as their stainless steel coolant crossover plug. Thump Racing Tensioner. Polished Canton PS reservoir with wrinkle black cap. Pulley bridge and coolant crossover painted POR-15 black.

I fabbed up some bearing covers for the idlers with some washers purchased on ebay.

Mechman 170 amp billet alternator.

MMR rear seal carrier and coolant crossover. I have a bunch of AN fittings laying around from previous projects so I threw some in there.

Motor mounts all prettied up!

Ford Racing oil cap cover.

 

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Maximum Motorsports tubular K-Member.

Maclead aluminum flywheel, RXT clutch and TOB. Ford clutch arm, Maximum Motorsports cable, billet TOB sleeve, adjustable pivot ball, new Ford pilot bearing, ARP hardware .

Good things come in large boxes from Tremec!!

T56 Magnum

Put a 7/8" plug in the speedo hole.

Clutch arm and TOB installed. Pivot ball was adjusted about as short as it would go.

These 2 "nubs" near the reverse switch need to be cut off or they will hit the trans tunnel.

Bolt heads shaved down for added tunnel clearance.

 

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Antivenom mod.

Bolted up!

Starter hi-temp painted and installed.

Mahle header gaskets, they look the same as OEM and have "Ford" stamped right on them for much less $$$ than OEM.

Stage 8 locking header bolt kit.

SLP ceramic coated long tube 1.75" headers. They fit perfectly, no interference problems anywhere.

 

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Bought this EGR cap on ebay.

New OEM trans mount.

I made a heat shield out of aluminum to protect the alternator from the headers.

 

[bullitt2735]

nice! love the little details like the high temp paint on the starter! I don't think I've ever heard of anyone doing the antivenom mod on a magnum though but i could be wrong

 

[DSGCOBRA24]

Very very nice work man. Wrinkle black covers add a very clean look.

 

[BYEPOLR]

good choice with the rear PCV covers. Cleans things up nicely when everything is installed

 

[Tob]

Very nice attention to detail. Well organized and thought out. Great job.

 

[Revvv]

Looks good

Sent from my [mind] using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[SID297]

Great thread.

 

[03cobra#694]

I may have missed it, what power adder?

 

[c6zhombre]

Very nice, lots of detail. Great thread. Would have loved to have seen the pics of the degreeing process.

 

[olympic]

I may have missed it, what power adder?

I'll be covering it later but it's a polished Gen 3 Whipple 2.9 and meth injection.

 

[03cobra#694]

I'll be covering it later but it's a polished Gen 3 Whipple 2.9 and meth injection.

Thanks, looking good so far. I enjoy threads like these.

 

[Tifosi2003GT]

Get to work building me the same long block...

 

[CobraBob]

Great thread and a very meticulous build. Very impressive.

 

[m109ner]

Wow! Great attention to detail! Thanks for the pictures! Looking forward to seeing your power adder pics!