New member,new ride

[MarkusK]

Hello

Just wanted to check in after reading the forums for awile.
Bought my new to me 2003 Cobra with about 21000 miles on the clock last Saturday.Not many to choose from here in Sweden were I live.
Went from a -98 Corvette C5 that I had over 3 years.The Cobra is a US import with all the basic mods as 2,8 pulley,CAI,SLP loudmouth,SCT tune,SCT MAF,BBK X-pipe and a Hurst shifter.
I have to say this car is a beast, I really enjoy every moment in it.
I would really like some input about the handling as i like to take my cars to the track a couple of times a year.Where are the best ways of improvment ?

Markus

 

[MalcolmV8]

Welcome. I'm sure you'll love the car. It's funny to hear the 03 Cobra referred to as an import Glad you got them in Sweden.

 

[Fox-4]

Full length subframe connectors would be a great start for the car if it don't have it already.

 

[Sniperdog]

great car:thumbsup: and welcome

 

[Pock]

Welcome!! FLSFC and H&R Race springs since you'll have a need for them.

 

[mu22stang]

Welcome!! FLSFC and H&R Race springs since you'll have a need for them.

I'd hold off the H&R race springs. They don't cut the mustard with these nose heavy cars. I've seen pictures of people bottoming them out under hard braking. My advice, get some full length subframe connectors if you want, brake cooling ducts for the fronts and some seat time. These things are very fast on a road course. Spend your time learning the car, not throwing parts at it.

 

[Strato_Chief]

Congrats on the new ride! :thumbsup:

As far as the handling goes I know there are plenty of upgrades like Polyurethane Bushings but I would look at getting a rear diff brace first, if you dont already have one.

 

[mu22stang]

Congrats on the new ride! :thumbsup:

As far as the handling goes I know there are plenty of upgrades like Polyurethane Bushings but I would look at getting a rear diff brace first, if you dont already have one.

NO! Poly doesn't belong anywhere on a performance vehicle (except maybe the anti-roll bar :read. It looks like you already have springs on that car, from the previous owner I presume, and they probably aren't for the track. Find some stock springs and hit the track. You don't need any more parts that change the vehicular dynamics of the car.

 

[mu22stang]

Oh, and take off that pulley if you want your motor to live on a road course.

 

[MarkusK]

Ok,thank you for the information.I will give it some track time before I look into the handling.Took a couple more pictures,enjoy.

 

[03cobra#694]

Nice!How does it stack up against the cars over there?

 

[4.6snakedoc]

Nice car and welcome aboard. A lot of good info on here!

My recommendation would be like the others with FLSFC and IRS brace. Has it been dynoed and tune with the pulley ,intake and exhaust? The A/F ratio is critical on our cars. Also larger heat exchanger and possibly head cooling mod wouldn't hurt.

Enjoy!!

 

[FromGTtoSVT]

Welcome and congrats.....

I am sorry to have to tell you, you can't trust everyone's opinion on this site. As long as you have a good tune, your car will be fine with the pulley.

Good luck!!

 

[mu22stang]

Welcome and congrats.....

I am sorry to have to tell you, you can't trust everyone's opinion on this site. As long as you have a good tune, your car will be fine with the pulley.

Good luck!!

Using a stock pulley on a road course for engine longevity isn't a matter of opinion. Unless it's ported, which it isn't, you are asking and waiting for the engine to grenade. Heat is the enemy and a smaller pulley is the catalyst. :read:

 

[SVTDom]

Nice!How does it stack up against the cars over there?

i would like to know as well,

and beautiful car, love the silver.....silver=FTW:rockon:

 

[MalcolmV8]

Using a stock pulley on a road course for engine longevity isn't a matter of opinion. Unless it's ported, which it isn't, you are asking and waiting for the engine to grenade. Heat is the enemy and a smaller pulley is the catalyst. :read:

Is it the motor that will grenade or the blower? Kenne Bell told me that 18lbs of boost was the most you would want to run on the street because very high boost levels on a daily driver will cause the rotors to expand to much from the sustained heat and actually lock up in the casing and destroy the blower. We were discussing the 2.8 KB. I got that directly from the Kenne Bell support line when calling to get some info as I'm researching a twin screw. Is that what you're talking about? or are you saying his motor will grenade? If motor how so? As long as his a/f ratio is good and timing is not to excessive to where it's pinging I'm just curious as to how it happens?

 

[SLEEPERSTATUS]

nice car buddy! and welcome let the mod bug begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[timspony]

Congrats! Nice looking Cobra!

 

[MarkusK]

On the street it holds it,s own but when you hit the track on some kind of trackday you usually get to run with fast cars like Z06, M3, Porsche an such.
Remains to see what it can do.
I am not sure what kind of tune it has,but I will get it to the only place here in Stockholm that can make a custom tune asap.According to the extra boost gauge I am running about 13 psi.

 

[mu22stang]

Is it the motor that will grenade or the blower? Kenne Bell told me that 18lbs of boost was the most you would want to run on the street because very high boost levels on a daily driver will cause the rotors to expand to much from the sustained heat and actually lock up in the casing and destroy the blower. We were discussing the 2.8 KB. I got that directly from the Kenne Bell support line when calling to get some info as I'm researching a twin screw. Is that what you're talking about? or are you saying his motor will grenade? If motor how so? As long as his a/f ratio is good and timing is not to excessive to where it's pinging I'm just curious as to how it happens?

I'd say many components under the hood will potentially fail, it really depends on a variety of factors. A road course/open track racing car doesn't have the luxury of a cooldown after a 1X.XXs run. The driver is for all intents and purpose continually loading the engine with heat, and the smaller pulley just expedites this. Even with a proper A/F ratio and cooling mods, the amount of heat the smaller pulley feeds into the engine can still cause massive overheating, skyrocketing IAT2 and EGTs. The only way to really offset this is with a ported blower.

Here's a thread of a member's car that got cooked after some open tracking with a 2.8". He even had some extensive cooling mods - linky.