forgive my ignorance, 98 cobra in the UK

[stang dreamer]

hey im new to this section of the forums, im looking at buying a 1998 black manual cobra from near me in the UK, it may be my first stang and im just after some general information on anything that could go wrong on a 68,000 mile 98 SVT. how cheap are mods on them? i may want to up my power to at least 400 sometime in the future, but have no clues on how much the engine can hold on stock internals. has anyone got any info reguarding the cobras?

 

[SVT32VDOHC]

Check my sig. 53,000 trouble free miles. The last 10,000 have been supercharged. I have visited the track for 100 passes. Of course, I did have to rebuild my rear axle diff. because the posi burnt out...but it didn't strand me on the side of the road. I could still drive it, but only one wheel spun when you nailed it. As long as it has been well maintained, you are fine.

 

[bit]

89,000 miles on my 98 and I have no problems. I bought the car 11 months ago with 77000 miles on it. I have made ~50 trips down a 1/8miles drag strip and put about 250 hard road course miles on the car. Very reliable car.

As for mods, these cars are not the cheapest, but no the most expensive either. The cheapest route to 400RWHP would be forced induction. A Vortech would do the job and still give you a reliable car. The stock internals will be fine at 10lbs with a conservative tune. The tune is the most important part for the engine to last.

If the car is a good deal, buy it. You will not regret it. I hope this helps

 

[stang dreamer]

thanks guys, it was a big help, bought my cobra, and i havent had any problems with it at all, just an annoying rattle from the front drivers brake caliper mechanics are fine, motor runs like a dream, starts 1st time every time, full history and such proves to me that it was defo well looked after for the past 4 years it has been in the uk

 

[yomadmike]

Finding parts over there will be your big problem. I have a friend here who has a good friend in the UK with a Fox. He occasionally has to mail parts you can't get there or are way too high over there. Good luck though, from what I here there aren't many stangs over there, let alone snakes.

 

[stang dreamer]

holy thread revival batman!

so guys i still have the 98 cobra.

im looking at kenne bell charging the svt, apparently bringing the hp up to the 460 mark. i will also be installing 4.10 rear gears also

how solid is the transmission? the clutch will need to go as its an aftermarket one rated to 350hp but my trans struggles to get in reverse as it is, and 2nd gear can prove troublesome if forced.

also, the engine internals are my main concern. what power output are these capable of? as to my understanding, the tune comes with the kit so it should be nice and safe (i hope) but im saving for the smaller pulley kit for extra boost, and i dont want the rear gears to effect the reliability of the motor.

anyone installed a KB on a 98 that can give me an idea?

 

[COBRA90GT]

Sounds like some nice mods are on the way.

I can't tell you what rear gear is ideal to run with a Kenne Bell, but with some sticky tires you should probably be fine??? I know some might opt for a 3.73 gear since the power will "come on" earlier/sooner with a Roots supercharger when compared to a centrifugal supercharger. I suppose it all depends on your intended usage (drag strip , city/town cruiser, highway cruiser, etc) and what you want to do with the car.

Generally speaking, the stock engine is good for *around* 450 rwhp or so. That's not a *magical number* or anything, but it is a very common power level where people commonly begin to experience internal engine failures due to added horsepower.

Do you intend on racing it at the drag strip and abusing it on a frequent basise? If so, your trans may be ok for a short while but you will probably be in need of a rebuild and/or upgrading (clutch as well?).

It sounds like your car will not be dyno tuned after the supercharger, correct? If you are planning on using a mail order tune, be careful with it and try to confirm that it is indeed a conservative tune.

Having it dyno tuned would be ideal in most circumstances, but with you being in the UK, I imagine it would be tough to find a reputable cobra tuner over there (???).

The block is good for 800+ and then some, so it won't have any issues. The crank will be fine too. But, your rods and pistons will be the parts under the most stress. Watch your oil level as well on a regular basis and consider doing an engine compression test before adding the KB so you have some baseline numbers in the event you find yourself having engine trouble after the KB (that way you can compare numbers "before" and "after" the mods).

Again, these are just general guidelines. If you have the funds available, perhaps consider building up the engine at the same time when the KB is installed....?

G'luck.