Need Advice

So here's my dilemma:

The power levels of my car have been disappointing me lately. I have saved the $5,500 for the KB kit, and am currently saving for the tune, extra parts I may need, and then reserve money for another motor if needed.

The thing I'm caught up on it that with all the money I'll be putting into the car, I could easily sell it and buy a stock or mild bolt on 03/04 Cobra and be a step a head of the game. Only down side in my mind is the IRS at the track.

I know many of you have been in my shoes, and I would like your input. Ideas I've been tossing around:

1) Going a head with the plan of boosting my car.
2) Selling and buying a Cobra
3) Selling and getting a S197 boosted Roush stage 3 or 427r.
(The third option would obviously require at least another $5k.)

The last part of the equation in my mind is that I'm still young. I know vehicles are a horrible investment, but I may still need to sell whatever to buy house in the next 5-10 years.
 
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I don't know what you have now but you may be able to drop in one of the new 5.0 for what your going to be spending on the other stuff and I think you have few to chose from all making close to or over 400hp. Just a thought.
 
I don't know what you have now but you may be able to drop in one of the new 5.0 for what your going to be spending on the other stuff and I think you have few to chose from all making close to or over 400hp. Just a thought.

I just have minor bolt ons right now. Can't justify spending tons of money to fully bolt on the car, when a blower will be about the same price with way more power.

I think that a 5.0 swap would be a giant waste of money. I don't think they would bolt up to the trans, and I would basically be looking at replacing the entire drivetrain. Then you have to factor in the cost of the ecu. Would be unique and fun, but way too much money right now.
 
imho, it would be wiser to put the money into an 03 / 04 cobra. if i could do it all over again, that is what i would have done. my reasoning for this is, despite the irs, which sucks, the motor is already built, its already a 6 speed, and there are plenty of people with built solid axles that are more than willing to swap for an irs setup. however, if you will be happy with about 400 rwhp, then get the kenne bell. just remember, that its very easy to get used to horsepower, its an addiction.
 
Man it seems like this question comes up about once a month around here.

If you can swing it I would pick up a termi instead of dumping the 5k into your GT. The cobra comes with a built engine capable of handling tons of power and a 6 speed.

With that said I know a lot of people hate on the IRS but I can tell you from experience that they ride so much better then the stock stick axel. I added one to my GT and just dont understand why ford didnt make it standard for all 99-04 stangs. The car is much more balanced and corners better then my old solid did with an MM panhard bar. The ride is a thousand times smoother over bumps and uneven pavement and my interior is actually quieter. People cry about the added weight but when you consider all the parts requied to make a solid handle well the added wieght isnt all that much more. Dont let people tell you that its a 2-300lb differance because its not, try 80 and thats stock for stock. They can be made to hook at the track just like a solid. And just like a solid you need to upgrade some stuff to make that happen. I would look into full tilt boogie racing for starters.
 
imho, it would be wiser to put the money into an 03 / 04 cobra. if i could do it all over again, that is what i would have done. my reasoning for this is, despite the irs, which sucks, the motor is already built, its already a 6 speed, and there are plenty of people with built solid axles that are more than willing to swap for an irs setup. however, if you will be happy with about 400 rwhp, then get the kenne bell. just remember, that its very easy to get used to horsepower, its an addiction.

That's a few good points. Not sure how much my 5 speed will like the thrashing.

crzyhrse99 said:
Since it sounds like ur a track guy, get a 100 shot system and you will get the speed you want untill you really make up youre mind on what you want to do.

Not really an all out track guy, but do enjoy going a few times a year. Not a fan of nitrous, and don't plan on putting that to my stock motor.
 
Man it seems like this question comes up about once a month around here.

If you can swing it I would pick up a termi instead of dumping the 5k into your GT. The cobra comes with a built engine capable of handling tons of power and a 6 speed.

With that said I know a lot of people hate on the IRS but I can tell you from experience that they ride so much better then the stock stick axel. I added one to my GT and just dont understand why ford didnt make it standard for all 99-04 stangs. The car is much more balanced and corners better then my old solid did with an MM panhard bar. The ride is a thousand times smoother over bumps and uneven pavement and my interior is actually quieter. People cry about the added weight but when you consider all the parts requied to make a solid handle well the added wieght isnt all that much more. Dont let people tell you that its a 2-300lb differance because its not, try 80 and thats stock for stock. They can be made to hook at the track just like a solid. And just like a solid you need to upgrade some stuff to make that happen. I would look into full tilt boogie racing for starters.

I have talked about this same thing before.

It will cost way more than $5k to get the kenne bell on the car. The kit itself is $5,500. Then you have to look at the additional upgrades, the tuning, and how long the clutch will hold.

No love for the S197? It already has what, 60 more hp? It's a dedicated mustang chassis. The 31 spline rear end. The Roush Stage 3 has 415hp and runs a 13 flat quarter.
 
2) Selling and buying a Cobra
3) Selling and getting a S197 boosted Roush stage 3 or 427r.

Might want to check with your insurance company to see how much your rates would go up. :shrug:

I've recently had to look at my insurance stuff... For my cars and house.... :eek: :nonono: Would hate to see how much it would be for a cobra.
 
If I were you:

Get a 03/04 Cobra

Swap in a SRA (much easier then the work you have planned for your GT)

Don't consider selling your car ever for a house. If you have to do that, you
can't afford the house, so you'll be house poor, and emasculated by driving a minivan or some other such nonsense.
 
I bought my car for $5,000. At the time, it had a Mac prochamber, and flowmasters. I had an SCT SF3 tuner laying around, bought a JLT cai for $150, and spent $500 on a Zex nitrous kit. My friend had just bought an 03 cobra for $18,000 and put $300 into the exhaust. Would you like to know who outran who from a roll and a dig?

My car - $5,650
His car - $18,300

There is not a single bolt on/pullied cobra that I would be scared of, and I guarantee you I have less $ in mine overall than any of them do.

But, it all depends on what you want. I would look at some nice turbo kit's if I was you, but I am not a PD blower guy.
 
That's one way to look at it. The other way to look at it is that the Bolt-on/pullied cobras still have a ridiculous amount of potential left without touching the bullet-proof shortblock. It also sounds like at that time the Cobras still had plenty of room left to depreciate - they aren't going for $18k anymore. My brother bought his a couple years ago for $13k with 70-80k miles (see my albums). Of course, it's always fun to put less money into something that ends up faster, but c'mon, by adding nitrous to get there you didn't do something he couldn't. In the long run, it ends up costing a lot more than $500. Plus, adding a nitrous kit to his already blown 4.6 gives him every advantage you already have, but you're not in a position to add a blower and crank the boost the way he can.

In my mind OP, here's what you get for your extra dollars that makes the trade worthwhile in the order of most significant to least significant:

- bullet proof internals - add these to a GT and you're going to be set back several grand - the single best reason to use an '03-'04 Cobra as a platform to build from. Your motor will live happily producing well over 600 hp where taking the GT is like rolling the dice. Change the rods and your motor will happily take closer to 1k hp.
- A T56: Again, this swap in a GT is going to set you back a couple of grand even if you sell your T45
- 4-valve heads with endless potential. Swapping to these will set you back $600-800 for a clean non-ported set.
- OEM quality: so far you haven't made a modification and you start off producing 130 rwhp more than the stock GTs. This car is absolutely dead reliable.
- The cool factor of having a Cobra. Resale will stay higher as a result. Everyone remembers the '03-'04 Cobra as THE standout from all of the SN-95 mustangs that Ford produced, and it was only produced for 2 years. They may not be as rare as the '93 Cobra, but there are more mechanical differences to set them apart from the other SN95s. So, I'll bet that they remain worth considerably more for a long time.
- IRS - a plus for some, a minus for others
 
If you end up buying a cobra give it a month or two of consistant driving before you decide to swap in a SRA. I have actually found a lot of IRS haters have never driven a properly set up IRS car and have no idea how smooth these cars can be with about $500 in quality bushings which isnt much more then upper and lower control arms for a SRA.

Most cry about the added weight but it actually helps balance the car out and isnt really noticable otherwise. Anyone who DD's or takes their car on long trips should consider an IRS IMOP just for the nicer ride.
 
I am more biased about 03/04 cobra's than most people. Simply because most of the parts that people praise them for, is stuff that would be absolutely worthless to me.

Cobra brakes: Dont want them, to heavy. Would switch to Aerospace
IRS: Biggest mistake ford ever made, would switch to SRA
T56: To high of a first gear. Would want a 5 speed
Short block: Has Iron block, to heavy. Would switch to aluminum.
PD Blower: I do not like superchargers of any sort. Would switch to turbo

So, like I said, they are near worthless to me. The only way you will ever see a cobra in my garage, is if it's a Sonic Blue vert that get's drove on a sunny day.
 
I am more biased about 03/04 cobra's than most people. Simply because most of the parts that people praise them for, is stuff that would be absolutely worthless to me.

Cobra brakes: Dont want them, to heavy. Would switch to Aerospace
IRS: Biggest mistake ford ever made, would switch to SRA
T56: To high of a first gear. Would want a 5 speed
Short block: Has Iron block, to heavy. Would switch to aluminum.
PD Blower: I do not like superchargers of any sort. Would switch to turbo

So, like I said, they are near worthless to me. The only way you will ever see a cobra in my garage, is if it's a Sonic Blue vert that get's drove on a sunny day.

That still leaves the internals, the resale value (which you don't get out of performance parts), the fact that you're driving a Cobra, the 4V heads, and I forgot about the brakes. If you're going to change everything out on the car for the best money can buy, then you're better off starting with a V6 and building it, not your GT. The point is that you get a hell of a lot more than you could for the difference in resale between a GT and

About your negative comments, it sounds like you're just biased towards the car you have and are discrediting the car you don't to make yourself feel better.
Brakes: you apparently aren't running Aerospace brakes, and the Cobras are damn good as is.
T56: the first gear is definitely numerically lower than a 5-spd, which is a good thing when you're making enough torque and have rear-gears that make it difficult to make the car stick.
Iron Block: You don't like the IRS, and you don't like the Iron Block. If you're autocrossing/road racing I get the block, if you're drag racing, I get the rear. If you're trying to do both, you will never be serious enough in either for it to matter. Anyone would prefer the aluminum to the Iron, but hey your GT has an iron block too. So this is not a negative in comparison.
Blower: Switching to turbo is a great idea... I probably would too (see sig). That said, if I were going to run a turbo, then I know I'd go with the '03 unless I was planning to start from scratch in which case I'd find a chassis to build.

Different strokes for different folks, but those are hands down worth the difference in resale stock vs. stock. For what you get, I doubt you can equal it by building a GT up anymore. Engine, trans, brakes, suspension... you're going to wrap another 10-11k in parts to build a better GT all the way around.
 
That still leaves the internals, the resale value (which you don't get out of performance parts), the fact that you're driving a Cobra, the 4V heads, and I forgot about the brakes. If you're going to change everything out on the car for the best money can buy, then you're better off starting with a V6 and building it, not your GT. The point is that you get a hell of a lot more than you could for the difference in resale between a GT and

About your negative comments, it sounds like you're just biased towards the car you have and are discrediting the car you don't to make yourself feel better.
Brakes: you apparently aren't running Aerospace brakes, and the Cobras are damn good as is.
T56: the first gear is definitely numerically lower than a 5-spd, which is a good thing when you're making enough torque and have rear-gears that make it difficult to make the car stick.
Iron Block: You don't like the IRS, and you don't like the Iron Block. If you're autocrossing/road racing I get the block, if you're drag racing, I get the rear. If you're trying to do both, you will never be serious enough in either for it to matter. Anyone would prefer the aluminum to the Iron, but hey your GT has an iron block too. So this is not a negative in comparison.
Blower: Switching to turbo is a great idea... I probably would too (see sig). That said, if I were going to run a turbo, then I know I'd go with the '03 unless I was planning to start from scratch in which case I'd find a chassis to build.

Different strokes for different folks, but those are hands down worth the difference in resale stock vs. stock. For what you get, I doubt you can equal it by building a GT up anymore. Engine, trans, brakes, suspension... you're going to wrap another 10-11k in parts to build a better GT all the way around.

LMAO, if you really think I am envious or jealous of 03/04 Cobra's, then you need to go back to the pushrod forum. If I wanted one, I would go write a check for one.

Brakes: I have front and rear aerospace brakes sitting in my game room of my house waiting to go on this winter.
Block: I just bought an aluminum forged short block. It will be here in November.

I could care less that it's a Cobra. If that's what a person needs to make themselves feel cool, then by all means, go buy one. I prefer my power built, not baught. And when I decide I am going to build power, I am not going to start with a platform that cost me $13,000-$15,000 when I could start with a platform that cost $5,000. Plus the fact that I love having the underdog status. I love it when people look at my car and say "Oh, it's only a GT and I have a Cobra, I will definitely outrun him."

Now something that I should have added. If I was wanting a 400-500rwhp car to daily drive, then yes I would have bought an 03/04 cobra and been done with it. Since I am wanting to build something that far exceeds those numbers, after doing the figures on paper, it would be cheaper for me to do what I am doing now.

To the OP: If you are not looking to get into racing big time and just want a dependable 400-500rwhp car, then sell your car and go buy a cobra.
 
Alright Stumbaugh, I doubt that you are envious, and apologize for implying that putting down a car just because you don't have it, though it does blow me away that you look at every advantage a Cobra has over a GT as a disadvantage. I understand your financial point. If you're going to build everything on the car, than starting with a cheaper platform is an advantage. For that matter if you had planned it in advance, you would still have been better off for the money selling your GT, buying a roller for a grand, and building it from the ground up.

My only point is that an '03 Cobra is a hell of a lot more car than the GT. And, back when they were new, and the difference for a Cobra was $15-17k more than a GT, I would say it wasn't THAT much more car. But now that the difference is only 5-8k, I would say it is more than that much more car for the dollar. My brother bought his '03 for $13k back in 2009. I've seen an '03 with about 100k miles go for $10k. For the extra $5k look how much extra you get with a Cobra? Buying a brake system like that aftermarket is going to put you back around $2k. A T56 with all components is another $2k at least. Building your own shortblock is going to set you back anywhere from 3-10k depending on how radical you go, and you haven't touched the fuel system or top end of the motor. If you prefer the IRS, then the starting platform is a no-brainer. If you don't, then buying an 8.8 is cheap and building it is going to cost you in either platform, regardless. If a guy puts $5-8k in his GT, he will end up with a car that doesn't equal a Cobra in all performance aspects, AND his car will be worth significantly less when he sells it. That makes going the Cobra route a no brainier in that dollar range.

Just because you're going to build the absolute hell out of your car doesn't change the average enthusiast's ambition. Most guys don't want to build a 1000+ hp monster, and buying a Cobra is NOT the wrong way to go for someone who wants to build their power, either. They come stock with an indestructible Crank, and a short block that will live for a long time at 700 rwhp, and they have been successfully pushed north of 1000rwhp without touching the lower end. There's also no arguing that the 4V heads have a ton more potential than the 2Vs. So, unless you're building your own long-block or finding one used, then it's a better platform from which to start. Making 500rwhp is a tune, pulley, chip, and ported blower away. Making 700 rwhp is a TS Blower or turbo away. Or, like you add a safe 150 shot on top of the chip, pulley, & port and push it into the mid 600s. To me, that's a mind blowing amount of power for so little work. Us old pushrod guys have to go to an aftermarket race block with forged internals just to even out the strength difference.