"Is my/this car a Cobra?" - the definitive answer.

wythors

Get off my lawn!!!
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May 17, 2000
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It seems like this is one of the most often asked questions in 5.0 Talk. I thought I'd spell it out once and for all.

Most often, this question is brought up because someone just bought a car and the title is labeled "GT/Cobra". Many (most) states lump these two together. This causes a lot of confusion. The following are the three cases where the car could be a Cobra.

1. From 1979 through 1981 Ford had a trim package that they called "Cobra". A Cobra of this vintage will have either the 4-cylinder turbo or the V-8 engine, a performance oriented suspension and specific stickers/trim. This car is not an SVT product, just a trim level above "Ghia".

2. Between 1987 and 1993 Ford labeled the vehicle known in the US as a "GT" as a "Cobra" in Canada. Other than a badge on the left side of the hatch, they are identical to a US GT model. My theory is that this is why the cars are titled "GT/Cobra", but I don't know this for sure. Many of these cars have migrated south of the border and are easily identified by the speedo having km/hour on the outside of the speedo circle, with mph on the inside.

3. This is the only one that would matter as far as value is concerned. In 1993 the SVT division of Ford introduced the SVT Cobra, with a hopped up 5.0, a specific transmission, wheels, ground effects and spoiler, different suspension and rear disc brakes. An SVT Cobra is readily identified by a "D" in the eighth digit of the VIN, denoting the 235 hp engine. 4993 93 Cobras were built,along with 105 Cobra R models. The Cobras typically sell for significantly more than a comparable GT or LX.

So there you go. Is your car a Cobra?
 
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It seems like this is one of the most often asked questions in 5.0 Talk. I thought I'd spell it out once and for all.

Most often, this question is brought up because someone just bought a car and the title is labeled "GT/Cobra". Many (most) states lump these two together. This causes a lot of confusion. The following are the three cases where the car could be a Cobra.

1. From 1979 through 1981 Ford had a trim package that they called "Cobra". A Cobra of this vintage will have either the 4-cylinder turbo or the V-8 engine, a performance oriented suspension and specific stickers/trim. This car is not an SVT product, just a trim level above "Ghia".

2. Between 1987 and 1993 Ford labeled the vehicle known in the US as a "GT" as a "Cobra" in Canada. Other than a badge on the left side of the hatch, they are identical to a US GT model. My theory is that this is why the cars are titled "GT/Cobra", but I don't know this for sure. Many of these cars have migrated south of the border and are easily identified by the speedo having km/hour on the outside of the speedo circle, with mph on the inside.

3. This is the only one that would matter as far as value is concerned. In 1993 the SVT division of Ford introduced the SVT Cobra, with a hopped up 5.0, a specific transmission, wheels, ground effects and spoiler, different suspension and rear disc brakes. An SVT Cobra is readily identified by a "D" in the eighth digit of the VIN, denoting the 235 hp engine. 4993 93 Cobras were built,along with 105 Cobra R models. The Cobras typically sell for significantly more than a comparable GT or LX.

So there you go. Is your car a Cobra?

Corrections to the above.....

1. The '79-'81 Cobra was an option package. It was not a trim level (model). There were only two trim levels from '79 through '81 and they were "base" and "Ghia" (both available in 2-dr coupe and 3-dr hatchback form). The Cobra option was only available on the 3-door base model. The carb 2.3L turbo engine was dropped in the USA during the '81 model year (it continued in Canada through '82) so all late '81 Cobra packages ordered in the USA with the 2.3L were not turbocharged, they were naturally aspirated.

2. The "GT" sold in Canada was called "Cobra GT", not just "Cobra", and it was from '84 through '92, not '87 through '93.

3. There were 107 SVT Cobra R models produced, not 105.

So '82 and '83 were the only two years that there was not a Fox "Cobra" Mustang.
 
Yeah and you'll have a hard time finding a 302 around here....all of them have been rebuilt and are now 306s. They also have "small cams" although "the guy i got it from put it in and i don't know what cam it is, probably a E cam" :rolleyes: