Finally autocrossed my '94 Cobra... DUW!

[Killercanary]

I picked up a '94 Cobra back in January to serve as a nice day driver/autocross car. I didn't plan to do a lot to it but that all changed. LOL!

Here's a list of the mods I've added since getting it:

-MM 4 bolt CC plates with the following specs: 4.8* caster, 1.6* camber, zero toe
-Koni sport single adjustable struts
-MM front coil-over kit with 10" 425lb springs
-urethane rack bushings
-MM HD torque arm
-MM full length subframe connectors
-MM panhard bar
-MM adjustable rear sway bar
-MM/Bilstien rear shocks with 8" 325lb coil-over springs
-17X9 Anniversary cobra wheels with 275 Kuhmo V710 tires

Engine mods include:
-AFR 165 60cc heads
-home ported cobra intake
-1.7 cobra pedestal rockers
-new lunati timing chain
-Morpheus power pipe
-65mm TB
-FMS shorty headers
-Bassani offroad X pipe
-Summit cat back with magnaflow mufflers
-pro 5.0 shifter
-Mallory FPR set to 45lbs of FP (no idea if this is optimal, I just didn't want to lean it out under WOT)
-255lph high pressure Walbro fuel pump

I run the car in CP due to these mods. I knew I'd have to re-learn how to drive the car after adding all of these parts, but I wasn't prepared as to how different it would react in comparison to all the mustangs I've driven over the last 15 years. I have a lot to learn to say the least. Overall I'm happy with my first time out shakedown, but I need to improve a lot if I hope to be competitive.

Here's a few pics from this weekend:

 

[nmcgrawj]

DAMN PAUL! LOL last time i checked in on a thread about the cobra it was relatively stock lol.


Are u still running the stock cam?


Looks good man!

 

[Pokageek]

I am curious. How does the sn95 with your mods compare to a stock miata or focus or something? Reason I ask is that my z28 seemed to handle much better than this mustang does. What about braking? Even with my cobra fronts it aint much better than my truck.

Let me add: My guess is it out-handles a focus and brakes better than my car lol.

 

[revhead347]

I used to autocross my Mustang at Martin Motorsports club down near Melbourne FL. It was aweful. Mustangs make terrible autocross cars. At the time I had the best performing suspension setup on the market, and I was still getting my ass handed to me by Hondas. I did much better at the road course near Disney. Only take your Mustang to an autocross meet if you want to frustrate yourself.

Kurt

 

[Leezure]

The beautiful thing about autocross is that it is almost entirely about driving skill. A good driver can run fantastic times even with a bad car. I run my 350Z in the C Stock class and consistently fall into the top three in my class. However, when I let one of the professional drivers race my car on the same course they beat my time by a full 2 seconds! Same car, same course, different driver.

I do believe that there are better platforms for the class though but...like golf, you should only be trying to improve on your own personal best and let the scores fall where they may.

In autocross Corvettes, Mustangs, Camaros and even Lamborghinis all bow to the Mini!

 

[Killercanary]

Nate- yeah, this project kind of exploded on me. I didn't want to touch the engine but a broken motor mount lead to an engine removal when I broke one of the bolts off in the block. The suspension components came about due to me finding a great deal on a bunch of used stuff from a local road racer. I am still running the stock cam as I can't afford a way to tune it right now. I bump[ed the FP to 45lbs and that is about as much tuning as I can do with it at the moment. LOL!

I am curious. How does the sn95 with your mods compare to a stock miata or focus or something? Reason I ask is that my z28 seemed to handle much better than this mustang does. What about braking? Even with my cobra fronts it aint much better than my truck.

Let me add: My guess is it out-handles a focus and brakes better than my car lol.

Well, I always thought my SVTF handled well as I consistently won 1st place in G stock last year with nothing more than a set of dunlop direzza star spec tires. The mustang will run circles around it though. For comparison, here is a list of the cars that beat me in overall time. I included their best time, type of car, and what class they are in. I think this may help answer your question better than my SOTP meter of the car. For my first time out with a new car, suspension, and engine combo I was quite happy. All of these guys that beat me are veterans and were running on R compound tires like me.

SS Chevrolet Corvette C5 Z06 32.854
SS Lotus Elise 32.907
AS Chevrolet Corvette 33.586
XP Chevrolet Corvette 34.572
SM Nissan 240SX 34.607
DSP Honda Civic Si 34.756
then there is me...CP Ford Mustang Cobra 35.501

I had a 35.00 run with a cone and an off course 34.146 where I have no idea when I went off at. Given more seat time I know I can close the gap on some of these guys... will I be FTD? No, but there is a lot of room for improvement still there.


Kurt, while I will agree that there are a lot better autocross platforms out there, these cars can still be somewhat competitive. I'm doing this strictly for fun and have no pipe dream of being competitive on a national scale. We have some GREAT drivers in our region (including the national F stock champion) and my only aspiration is to do my best with what I have to run as close to them as I can. I like mustangs, and I like autocross, so even though its not 'the" car to have I can't imagine running anything else at the present time. I think this car/combo has the potential to hold its own... the driver is another story. LOL!


Leezure- well said! I like your golf analogy as that is what I'm trying to do... be the best driver I can be in my car. If I beat others in the process that will just be the icing on the cake.... although that is my favorite part of it.

 

[Killercanary]

BTW- I weighed the car yesterday with all of the new parts in place. Previously it weighed in at exactly 3300lbs with and offroad X pipe, 1/4 tank of fuel, no spare and no jack... all else was 100% stock. Yesterday it came in at exactly 3200lbs with 1/4 tank of fuel, all of my MM suspension components, aluminum AFR heads, removed smog pump and lines, removed EGR, and no trunk plastic/spare/jack. Everything else was still in the car like front and rear seats, stereo, etc. This was with the 17X8 stock cobra wheels in place, I don't know how they compare to the '03 wheels with Kuhmo tires that I race on. I just thought some of you would like to know what it weighed with these new parts.

 

[revhead347]

The guys at Martin set the course too tight for a Mustang. They always make the last turn so tight, you have to bring the car almost to a complete stop to make the turn. The cones are set about 4 inches each side of the car on each side, so you can't drift it through either. They always set up the course to run carts and let the rest of the people make do. I think my best one day was a 60.00, and the Corvette's were doing 52.xx. There is just no way to compensate for the pour turning radius of the Mustang.

Kurt

 

[Killercanary]

The guys at Martin set the course too tight for a Mustang. They always make the last turn so tight, you have to bring the car almost to a complete stop to make the turn. The cones are set about 4 inches each side of the car on each side, so you can't drift it through either. They always set up the course to run carts and let the rest of the people make do. I think my best one day was a 60.00, and the Corvette's were doing 52.xx. There is just no way to compensate for the pour turning radius of the Mustang.

Kurt

The nice thing about our region is that we normally run on a LARGE airport runway where a high HP RWD car can shine; we normally have around 60 second course times. The FAA stepped in earlier this year and made it so that airports could no longer be closed for non- aeronautical events. We just got word though that we are getting the airport back for our next event. The place where I autocrossed this weekend is a 300'X600' pad of asphalt that is used for the county disaster training facility. It wasn't as tight as they normally make them which was good for me. Most of the board members have high HP RWD cars so the courses tend to favor our kind of setups. I also plan to run in Cumberland MD with the group down there. The nice thing about that group is that they follow SCCA rules in terms of car classification, but they do not follow them in course layout, especially when it comes to max speed. There are a lot of factory five cobra's that run down there and let's just say they like their speed there. I've only raced there once and I was told it was the slowest course they had all year and I was banging away on the rev limiter in 2nd in my SVTF. I'll tell you what Kurt, if I had started autocrossing before I started drag racing, my car hobby would have taken a much different direction a long time ago. I LOVE autocross and don't miss the drag strip in the slightest. Maybe that will change one day, but I doubt it.

 

[Nik_95Cobra]

If I ever break a motor mount I'll let you fix it instead of me so I can get it back with AFR's

For real though, that's awesome that you're having fun with it, it's looking great.

 

[MysteryMachine]

I thought when I looked on here a day or 2 ago that sucker was in pieces. Glad your having fun with it. We knew you couldn't leave it alone haha

 

[Merkstang]

I just got a 95 Cobra for the same thing. Yours looks much better than what I got...

What SCCA group do you run with Hershey area or NEPA?

I want to start to run I used to do it a while ago in my 66 mustang!!!!

Started when they had it at Fords At the Mall, Man I miss that show!!!!!!!!

 

[revhead347]

Yeah, I've got to be honest. I've done it all, and liked autocrossing the least. I love drag racing. It's by far the most challenging, and most exilerating. I just did the autocross a few times, and had a bad experience.

Kurt

 

[Pokageek]

"Well, I always thought my SVTF handled well as I consistently won 1st place in G stock last year with nothing more than a set of dunlop direzza star spec tires. The mustang will run circles around it though. "

That's good news. Now time to really show them up and pass a vette. That'll get there attention, especially in a sn95.

 

[Guero]

Thats cool man!!! I always wanted to try autocross but Im scared of crashing or something lol!

 

[revhead347]

Thats cool man!!! I always wanted to try autocross but Im scared of crashing or something lol!

There's actually not much risk in it. It's much safer than going to the drag strip. They generally only let one car at a time out on the track, and the only thing you can really hit is a cone. The speeds are much lower too. You rarely break 50mph on an autocross track.

Kurt

 

[ProKiller]

thats cool Paul. glad you got it all back together and you got to take it out. i'm sure once you get some more time behind the wheel you'll be in a better position to really beat up the opposition. but like you said, its more about beating yourself not others. i can only hope in another couple years maybe i can get another stang to do something similar.

 

[69clark]

Thats awesome Paul. I think of anyone I know, if someone can do well autocrossing a mustang it would be you. As you and others have stated, its about the driver, not just the car.

BTW, you got the saleen bezels on the car or are they just painted black?

 

[bynummustang]

Car looks like blast to drive.

Please do me one favor, do something different with those tails.

 

[YEAHLOH95]

i know on the more open courses the car will shin i can't wait to get some laps in this year too