Wanting to join Ford.

[Vision]

Hey all, I just stumbled across this site, so hopefully you all can help me out. For the past 8 years I've been a loyal DSM enthusaist, but now I'm ready to try something new.

To cut the chase, I'm interested in joining the ranks of Ford Racing. My biggest question is, what should I get? I heard rumors of a new Cobra designed for 2003 but can't find anything solid on it. What do you guys recommend?

For what it's worthy, I never really considered to call myself a 'ricer', my car always looked stock, except for the exhaust and FMIC.

My best ¼ times for each car were:
1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX: 11.581 @ 122 mph.

1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse GST: 12.639 @ 116 mph.

Thanks in advance guys,

Vision

[Smokedawg]

How fast are you wanting your car to go? Do you want this to be a daily driver? How much $$$ do you have to spend?

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347 Stroker Motor: Balanced, Cobra Transmission, Extrude Ported and Polished Upper and ported Lower, GT40 Milled Ported and Polished Heads, B303 Cam, BBK 1 5/8 Headers, 30lb Bosch Injectors, Holley AFPR, March Underdrive Pulleys, Perma-Cool Fan, 3-Core Radiator, Accel Performance Coil, Accel 300+ Racing Wires, Ram Air, K&N Filter, 73mm Vortech MAF, 70mm TB, FlowMaster Exhaust w/BBK Offroad H-Pipe, Hurst Shifter, 3:55 Gears, Ram Clutch, Cross Drilled Rotors, AC and Smog del, rear seat del.

[Vision]

I would definitely like for it to be a daily driver. I would definitely like for my next car to be able to pull 11's at the track, but also have serious top end power for highway speeds.

My biggest objection to the GSX was of course the drivetrain loss from an AWD car. As much as 30% towards the tail end of 3rd gear and up. The GST was a terrific highway car, but with all that power going to just the front two wheels, I would get nasty wheel hop. With 300+ HP to the wheels I would much rather it be pushing the car and not pulling it.

Price wise I could spend up $28,000 or a little more. I did test drive a 2001 Mustang Cobra. The seat of the pants feel was wonderful, but the interior and transmission made me do a double take. The exterior of the car, just like most Mustangs, was very appealing.

Thanks again,

Vision

[Vision]

Also, how is the reliabilty on these cars? DSM and reliability are mutually exclusive words.

I like doing most of the work on cars myself, but I don't want to void the warranty either so having the car at the dealership all the time is not really what I'm looking for.

Vision

[This message has been edited by Vision (edited 09-14-2001).]

[Smokedawg]

If you want to do most of the work yourself, I would suggest a fox body 5.0 They seem to be a bit more easy to work on.

But hell, with a 28,000 dollar budget, you could make a helluva a car!!

I would take a look under the user rides here at mustangworks and pull up the 11 sec rides and go from there.

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347 Stroker Motor: Balanced, Cobra Transmission, Extrude Ported and Polished Upper and ported Lower, GT40 Milled Ported and Polished Heads, B303 Cam, BBK 1 5/8 Headers, 30lb Bosch Injectors, Holley AFPR, March Underdrive Pulleys, Perma-Cool Fan, 3-Core Radiator, Accel Performance Coil, Accel 300+ Racing Wires, Ram Air, K&N Filter, 73mm Vortech MAF, 70mm TB, FlowMaster Exhaust w/BBK Offroad H-Pipe, Hurst Shifter, 3:55 Gears, Ram Clutch, Cross Drilled Rotors, AC and Smog del, rear seat del.

[StoplightWarrior]

With 28,000, you could do a lot. If you buy an 01 GT, and spend the other 4-5k on mods, without voiding the warranty, you could at best hit high 12's. The cobra, on the other hand, would cost at least 28k, so you wouldn't have much for mods, but you'd have a solid low to mid 13's car right out the box.

Now, if you spent the 28k on an older, say 87-93 stang, dropping a crate motor in, and spending the entire 28k on it, you could very well have a high 10- low 11 sec, relatively reliable, looking great, *** -kicking ride. So really, you have a lot of options.

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Black 2000 GT Auto
Bassani X-pipe, Magnaflow Mufflers, Steeda Pulleys, K&N Filter. Steeda Weld in Subframes, Strut Tower brace, Sport Springs, Caster/Camber Plates.
Ran Once, 14.52@96.57 with a 1.32 R/T!!!

Red 1994 Mustang Cobra #4343
Pulleys, Shorty Headers, K&N filter, short throw shifter.

[Unit 5302]

You want a reliable 11sec daily driver for under 28k? There is only one Mustang up to that task.

4.6L DOHC 1996-2001 Mustang Cobra. For the kind of money you are looking to spend, you'll have to go 1999 or the older body style. The Cobra will do 11's with gears, exhaust, tires, and a modest supercharger. The 1999 should really get upgraded axles as it comes with a iffy for 11 sec passes IRS setup. The IRS cars 1999-2001 will also require lowering springs to eliminate wheelhop.

If I had the money, I'd go Cobra all the way. Don't be fooled by stock performance numbers. With good tires, a good driver, gears and exhuast expect to be well into the 12's.

You could build a 5.0 to do it, but it would require way more modification. Heads/intake/cam, and you'll wind up pushing the stock blocks reliability factor along with having to just simply deal with an older car.

[This message has been edited by Unit 5302 (edited 09-14-2001).]

[46stang]

get a 96-98 cobra. put a blower on it. 400+rwhp. 99's have irs. not good for drag racing in my oppinion! should get you close to 11's at least low 12's you'll still have plenty of $$ left too. btw, nice times on your eclipses!

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96 stang,ported 99 heads, 01 bullit intake, 99 cams,Steeda power pullies,Steeda timing adj.,Kirban adj.reg.,Pro-m 87,24#inj.,Twin 57mm t/b,BBK longtube headers,Bassani x-pipe w/cats, Dynomax ultraflow catback,home depot ram air, k@n,
373's,cobra brakes,fms spings, lakewood 90/10's and 50/50's tri-ax shifter.
271.3rwhp
302.3rwtq
best et 13.80