Just bought a Cobra

Its a 97 Rio red convertible with 20k miles. I still have the 89 lx convertible and have always studied the 5.0 and have not read much of anything on the 4.6 DOHCs. Any good sites(besides here) that can give me specs and such on the 97 Cobra. I will check out the Ford SVT site but I'm looking for specs on the 96-98. I know Vortech has a blower with aftercoller combo for around $4k, but I wonder if the stock tranny will hold up to that kind of power. Thanks..

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Rick

[97snakedriver]

http://www.corral.net

is another good one.

The DOHC responds extremely well to blowers. Its not hard to see 400 rwhp with 8 lbs of boost. The T-45 tends to have weak syncros, so a shifter with positive stops is a good idea, but they do seem to hold up to the power pretty well.

Is this car going to be a street car, ocational strip/track car, or is it going to be track car? If its going to be a street car, then air to air cooler would work better then the Vortech air-water after cooler. The water heats up pretty quickly.

Cobras also really like gears. 4.10s or 4.30s are the most popular.

What sorts of specs are you looking for?

This is a street car, 100%. I may take it to the track to see what it will do but my 89lx is almost through and it will see the track much more often, although it is a street car as well. I'm looking for specs such as; forged pistons, tranny hp and torque ratings, rear gears, tranny gears... the usual stuff. I think the pistons are probably not forged, rear gears are probably 3.27s, first gear is probably 3.35, tranny ratings are maybe 350hp/370 torque. I really don't know, now its time to learn Thanks for the help and I look forward to conversing on the cobra.

[97snakedriver]

The pistons are 9.85:1 compression hypereutectic. NA there fine. Under boost you have to be very careful with the tuning, because of the fairly high compression and that the pistons will not take any detonation at all. The rods are cracked powdered metal. I always hear that the rods are weak, but I have never seen anyone break one.

The tranny is the T-45, which is basically a T-5 with a integral bell housing, and is probably the worst part of the car.

1: 3.37
2: 1.99
3: 1.33
4: 1.00
5: .67
R: 3.22

Rear End: 3.27

The factory torque rating is a fairly miserable 320 lb*fts, although other then the syncros, people rarely break them, even with a heathy dose of boost.

Do you know anything about the IMRCs?

[King Snake]

Congratulations on your new purchase. Sounds like you found a good one with only 20K miles! There should be an SVT "Supplemental" book along with your regular owners manual for your car. That book contains Cobra-specific information on the engine, transmission, and also some performance specs.

97snakedriver mentioned gears. I recently installed 3.73s in mine and I love them! It really gives the feeling of more torque down low. I am glad I did not go with the 4.10s though. I think they may be a little too deep for daily driving, and first gear would be almost useless.

Good Luck!

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'97 Cobra, K&N, 3.73s, Rio Red

[97snakedriver]

4.10s aren't bad on the interstate. Right around 2500 @ 70, and I still get mid to upper 20 mpg.

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1997 Cobra
Suspension: Steeda G Trac. Tokico Illumina shocks and struts (5 front, 3 rear), Sport Springs, upper and lower control arms, cc plates, rear adjustable sway bar, front sway bar, subframe connectors, bushings, Cobra R wheels, Brembo 4 piston brakes

Exhaust: FRPP ceramic headers, Bassani X-pipe w/ cats, Dynomax Ultra Flow cat-back

Bolt-ons: 4.10s, Steeda Tri-Ax, Pro-M 80mm, K&N, Steeda Underdrive pulleys, Steeda timing adjuster (14 degrees)

I got alittle over 22mpg on the trip home from Greensboro. It seems to suck the gas down around town, ok maybe its the way I drive . My gfriend talked me into this car(she 'thinks' its hers.. bawhaha) and I didn't think I'd like it this much but this car kicks *** . Its a well balanced machine that reminds me alittle of a V-Max I once owned. I just may leave this car stock, except for a K&N of course(yeah right, I say that now). My 89 is the beast and should beat most prey on the street. I know nothing of IMRCs.

[SCSnake]

I see this horse is getting beat over here too. 4:10's do not render 1st gear useless in a 96 or newer cobra. People that say that do so without ever driving one with that ratio. Currently my car has a 4:10, but in my garage I have another differential with 4:56's that I run whenever I get the urge. With the 4:10 the car will run about 28-30mph in 1st gear. On the interstate doing my daily commute at average speed 73-78 I get 19-22mpg. RPM at 73 is 2645. The cobra red line is nearly 7k rpm. Even with the 4:56's in I was under 3200 rpm on my interstate driver. That is hardly pushing this car "too hard", nor rendering any gears useless. If you need any more opinions on gear ratio's in 96 or newer Cobras there is a guy that goes by fourcam281 over on the corral. Tell him anything over 3:73 is too much and standby. The bashing will continue until opinions change.


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1999 Cobra convert
1993 BMW 325i
1990 RX7
"bolt-on's, yea I got some."

[97snakedriver]

I don't use first gear unless "I need too", but I wouldn't say that renders it useless. I get better milage now then I did stock.

4.30's baby!!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing less, but maybe more. (Going 4.56 during offseason, )

I use 1st gear all the time. NO PROBLEMS!!! On the highway, I can go 85 MPH before hitting the IMRC. I get better gas mileage around town also because I can use 5th gear at 30 MPH.

What more do you need to know?!?!?!?!?!

Later, Jason

[King Snake]

Didn't mean to ruffle any feathers over my comment on 4.10s. I have never driven a Mustang with them and my statement was based on what I have heard. What I DO know I love my 3.73s and am glad I opted for them instead of a lower gearset. 97Snakedriver, do you sometimes start out in second gear? Also, I have noticed that I now have to be very careful with the accelerator when in first to prevent wheel spin. I need wider tires!!!

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'97 Cobra, K&N, 3.73s, Rio Red

[97snakedriver]

Throwing the whole sig out there...

But yes, King Snake, I almost start in 2nd for normal driving. It sounds odd, but I gotta go with what works. The car performs better, and I get better milage.

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1997 Cobra
Suspension: Steeda G Trac. Tokico Illumina shocks and struts (5 front, 3 rear), Sport Springs, upper and lower control arms, cc plates, rear adjustable sway bar, front sway bar, subframe connectors, bushings, 95 Cobra R wheels, X-Brace, Brembo 4 piston brakes (2000 Cobra R) w/ Brembo slotted rotors
Exhaust: FRPP ceramic coated headers, Bassani X-pipe w/ cats, Dynomax Ultra Flow cat-back
Bolt-ons: 4.10s, Steeda Tri-Ax, Pro-M 80mm, K&N, Steeda Underdrive pulleys, Steeda timing adjuster (14 degrees)

[97snakedriver]

Originally posted by 97snakedriver:
Throwing the whole sig out there...

But yes, King Snake, I almost start in 2nd for normal driving. It sounds odd, but I gotta go with what works. The car performs better, and I get better milage.

To clarify: Overall the car performs better with 4.10s. It obviously doesn't perform better starting in second. I do that for convience and economy, not speed.

Sorry. Reading it, my last post didn't make much sense.

[King Snake]

I knew what you were talking about, but thanks for the clarification. Question: If you are leveled out in second gear at 3000 RPM on dry asphalt and for some reason decide to punch it, do your rear tires break loose?

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'97 Cobra, K&N, 3.73s, Rio Red

[This message has been edited by King Snake (edited 10-03-2000).]

[97snakedriver]

They squeal then catch. I have 275s so they have pretty good grip.