USNavyMustang

Hi everyone. I used to drive a 1988 GT, but I had to get this Cobra as $6k was too good to pass up. The Cobra has 100k on the clock. Not sure where to start for mods, any ideas? Where is a good place to start for "freeing" up power? It's bone stock so mods are in its future, just not sure what.

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future9er24

well i dunno how useful i can be, since ive never owned a 4.6L lol, but i'd probably start with the usual bolt ons, CAI, underdrive pullies, exhuast and tune etc

im sure some more experienced guys/gals can give you more helpful hints than i can tho

did i mention i love the color yet? lol

Fordracing200

Some basic mods I would do are:

-delete the bra
-clear projector headlights
-Kenny Brown Subframe Connectors with jacking rails
-4.10 gears
-Exhaust

future9er24

some good ideas doug, but personally i prefer the un-clear headlights :P except on dark colored cars. they dont look that great on light colors like yellow, but its all personal preference

and yeah, gears are definately a big one i forgot about.

USNavyMustang

The bra will be off as soon as I get the keys in my hand. I pick her up Tuesday or Wednesday. How will 4.10 gears effect daily driving? Subframes are #1 on my list for the most part. As for the exhaust, since the ones on there dump out the side, what are my options for aftermarket ones?

Arin, the besides the price, the color is the other reason I am buying it.

future9er24

well about the exhuast, i cant beleive i didnt notice it had a dump off on the side! i'd say leave those. of course, it all depends on how it sounds when u pick her up.

but what can i say, im a sucker for side exit exhaust :P

but if u still wnat some other exuast system, u can probably just order a kit and it wont be a big deal. chances are the exuast on there right now is a side exhuast kit and it will just unbolt right off leaving room for whatever system you want

lol im jealous. i wish I found a 98 snake for that good of a price when i was searching


not sure about the gears yet tho. i imagine that 4.10s would be murder on gas mileage... what does it have in there right now? like about 3.55? personally i wouldnt go past about 3.73, just for driveability sake

USNavyMustang

Another picture of the car so you can see the dumps. I plan to keep them if possible.

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And another pic of her. Man sleeping between now and Tuesday is going to be hard.

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GRAYPNY

Well with 100k on the motor I would make sure that it is still in good shape, Compression check, plugs, oil change, air filter, service cooling system, change rearend and transmisson fluids and the go from there.

USNavyMustang

Definately. This is the first thing I plan to do after I get the car home. I am taking two weeks vacation after Christmas so I will have plenty of time to get all of this done.

future9er24

man im with you on that sleep thing. lol when i bought mine, i put a deposit down on Sat and picked it up the next... its murder!!!

think happy thoughts :P

Fordracing200

Side Exit exhaust rots out the rear rims, many lightning owners have had problems with it, I would suggest ordering a full exhaust to preserve the rims.

<!--QuoteBegin-USNavyMustang@December 17, 2005, 6:35 PM
The bra will be off as soon as I get the keys in my hand. I pick her up Tuesday or Wednesday. How will 4.10 gears effect daily driving? Subframes are #1 on my list for the most part. As for the exhaust, since the ones on there dump out the side, what are my options for aftermarket ones?

Arin, the besides the price, the color is the other reason I am buying it.

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Scothew has 4.10s in his 96 mystic, I'll let him tell you about it. As for the side exhaust, it is Most likely someone just threw the aft-cat out and put pipes outs the side off of the h pipe, but if the h pipe is hacked you will need a new one, otherwise u can just rip off the sidepipes and order an aft-cat or catback (same thing, dif term) system from whichever company you prefer.

The Deviant One

Nice car! My cousin had one just like it, but he traded his in for an 03 cobra. As far as mods, I can tell you his had:
-3.73s in the rear.
-flowmaster 40s catback exhaust
-pro 5.0 shifter
-long tube headers (can't remember the brand)
-MAC h-pipe
-CAI (BBK I think?)
-subframe connectors (brand???)

I think thats pretty much it though from what I could remember.

J2D

Gears are dependant upon acceleration or top end

As for the KB subframe connectors I can highly recommend those, but if you're gonna suggest the subs and jacking rails you should also get the Extreme matrix bracing, it connects the subs to the jacking rails (I have the complete set up) making for a much stiffer car!

Cold Air Kit, nice easy mod!

Scothew

Check out the mods on my 96 cobra, http://www.scothew.com/mystic.html.

I wouldnt go with anything less than 4.10's for gears unless you plan on going with a blower. With 4.10's, i get 25mpg on a regular basis and I drive 100 miles a day to and from work, these motors are effecient when under the power band and you still stay below it with the 4.10's. I've seen guys daily drive 4v's with 4.30's and even 4.56's.

I defintely agree with the addition of subframe connectors. Best mod you can do to a stang period. May not seem like a huge difference, but it save hte car in the long run from creeks and rattles.

I would follow up with a CAI if you want, and exhaust. I am soon to be running full magnaflow and I can't wait. The o/r pipes are nice and all, but the 4vs sound sweet through a catted X, and I dont think there is enough of a power difference to tell.

The best power addition I got on mine, was from the custom tune. These cars are insanely rich from the factory and can defintely benefit. Doug904 on this board of www.bamachips.com did my tune and I couldnt be happier with it!

svopaul

WHAT?!? Side exhaust "rots out the rear rims"?!? That is the most laughable thing I have ever heard!!!! I guess all those '60's corvettes have some "secret" that nobody knows about to preserve their rims! Seriously...think about the sheer lunacy of that statement!

Side exhaust won't do anything but increase the noise to the passenger compartment and occasionally let fumes in when the windows are down.

As far as rims, Lightning owners had a problem in the early years with clearcoat peeling off the wheels and it had NOTHING to do with the side exhaust either.

I've been around cars a long time and lots of them and the ONLY thing that will "rot out" a rim is from it sitting in a field sunk in the wet dirt for years!

USNavyMustang

Well today is Tuesday and thanks to my bank I am going to have to wait till tomorrow to pick her up. But buy tomorrow night the snake will be in my driveway.

Once tax time comes around I am going to get a custom tune and subframes. I did want to lower the car a bit, but with me wanting to keep the side exhaust I don't think lowering it would be very smart. But then again there aren't too many speed bumps around here in farm country California.

Scothew

careful with subframes since you have side exhaust. I know some subframe manuf's make specific ones to go under hte side exhaust. I know Kenny Brown is one of them.

Torrence

Is the car bone stock?

USNavyMustang

Yes. The only thing that I believe is changed is a shift **** with a silver cobra on it and pedals with cobras as well. Other than that the only thing that has been changed is oil, plugs, tires and such.

Torrence

If this is not going to be your daily driver, I'd go with 4:30 gears and a tune. The car would be wicked. If you live in a state with no emissions tests, go for an x-pipe with no catsssssssss.