I love 03/04 Cobras but you guys caught the performance the GT500s are delivering? 750 with a few mods and an aftermarket blower.
GT500 with some forged wheels and the right part replacements for weight reduction and 3600 pounds with 750 to the wheels is a low 10 sec daily driver. Yes a bit pricey but the output the GT500 can yield for the price and once they come down in price for some of you that will pick one up and you guys will be thanking Ford later like we have with the 03/04 Cobras.
____________________________________ 2002 Porsche 996TT
Upgraded Turbos - 600HP... few other things
2003 Sonic Blue Cobra
To date, the quickest/fastest non-ported non-sprayed pullied Eaton 03/04 Cobra on the planet. 10.69 @ 128.59
Vehicle: 2003 Sonic Blue Cobra
HP: 498
TQ: 578
1/4 Mile: 10.69@ 128.59
I love the GT500...Dont get me wrong, they are nice looking cars and make decent power with subtle mods, same as the Terminator.
But I just love the look of the 03-04 Terminator. The front end screams badass, and the rear with tailpipes coming up underneath the IRS and a nice set of 315's scream "Dont F*** with me" LOL
The GT500 is a nice car. Many people say that the 03-04 Cobra will be worth more $$$ some day. The Terminator's were only built for 2 model years. The GT500 is being mass produced. I almost got a GT500 instead of my 04 Cobra but I just couldn't justify the price difference for the GT500.
What made it so special? They carried over the Eaton from the Lightning, and decided to put stronger guts in it hoping they'd see less Warranty Motors.
The Terminator was Coletti’s dream, so much that he owned and drove one himself. He made the decision to go with the Manley H-Beam Rod, not because of warranty issues, but because he felt that was what the car deserved and needed to survive long term under harsh conditions. An expensive decision that went against the standard mindset in the automotive industry.
It was more than just a carry over New Edge Mustang, assembly line adjustments & sheet metal changes to all 03 & 04 Mustangs in order to accommodate standard equipment on the Cobra model. The first six speed, supercharged, IRS production Mustang that could run with cars twice the price.
Yes, some did have issues as you mention. Still a great car that paved the way for the current GT500 to be developed by the people who followed after SVT began being dissolved. I still think both cars are a work of art in there own way. They are just different animals with different history.
____________________________________
1 of 851 Dark Shadow Gray 2003 Cobra coupes. Sold new, June 23, 2003 at Bill Currie Ford in Tampa Florida.
Speaking of Heart & Soul, lets not forget one of the biggest reasons the 03 & 04 Cobra's were so special. The Manley H-Beam that the GT500's have never had.
would you rather compare pistons?
lets not forget one of the biggest reasons the shelby GT500s are so special. the 5.4l that no previous mustang has ever had.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jbrown1238
Yes, some did have issues as you mention. Still a great car that paved the way for the current GT500 to be developed by the people who followed after SVT began being dissolved. I still think both cars are a work of art in there own way. They are just different animals with different history.
colletti was involved with the development of the GT500.
____________________________________
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. - Thomas Jefferson
lets not forget one of the biggest reasons the shelby GT500s are so special. the 5.4l that no previous mustang has ever had.
colletti was involved with the development of the GT500.
I thought the 2000 R Model had a 5.4L? Maybe you meant “production Mustang”.
Coletti may have been involved in a limited capacity but I don't think he was still there to see Job 1 roll of the line. He certainly didn’t spearhead the project such as he did with the 03 & 04. I have not yet seen a 07 SVT Certificate with his name on it.
When I brought up the point of the Manley H-Beam Rod it wasn’t to use as an example of supremacy. I intended to use it as an example of the commitment and dedication to the development program of the Terminator. The decision to hold off on the 02 Model and the decision to not compromise and take the hard road for the better of the project.
Dearborn Assembly made a lot of concessions to accommodate the wish list of SVT on the 03 & 04 Cobra. Auto Alliance insisted the GT500 fit into their assembly process without additional time between stages. All I am trying to say is it was a different time and place at Ford, with different mind sets in terms of vision.
yea, i dont really count any of the R cars since they made something like, what, 1800 or so total between the 3 years?
be was there for majority of the cars development. what im saying is that the "GOD" of ford was just as involved with the development of the GT500 as he was with the previous cobras. so many people on here say "...well, if coletti had been there...", as if he would have put a carbon fiber body on the car, a daytona prototype 5.0l, 6 speed sequential, and 2G pulling IRS in the car, when, in fact, he was part of the decision process to make the car what it currently is. i mean, im sure he, and the rest of the team, decided to put most of the effort into the engine because thats the only thing people seemed to care about with the 03/04 cobras. but noooo, jealous people had to throw a hissy fit, making excuses to make themseleves feel better for owning the last gen version of the car.
really, the 03/04 cobras aren't any more "special" than the GT500. like i said, the GT500 has far better pistons than the terminators(straight from the GT i believe), but this goes largely ignored as people try to argue that the terminator motor is much 'gooder'. the shelby 5.4 has already proven it self. im not saying your saying this stuff, but there are quite a few morons that are.
major concessions have had to be made to produce the SVT raptor. is that somehow different from the terminator, just because its not a mustang or a lightning or something? the raptor has to be treated like a dually, because its far wider than the standard F150. that same 'mind set' still looks like its there to me.
yea, i dont really count any of the R cars since they made something like, what, 1800 or so total between the 3 years?
be was there for majority of the cars development. what im saying is that the "GOD" of ford was just as involved with the development of the GT500 as he was with the previous cobras. so many people on here say "...well, if coletti had been there...", as if he would have put a carbon fiber body on the car, a daytona prototype 5.0l, 6 speed sequential, and 2G pulling IRS in the car, when, in fact, he was part of the decision process to make the car what it currently is. i mean, im sure he, and the rest of the team, decided to put most of the effort into the engine because thats the only thing people seemed to care about with the 03/04 cobras. but noooo, jealous people had to throw a hissy fit, making excuses to make themseleves feel better for owning the last gen version of the car.
really, the 03/04 cobras aren't any more "special" than the GT500. like i said, the GT500 has far better pistons than the terminators(straight from the GT i believe), but this goes largely ignored as people try to argue that the terminator motor is much 'gooder'. the shelby 5.4 has already proven it self. im not saying your saying this stuff, but there are quite a few morons that are.
major concessions have had to be made to produce the SVT raptor. is that somehow different from the terminator, just because its not a mustang or a lightning or something? the raptor has to be treated like a dually, because its far wider than the standard F150. that same 'mind set' still looks like its there to me.
I understand what you are saying and agree with much of it. I for one am not comparing the two vehicles side by side and saying that one is better than the other. Most of us know that they are two different vehicles, different in many ways. The newer cars are greatly improved in many ways. Some of what we all liked about the former version is gone. I was only making a point that it was a different time at Ford, a time when SVT was made up of a group of car guys. A time when an individual in Coletti's position could make "big" decisions or decide with less input from superiors on how things would or wouldn't move forward. Those times have changed. The newer version down played SVT and highlighted the Shelby Brand Name. Not because SVT couldn't bring a superior product to market but because of the marketing value behind the Shelby name.
I think it is interesting how history is repeating itself in a way. In the late 60's the Shelby cars were becoming "softer" as Ford took more control of production standards and the performance equipment gave way to creature comforts. Shelby had less control and in many ways was only needed for the name. Now the roll and recognition of SVT is being downplayed as more work is outsourced to Roush and the much of the credit goes to Shelby American.
The SVT logo is gone from the Window Sticker. True it is still on the instrument panel and on the Owners Manual (under the Shelby name).
Last edited by jbrown1238; 01-11-2009 at 08:02 PM.
in about very early 2006 iirc?, (but regardless a few months prior to the shelby gt500 appearing in showrooms) i went into tuttle-click ford in irvine, ca.
they had a s197 gt convertible in the showroom and was checking it out. of course an "associate" comes over and began talking to me. i said i was interested in info on the gt500 that was coming out, we got to talking, he gave me his card.
"tom scarpello"
at first i didn't realize it was him and said, "hey, any relation to svt marketing director scarpello?". he said, yeah that's me, i was like
i could have talked his ear off for hours (and tried to lol), but among one of the things he told me was that the svt team had a fully designed and engineered irs for the gt500 that was all set to go, and it was scrapped by ford/tth for cost reasons.
____________________________________
2004 mustang svt cobra, #0052 of 1896, built 10/8/03, 1 of 72 competition orange convertibles
well, i still disagree. i dont see what is any different about the ford of coletti from the ford of now. 2/3rds of SVT is made up of guys with a racing background(im pretty sure this qualifies them as car guys), and, although the car may be called shelby for $$$ reasons(ford would have been absoloutly STUPID to leave that offer at the table), it still says SVT all over the car and any car guy knows that it is an SVT product(unless they are still ignorantly believe that SVT "doesn't exist anymore"). and, the ratpor is called SVT(c'mon, shelby really wouldn't have worked, lol. though a parnelli jones would have worked perfectly!), has SVT all over it, was revealed and presented by SVT, etc. likewise, the KR was also presented as an SVT product, they let people know that it was ALL SVT(opposed to being shelby engineered), etc., etc.
and engine work has always been outsourced to roush. even when the GT was being developed(the entire chassis/drivetrain development, as well as packaging, by solely by SVT might i add), roush still did the engine work.
I've been putting a lot of thought into getting a GT500 but not for what they're currently selling for. I was not too hot on the S197 when they first came out so that's why I bought my Mach. Now that my mom bought one (06 GT), I've had the opportunity to drive it for a bit and I have grown to love the interior design in the new cars. I feel like I'm sitting IN the car when I drive her's vs. sitting ON the car when I'm in my Mach. I still love the way my Mach looks but on the other hand, the GT500 looks very sweet when lowered and a nice set of wheels are put on it.
With the 2010 coming out, how long do you think it will be before the 07-09 cars are in the mid 20's?
Say what you will, but if you merely utter the word Terminator on the street you get instant credibility and respect, if not sometimes begrudgingly, even from people who may not like domestics.
On the other hand, mention GT 500, or Shelby, and you get a deer-in-the-headlights look from all but the most diehard racing crowd.
Say what you will, but if you merely utter the word Terminator on the street you get instant credibility and respect, if not sometimes begrudgingly, even from people who may not like domestics.
On the other hand, mention GT 500, or Shelby, and you get a deer-in-the-headlights look from all but the most diehard racing crowd.
Pretty sure calling it a Terminator to "Outsiders" would get you laughed at 90% of the time.
That is odd. Maybe 36K for a vert. Hell, my 10th anni had a sticker price of 35K, and that was with the 10th Anni package. Not sure of how much of a different in price.
I would truly hope with a car that is 4 years newer than a Cobra, a big ass 5.4 L motor would be faster. Might not be by much, but it should be.
BTW- .1 faster an ass raping?????? I think not.
I'd LOVE you to find me a GT500 that had an MSRP of 43K WITHOUT A 15-20k DEALERSHIP ADJUSTMENT ON IT!
____________________________________
2003 TR 10th Anni. Cobra 462 RWHP 486 RWTQ SAE!!!
BF 2.76 W Idlers, K&N FIPK, Fluidyne Heat Exchanger, Rear Diff. Cooler, LDC Chicago HCM, Mac O/R Prochamber, Borla Stinger Cat-back, and plenty more mods.....
That is odd. Maybe 36K for a vert. Hell, my 10th anni had a sticker price of 35K, and that was with the 10th Anni package. Not sure of how much of a different in price.
I would truly hope with a car that is 4 years newer than a Cobra, a big ass 5.4 L motor would be faster. Might not be by much, but it should be.
BTW- .1 faster an ass raping?????? I think not.
I'd LOVE you to find me a GT500 that had an MSRP of 43K WITHOUT A 15-20k DEALERSHIP ADJUSTMENT ON IT!
I would have picked one up for 43K! Never seen anything close to that in Detroit!
____________________________________
03 Cobra Coupe
1975 Corvette Convertible - 35K original miles
09 Caliber SRT4
09 Ford Flex Limited
Steeda CAI, Magna Flow Cat Back, Billet Flow 2.93 with 4 Idlers, SCT Tuner, Billet Flow Diff Cover, MGW Shifter with Red Handle, Cobrabob's Gasket, 18" Real Saleens, MM FLSF, H&R Race Springs
Tuned by Lidio @ Alternative Auto 452 RWHP/444RWTQ
They are still trying to get over sticker on the '09s!
____________________________________
'03 Black vert
2.76 BF Pulley w/Idler, MAC CAI, SLP Catted X-Pipe, MAC Cat-Back, AFCO PRO H/E, Pro 5.0 Shifter w/ MGW Handle, MM FLSC's, BF IRS Brace, PPRV Delete, Cut Coupe Springs, Lidio Tuned...
460rwhp / 487rwtq
driver mod needed 
Linear Mode
