Just began the search for an 03/04 Terminator vert, what do you think?

cbehr

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
183
Location
PA
Just found a black vert local, 45k miles. 3rd owner who purchased in April this year from a friends wife who purchased it in 2007 with 42k miles. Current owner is later 40's/50's who recently found out he has cancer and is taking a leave of absence etc from work. Both him and his dad were there and seemed like solid dudes. ONLY mods he knew of were K&N intake, window ting, and magnaflow exhaust...seemed like just an axle back from what I could tell trying to look under the car. Was by no means loud.

Garage kept at least since 2007, very clean but did have the hood(replaced)/bumper resprayed several years back(not a huge fan of this but seems rock chips etc are fairly common and for my price range EVERYTHING can't be perfect). Hood is FORD OEM, apparently something fell on it in the garage with last owner. Top looked brand new so did interior except for some wear on the typical driver bolster.

This was my first time driving a terminator so my initial thoughts to make sure I'm not nuts and this is normal. Surprised at the clutch...was HARD to push, stalled the car first time. It's not unbearable...I'm 6'3" and somewhat athletic but man I was surprised how stiff a factory clutch was. There were a couple rattles here/there while driving...something appeared to rattle on the passenger side glovebox/front engine compartment. Couldn't identify it and he couldn't even hear it. Was also surprised at the gearing...40mph in 1st felt like no biggie...guessing these are factory gears I'd want to replace. Was pleasantly surprised at the ride quality over bumpy roads, that IRS is nice :)

SO....he's asking $17.5K and I could work him down a bit I'm sure. Buy it? Reservation is I was hoping to find one with a few more mods on it as I'm not looking to dump $5-$10K for suspension/headers/ported blower etc etc, I'd like to do at the VERY minimum I want pulley's, gears, shifter which I have no problems spending a few bucks on, probably need to free up the exhaust a bit more?

Guess I should run a carfax..
VIN: 1FAFP49Y63F399638
 
Last edited:

bigmoose

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2007
Messages
2,257
Location
Kingston, RI
1st gear is long with the stock 3.55 ratio. However most people, myself included, prefer the stock gears. Too steep and 1st becomes useless with the torque these cars make down low.

If you are used to a hydraulic clutch this one will feel really stiff. Doesn't mean there isn't an issue but I had the same thought when I first drove a cobra with a cable clutch.
 

speedoflife

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
380
Location
Texas
Thanks for the info and that does all make sense. I guess I'm just more concerned with the amount of power these cars make and longevity of big $$ items like engine etc. Are people seeing 100k-200k on original engines if taken care of properly? I know anything can go wrong at any time for tons of reasons but should I be concerned with a 75k miles car of seemingly take care of properly...don't want to drop $5k on an engine rebuild in 2 years if at all possible.
@hotcobra03 is at 420k+ miles on the stock bottom end. I don't think he's had a rebuild on the engine yet...

Everything in these cars rattles - I wouldn't be put off by some normal noises. The clutch is ridiculously hard to push in all Terminators to my knowledge - as the guy who just inspected mine the other day said: "I'd hate to drive this thing in stop and go traffic." I have stock clutch/cable. Also, the gears are a little bit tall, but when you really drive the car hard, you'll appreciate that extra bit of gear in 1st. Traction becomes impossible otherwise. I would very much recommend against replacing the stock gears unless your dead set on swapping them.

The only problem with that car is the lack of mods! They get very expensive very quickly and if you keep the cars there will be some you can't do without. Sounds like a clean car that checks most of the boxes you wanted. A pulley swap, dyno tune, scanner (SCT X4 for example) and supporting mods (potentially Boost-A-Pump and MAFia) would cost you $500-1000 and put you safely at ~450rwhp. From there you'd consider suspension (full length subframe connectors are a MUST and the IRS responds very well to some upgrades), differential cover, lowering springs, camber caster plates, cooling, brakes..... it adds up quickly but they aren't all necessary either.
 

jrichber

browser
Established Member
Joined
Jul 25, 2011
Messages
754
Location
South Dakota
Does the paint work look bad? Or why would you rather not have the front repainted? If it was done by a good body shop and the story of just something falling on it is true, I see no problem there. But then again could mean front end collision...

I also vote for skipping the gears as it is not a very common mod on these cars when compared to pulley/tune. Number 1 rule is compression test and go from there.
 

Goocher0310th

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
585
Location
Alachua, FL.
I just bought one recently and I can honestly say, the 3.55 gears are great. 3.73 in town with traffic are a big pita in my opinion.

The clutch is heavy, I came from a 14 gt and that was butter compared to the 03. But honestly, I enjoy the cobra clutch more. It seems to me like it’s well built and can take abuse. The 14 transmission was clunky, this one is very stout.

One last thing to consider would be to drive and enjoy it before you worry about money on modding. It is a very nice capable car as far as power goes out of the box. I haven’t messed with stock suspension yet and it’s very nice. I’d like it lower, but I also don’t want to worry about rubbing and scraping. You may feel the same as me after driving a bit? I was all about wanting to mod it, and am pretty happy with how it is.
 

BLOWN9646

E85 COBRA
Established Member
Joined
Apr 12, 2006
Messages
2,223
Location
N IL
[QUOTE="goocher1998gt, post: 16272109, member: 183471" I’d like it lower, but I also don’t want to worry about rubbing and scraping. You may feel the same as me after driving a bit? I was all about wanting to mod it, and am pretty happy with how it is.[/QUOTE]

MM everything :)
 

hotcobra03

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Mar 11, 2007
Messages
7,461
Location
poteet,texas
373s you will bang rev limiter instantly.

I would spend sometime reading about this car.

For good and bad reasons

My opinion on this car.

I’m impressed with the abuse we had to give it

I’ve always tried to keep up on basic maintenance. Oil oil filter clean air filter and mass air flow.
Fuel filter every blue moon

Plugs after 100k

Did new coils
Water pump
Had head issues 3 times very expensive repair

Some gaskets
Belts twice
A lot of idler bearing
Cooling fan
Radiator
Rear end gears 3 times
Front of diff bushings
Rear inner toe links
Front rotors 1 time
Few sets of pads
About 12 sets of tires
Head lights

While reading.

I recall seeing a tsb on passenger seat rubbing on door.

Paint was an issue tsb also. Wish i knew about that one

I noticed everything cobra special doesn’t hold paint



Terminator FAQs



Home
 

cbehr

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
Messages
183
Location
PA
Thanks for all the advice everyone, really appreciate it!! Just made a deal with the owner for $16,600 :) Should be picking it up in the next day or two!! I'm gonna drive it as is...,expect maybe replace shifter right away, the remainder of the summer then read/research and maybe do a few mods next spring.
 

Goocher0310th

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2016
Messages
585
Location
Alachua, FL.
Thanks for all the advice everyone, really appreciate it!! Just made a deal with the owner for $16,600 :) Should be picking it up in the next day or two!! I'm gonna drive it as is...,expect maybe replace shifter right away, the remainder of the summer then read/research and maybe do a few mods next spring.

Congrats!! Post pictures here after you get it home.
 

Wings65288

Well-Known Member
Established Member
Party Liquor Posse
Joined
Dec 7, 2004
Messages
5,115
Location
Fortuna, CA
I'm gonna drive it as is...,expect maybe replace shifter right away, the remainder of the summer then read/research and maybe do a few mods next spring.
Shows him browsing vmp and Whipple's website in 2 hours

Lol jk congrats
 

speedoflife

Active Member
Established Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2013
Messages
380
Location
Texas
Thanks for all the advice everyone, really appreciate it!! Just made a deal with the owner for $16,600 :) Should be picking it up in the next day or two!! I'm gonna drive it as is...,expect maybe replace shifter right away, the remainder of the summer then read/research and maybe do a few mods next spring.
Congrats man! You should post up a new thread with a bunch of pictures when you get it.

Sounds like a good deal to me too. Even if you decide you don’t want it, you wouldn’t be hard pressed to make your money back.

I hope you love it and she drives awesome. Glad you found a Terminator!
 

Users who are viewing this thread



Top