Meet Rachel - Crystal White 98 Cobra Convertible Build

CobraBob said:

At this point, when do you anticipate your project will be complete? Really complete.

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Honestly, I'm in no rush. It seems everytime I go to button up one thing another small problem pops up. For instance, today I went to mount my PS reservoir and then install the lower radiator hose. Once the reservoir was installed I then find out that the lower hose had to be modified and the way it fits the PS reservoir has to be moved. Ha ha... It gets a little annoying, but it'll all be worth it in the end. Once I finish this swap I have to get it tuned, I need wheels and tires, I need a new top, and I'd like to get some paint work done. Realistically, if I can get it tuned and new wheels and tires by May of next year I'll be happy. Cars are really never done anyway!

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Awesome build you have going on. Curious about the cooling setup you’re doing. What radiator is that, and does it delete the top mount reservoir? I’m forced to relocate the coolant and power steering reservoirs in my 96 too, and trying to determine best method.

amorrow said:

Awesome build you have going on. Curious about the cooling setup you’re doing. What radiator is that, and does it delete the top mount reservoir? I’m forced to relocate the coolant and power steering reservoirs in my 96 too, and trying to determine best method.

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Thanks! The radiator is a Mishimoto for a 94 - 95 Mustang and yeah, it deletes the expansion tank on top in favor of a smaller recovery bottle I can mount elsewhere.

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I cut the radiator hoses today. The top hose was too long so I cut about 2.25" off the straight shot right above the alternator. I cut the lower hose right in the middle so I'd be able to turn the hose on the top and bottom to better position it away from the PS pump. I was only able to move it another quarter of an inch away. From what I've seen it'll be fine. I ordered two 1.5" double barbed fittings and they worked well. The grommet seat in the control pack is 2" so I located where I'd need to drill the hole in my firewall to run the harness into the passenger compartment and I used a 2" hole saw. I ran the wires inside without an issue and I'll wire them up at another time.

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I wired up everything inside without an issue. The control pack really isn't as daunting as I thought it was going to be. I ran the HAAT to my accessory outlet by my shifter. I ran the green fuel pump wire under the dash, down the driver sill plate, under the rear seat, and into the trunk to the inertia switch so that will still work as it should. I mounted the new DLC where the original was and left the original tucked away up there. I ran the orange CEL LED to the shifter bezel so I'd be able to easily see if there was an CEL. Other than extending some wires there wasn't really anything difficult with the wiring besides the mistake I made; the APPS connector was way too short and had to be extended. I didn't look at the wires and I just cut the connector about 6" away from the end. Once I cut it I opened up the loom and saw that there were two yellow wires and two blue wires (along with a green and purple) and I wasn't sure which wire was the right wire for those four wires now. I guessed as for right now and if I was wrong then I'll have to go back and de-pin the connector. Ha ha, I was a little too overzealous. Whoops...

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Got some more of the car buttoned up. The inner fender liners were a pain in the ass and the RF needed to get trimmed a little bit due to the PCM mount. I also installed the Maximum Motorsports clutch cable kit today. I originally bought a 45° coupler for the cold air intake and the angle wasn't enough so then I went with a 60° coupler and it still wasn't enough. I ordered a 90° coupler and I'm hoping this will work, but it looks like it won't work with the JLT I bought so I'll have to get a MAF housing and make my own intake. I started looking into different ways to mount my PS reservoir and I think I figured out a way for it to work. I'm going to have to replace the pump supply hose, though. There is hardly any open real estate under the hood and I still need a coolant recovery tank. Looks like it's going to have to be a really small tank.

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Installed the Aeromotive Stealth 340 LPH fuel pump, added an inline filter in the factory location, and ran the -6 AN feed and return lines. I mocked up the fuel pressure regulator and had to order another 90° fitting. I ran the fuel lines next to the stock lines with cushion clamps and some zip ties.
The 90° coupler for the intake came in and I don't see how the cold air intake is going to fit without cutting the underside of the hood or just replacing it with a cowl hood. I already removed the under hood insulation. The 2018 intake manifold angles the throttle body right at the hood.

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Yeah, there's no way this hood is going to work. I'll be looking around for a 95 style Cobra R hood. For now it'll just sit there looking like this.

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Wow, it's been a long time since I've updated this thread. I really haven't done much work to the car since last October. I was able to close the factory hood with the insulation removed once I clocked the intake elbow down and installed K member spacers. I installed a small overflow bottle and mounted it with a bracket and piece of rubber insulation. When it was time for the first start I ran into some problems. It would start and stall in a second and I was getting some codes. By this time it was too close to winter so I was done until it was warmer out. Spring came around and work and family life kept me really busy. I barely had any time to do any work on the car. Once I was able to get some time I found out that all 6 of the APPS wires had to be overlayed all the way from the pedal to the PCM. Today I worked on the throttle body as it was reading it was 99.2% open at all times. I found battery voltage on two of the wires so I had to trace those then and make the repairs.

great build!

SN95COBRALOVER said:

great build!

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Thanks.

Love this build


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brucesvt said:

Love this build


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Thanks. It's been way too long since I've driven it. Ha ha.

Just read through this whole thing. Awesome build thread! I think you'll be happy with taking your time and make sure everything is good in the long run. I've never had any luck trying to meet dates and end up with problems. 98 Cobra vert owner here as well. I'm basically at the stage you were just before you bought the Coyote lol.

Thanks! Yeah, I have too much time and money invested into this thing to cut corners now.