The clutch almost looks like a centerforce dual friction I used to have, two different friction styles. The hub doesn't look like it is sprung either, which would be much more aggressive than a stock clutch would be.
1997 Cobra project
- Thread starter akurma
- Start date
After searching around on the internet, it seems to me that at least the clutch disk was a RAM powergrip HD clutch which is a stage 3 clutch so that explains why it was so ridiculously stiff. I don't understand why they put such a race driven clutch in a bolt on cobra, oh well. still confused as to why the pressure plate has "Valeo" stamped on it unless RAM has Valeo make them
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got around to installing new studs and the "new" headers. for those wondering what header/manifold studs I used, I attached a picture below. They are Dorman brand part number 03411, they worked really well. installing the studs were super easy, applied some loc-tite to the threads that go into the head and antiseize on the threads that stick out hopefully making it a tad easier on the next guy. also found the production date of the motor on the side of valve cover, looks like its a early 1997. Also yes i have replacement motor mounts for those that caught how bad the current ones are lol
Got around to installing the resurfaced flywheel, clutch and pressure plate. super easy to do and yes i torqued everything to spec. Ended up going with a Ford Racing clutch kit, i didn't see the need to "over clutch" the car for the horsepower it's currently making. Anyways its a really nice clutch kit, comes with everything needed, including new pressure plate bolts, throw out bearing (ford OEM) and a pilot bearing. next up is installing the passenger side header, bolting the trans up and then putting the K-member back in the car and connecting everything back together which will hopefully be this weekend if not next. As always i'll keep this updated.
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great build !
Big update for this old cobra!
Had a nice long weekend off from work for thanksgiving and decided what better time then this to put the motor back in! It wasn't to bad as i got to look at a 1967 mustang GT fastback that is being turned into a Shelby GT500 clone with original Shelby GT500 parts all weekend while i worked on the cobra. the owner bought it back in the 1970's for $200... i'd kill for a rotted shell of a 67' fastback let alone a running and driving one! for $200 bucks! Anyways I started early friday morning and "finished" Sunday afternoon. By "finished" i mean the motor, K member & trans are all bolted in place but i still have work to do before it's running again. Friday morning i started with bolting up the T45 to the engine. The trans is a lot lighter then i expected it to be, install was a breeze since the engine was out of the car. before i installed it i cleaned out the inside of the bellhousing, it's hard to tell i cleaned the inside but i did lol. Also replaced the throwout bearing with a Ford one, I couldn't really find anything wrong with the TOB that came out of the trans besides it being rusty, but i figured i already have it out might was well replace it.
After that i installed the studs for the driver side exhaust manifold, doesn't sound like a big deal but finding these damn things proved more difficult than i think, as ford discontinued them about 10 years ago. However i was able to purchase some from a ford dealership in Connecticut that had some new old stock, ill update the part number to hopefully help someone else out in the future. Anyway I bought 8 studs, thinking two for each side and i'll use the other 4 for my 1999 GT P1SC build right? wrong. Fun fact, the studs for the driver side are completely different than the passenger side! so i am now stuck with 4 extra driver side studs. the passenger side is M12X1.75 for those who may need the correct stud
So next i wheeled it all over to the lift and positioned it under the cobra, and then the tedious job of lining everything as i lowered the car back onto the front end began. once it was all squared up i bolted the K-member into place. I had to source new K member bolts as the one that came out of the car either snapped because they were so rusty or were so brittle looking that i didn't feel comfortable putting them back in the car, again this was another part i have a hell of a time trying to find as, you guessed it ford discontinued them over 10 years ago. i wasn't sure if i could use hardware for an aftermarket lightweight K-member so i ended up getting a nice set used ones. below is a picture of how rusty and weak one of the bolts that came out of the car was compared to the set i put in. after that i put the drive shaft back in, installed new trans mount and motor mounts, and began fitting the new H-pipe. I don't know why i waited until the motor was back in the car to install the motor mounts, my father told me it would be easier to do once its back in but it took me a good 3 or 4 hours to install them because i was fighting for space. However i'm glad i changed them because the passenger side mount was completely destroyed as seen below. Since i installed a new H-pipe the old BBK catted X-pipe for long tubes is for sale as i have no use for it any more if anyone is interested. its old & rusty looking but has no leaks, worked perfectly fine and the cats are not clogged.
After the motor was back in i started connecting all the wires, plugs, hoses and so on, however i am a little confused as to one particular hose that come from what i think is PCV? right next to the throttle body is a hose that does not reach the hose coming from the driver side valve cover, i don't remember taking the hose off nor do i have the hose anywhere in my basket or nuts and bolts that i took off when the motor came out. i have what i'm talking about pictured below(it's the very last picture) maybe someone can help me for post a picture of what their cobra looks like. By this time it was 4 o'clock sunday afternoon and i was beat, so i threw in the towel and went home going to work on it after work during the week and hopefully have it moving under its own power this weekend, fingers crossed!
Had a nice long weekend off from work for thanksgiving and decided what better time then this to put the motor back in! It wasn't to bad as i got to look at a 1967 mustang GT fastback that is being turned into a Shelby GT500 clone with original Shelby GT500 parts all weekend while i worked on the cobra. the owner bought it back in the 1970's for $200... i'd kill for a rotted shell of a 67' fastback let alone a running and driving one! for $200 bucks! Anyways I started early friday morning and "finished" Sunday afternoon. By "finished" i mean the motor, K member & trans are all bolted in place but i still have work to do before it's running again. Friday morning i started with bolting up the T45 to the engine. The trans is a lot lighter then i expected it to be, install was a breeze since the engine was out of the car. before i installed it i cleaned out the inside of the bellhousing, it's hard to tell i cleaned the inside but i did lol. Also replaced the throwout bearing with a Ford one, I couldn't really find anything wrong with the TOB that came out of the trans besides it being rusty, but i figured i already have it out might was well replace it.
After that i installed the studs for the driver side exhaust manifold, doesn't sound like a big deal but finding these damn things proved more difficult than i think, as ford discontinued them about 10 years ago. However i was able to purchase some from a ford dealership in Connecticut that had some new old stock, ill update the part number to hopefully help someone else out in the future. Anyway I bought 8 studs, thinking two for each side and i'll use the other 4 for my 1999 GT P1SC build right? wrong. Fun fact, the studs for the driver side are completely different than the passenger side! so i am now stuck with 4 extra driver side studs. the passenger side is M12X1.75 for those who may need the correct stud
So next i wheeled it all over to the lift and positioned it under the cobra, and then the tedious job of lining everything as i lowered the car back onto the front end began. once it was all squared up i bolted the K-member into place. I had to source new K member bolts as the one that came out of the car either snapped because they were so rusty or were so brittle looking that i didn't feel comfortable putting them back in the car, again this was another part i have a hell of a time trying to find as, you guessed it ford discontinued them over 10 years ago. i wasn't sure if i could use hardware for an aftermarket lightweight K-member so i ended up getting a nice set used ones. below is a picture of how rusty and weak one of the bolts that came out of the car was compared to the set i put in. after that i put the drive shaft back in, installed new trans mount and motor mounts, and began fitting the new H-pipe. I don't know why i waited until the motor was back in the car to install the motor mounts, my father told me it would be easier to do once its back in but it took me a good 3 or 4 hours to install them because i was fighting for space. However i'm glad i changed them because the passenger side mount was completely destroyed as seen below. Since i installed a new H-pipe the old BBK catted X-pipe for long tubes is for sale as i have no use for it any more if anyone is interested. its old & rusty looking but has no leaks, worked perfectly fine and the cats are not clogged.
After the motor was back in i started connecting all the wires, plugs, hoses and so on, however i am a little confused as to one particular hose that come from what i think is PCV? right next to the throttle body is a hose that does not reach the hose coming from the driver side valve cover, i don't remember taking the hose off nor do i have the hose anywhere in my basket or nuts and bolts that i took off when the motor came out. i have what i'm talking about pictured below(it's the very last picture) maybe someone can help me for post a picture of what their cobra looks like. By this time it was 4 o'clock sunday afternoon and i was beat, so i threw in the towel and went home going to work on it after work during the week and hopefully have it moving under its own power this weekend, fingers crossed!
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I believe that little hose connects to your plastic intake tube
Sent from my LG-H900 using the svtperformance.com mobile app
Sent from my LG-H900 using the svtperformance.com mobile app
i think the hose to the right of the throttle body does but what about the shorter hose to the left of the throttle body?
I think it also connects to the underside of the intake tube
Sent from my LG-H900 using the svtperformance.com mobile app
Sent from my LG-H900 using the svtperformance.com mobile app
As jgt58 said, they both go to the air intake tube.
There's a pic in this link.
https://www.americanmuscle.com/cnl-cai-01bullitt-cust-install.html
WOW awesome thank you guys, one less thing i need to figure out lol
another day, another update.
after getting the motor/trans bolted back in i started working on the other things that needed attention. i started with the front lower control arms. i was originally going to replace just the ball joints. however since these are press in style ball joints i would have had to take the control arms off anyway and then take them to get the new ones pressed in. So I bit the bullet and got Moog lower control arms. seemed like an easy job, as its only two bolts that hold them in place, however I didn't realize I would have to drop the steering rack, for the third time to get the front bolt out of place, not a horrible job but a little annoying.
As you can see in the pictures above, the bottom spring isolator was stuck to the factory control arm, so I ended up getting new BBK spring isolators for it to avoid a metal on metal sound
After the control arms were back in place I installed a new set of Sensen brand factory replacement struts, really nice quality struts for the price. not a big brand for Domestic vehicles but a lot of people run them on mazdaspeed3's (my second car) and love them so i figured i'd give them a shot. As anything has to be better than what was left of the original ones lol
Got the front end all buttoned up and decided to put the new BBK Catless H-pipe in place, and accidently broke the driver side front o2 sensor :banghead so had to order a new one. after that was installed, I filled the trans with some new Pennzoil synchromesh fluid. I changed my 1999 GT with the same fluid and it was night and day difference so hopefully this will be the same.
After that, I put the rest of the cooling system back in place, connected the hoses and some wires, reinstalled the air intake and then put the front wheels back on it for the first time in a few months and rolled it out of the shop. Hopefully this weekend or next i'll finish connecting the rest of the wiring, add the rest of the fluids, give the engine bay a nice detail and start it up.
after getting the motor/trans bolted back in i started working on the other things that needed attention. i started with the front lower control arms. i was originally going to replace just the ball joints. however since these are press in style ball joints i would have had to take the control arms off anyway and then take them to get the new ones pressed in. So I bit the bullet and got Moog lower control arms. seemed like an easy job, as its only two bolts that hold them in place, however I didn't realize I would have to drop the steering rack, for the third time to get the front bolt out of place, not a horrible job but a little annoying.
As you can see in the pictures above, the bottom spring isolator was stuck to the factory control arm, so I ended up getting new BBK spring isolators for it to avoid a metal on metal sound
After the control arms were back in place I installed a new set of Sensen brand factory replacement struts, really nice quality struts for the price. not a big brand for Domestic vehicles but a lot of people run them on mazdaspeed3's (my second car) and love them so i figured i'd give them a shot. As anything has to be better than what was left of the original ones lol
Got the front end all buttoned up and decided to put the new BBK Catless H-pipe in place, and accidently broke the driver side front o2 sensor :banghead so had to order a new one. after that was installed, I filled the trans with some new Pennzoil synchromesh fluid. I changed my 1999 GT with the same fluid and it was night and day difference so hopefully this will be the same.
After that, I put the rest of the cooling system back in place, connected the hoses and some wires, reinstalled the air intake and then put the front wheels back on it for the first time in a few months and rolled it out of the shop. Hopefully this weekend or next i'll finish connecting the rest of the wiring, add the rest of the fluids, give the engine bay a nice detail and start it up.
I don't recall having to pull the rack bolts when I threw in 03/04 Control arms. Think I was able to wiggle it our around it.
I probably could have done it without lowering the rack but it's only two bolts and it made it easier. What is different about the 03/04 control arms?
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Improved bushings, ball joints and 10% better turning radius.
Anyone else curious why he is fixing and cobra and selling it instead of his 99gt with more miles 
lol
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lolSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Anyone else curious why he is fixing and cobra and selling it instead of his 99gt with more miles
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LOL everyone asks me the same question
My 200,000 mile pile 1999 GT has too much sentimental value for me to ever get rid of it. it was the first car I bought out of high school, the first car I really learned how to work on, first car I learned how to drive stick shift in and the people i've met and connected with because of this car are enough for me to hang onto it. I have a built 2v motor and a P1SC waiting to get swapped in but just need to find the time. hopefully once this cobra sells
Plus deep down inside I like the body styling of the "new edge" a lot more. Don't get me wrong the smooth body lines of a 94-98 mustang are nice, but I personally like the new edge
Link to my 200,000 GT build thread for those curious. Photobucket got greedy so most of the photos are gone but still a good read.
Makes sense lol wish I still have my first car
. That thread doesn’t show anything btw it’s just 3 pages long Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
hmm strange the link works for me on my desktop but when I try to view it on my phone it doesn't work? anyway here is the link again maybe this one will work
http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums/99-04/345826-200k-mustang-gt.html
http://www.moddedmustangs.com/forums/99-04/345826-200k-mustang-gt.html
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