New guy

[Zemedici]

Hey guys, New to the boards.

I live in Dallas, GA and work wholesale/retail parts at Team Ford. So anyone in the area that needs OEM parts, feel free to give me a call. Name's josh.

I currently drive a mildy modified 350z. Its "decent" for a daily, but I've wanted a terminator cobra since I saw them 10 years ago. Within the month i'll be selling my Z and buying either a Sonic blue, Redfire, or DSG coupe.

I've got some extensive Ford parts knowledge as well as audio knowledge. So let me know if you need help with stereo/hid/wiring issues!

:rockon:

 

[usmcsvtwannabe]

Welcome! Good luck with the search, plenty of good info on this site for anything that you dont already know lol. I got my car off here after looking for 6 months, just gotta stick to a criteria and dont compromise for it. "Your" car will come up in the market eventually

 

[CobraBob]

Welcome to SVTPerformance, Josh. I hope you find your dream Terminator. You might want to browse through my Terminator FAQs. There's a lot of good info there. Here's the link. Terminator FAQs

I encourage you to drop in often as folks with technical background are always a plus, as we have members every day looking for answers.

 

[Zemedici]

Thank you guys for the warm welcome.

Cobra bob I've already read through the FAQs Thank you for all of the information

I've found one I like, 2003 FORD SVT COBRA - $21000 (Jacksonville)


Thoughts?

 

[charba951]

So you are the hook up for a BOSS IM lol? Oh...welcome to the site :beer:

 

[Prototype007]

Welcome and good luck getting a Cobra!

Be a purchase you probably won't regret.

 

[the.greg]

Welcome, good luck finding a cobra!

 

[Zemedici]

Hey guys, well, i picked one up.

2004 Black with brand new Black Chrome FR500s as well as Bassani Catback with some 1 chamber flowmasters.

Has 71k on the odom, and no motor mods

I'll upload pics when I get a chance!

 

[LIGHTNING LARRY]

Hey guys, New to the boards.

I live in Dallas, GA and work wholesale/retail parts at Team Ford. So anyone in the area that needs OEM parts, feel free to give me a call. Name's josh.

I currently drive a mildy modified 350z. Its "decent" for a daily, but I've wanted a terminator cobra since I saw them 10 years ago. Within the month i'll be selling my Z and buying either a Sonic blue, Redfire, or DSG coupe.

I've got some extensive Ford parts knowledge as well as audio knowledge. So let me know if you need help with stereo/hid/wiring issues!

:rockon:

Welcome to the SVTP ASYLUM.:burnout:

 

[Zemedici]

Alright, i've been on the boards for over a year now, and have since done some work to my cobra. Instead of start a new thread with the rather minor modifications (I say that compared to these huge TT builds i'm seeing, or 3.4l whipple builds), i figured I would just add onto this one, keep it all in one place.

So lets get started.

This is her a few days after i picked her up.

She's a 2004 Black coupe with the Black Suede inserts. Bought her with 71k on the clock, and she is going to be my daily driver. The vehicle came with the 18" black chrome FR500 wheels 18x9 up front and 18x10.5 in the rear, also came with a Bassani Catback, and black headlights. There were some minor issues, the E-brake wasnt working up to par, no reverse lights, and it needed brake pads. Other than those minor issues she's a beaut!

Quick was has her looking good as new!

Got a vanity tag to start!

Well, as you can tell I bought her in February, and it was not long before some major issues flared up! This noise started, and it got worse and worse. Ignore the dirty car! That tree skeet is deadly!

[youtube_browser]MInoaQXwCco[/youtube_browser]


Well, after having my mechanic take a look at it, turns out the ring gear had separated from the flywheel....so I took this opportunity to upgrade it all, spec stage 2+ clutch, ford racing lightweight flywheel, new TOB and Pilot bearing.

About 2 weeks after this, my clutch cable went out! In the middle of traffic too! So I had a Steeda piece put in, that's adjustable. Also put front brake pads on her and corrected the e-brake clip on the driver side. IT WASNT CONNECTED! Water pump, thermostat housing and thermostat were also replaced at this time.

No more issues.

Here's my mechanic trying to get into my car, he's 6'11.

Reverse Lights!

I wanted to get a Baseline Dyno, to see where I was at to start with. So I took her over to Speed for Sale, and got a baseline!

She put down 366/354. Not too shabby. It was on a Mustang Dyno as well.

Once I got all of the mechanical shenanigans out of the way, it was time to do some fun stuff. I got a Pypes O/R X pipe from a buddy of mine that was upgrading to longtubes, as well as a Canton Expansion tank.

O/R X Pipe

Before: Catback only
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After: Catback with Pypes O/R X
[youtube_browser]shMbJv00c0s[/youtube_browser]
[youtube_browser]F4wUzLE81rY[/youtube_browser]

At this time I also removed the underhood insulation so I could hear the Eaton a bit better. If anyone wants it, feel free to PM ME :beer:

After that was done, I installed some HIDs, as well as some upgraded stopping power. So i got Drilled/slotted rotors with Hawk pads, as well as 6000k HID headlights and foglights. I also got new headlight housings, as the ones that came on the car were tinted lenses, and I wanted black housings. I made sure to RTV the hell out of them, yet the driver one still leaks occasionally.

Old Headlights:

New:

I then installed a Steeda Tri-Ax Short Throw Shifter that my girlfriend got me for my birthday, as well as a shorty antenna from CJ(CJ04Mach1)

CJ Having some fun in the snow
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Next was the stereo, I was tired of using CD's like I was still in the 90s, so I upgraded to a 7" Pioneer touchscreen.

Out with the old:

In with the new:

The cobra needed tires from being daily driven, I liked the Sumitomos that were on the car, they seemed to hook rather well once i grabbed second, and they were relatively inexpensive. So I snagged up a new set, 245/40/18 front and 295/35/18 rear.

YIKES

How the new 'meats' sit on the car

I wanted to touch up the interior a bit, so I got in touch with Brian over at the Powder House about a custom piece, and after literally 2 months of trying to figure out what I wanted, I got this beautiful piece from him. I will definitely be getting more work from Brian in the near future!

A few miscellaneous shots

Me getting drug by my brother's new Z06

At this point I've very happy with the vehicle. I'm at a Crossroads: I want more power but I dont want to lose drivability of the vehicle. I could do the pulley swap ($1200 or so) or I could save up and do a big build while I get a better daily in the mean time?

 

[Zemedici]

Also, what's the verdict on my wheels? I personally am not a fan, but everyone else seems to love them. Any thoughts? Thanks for reading guys, I will update this thread when more parts go on the car! Coilovers are next, as well as this bumpsteer kit I have yet to install from CJ! :beer:

 

[MDShelby]

Nice car and nice upgrades. As for the wheels, not really excited by them.

 

[Zemedici]

Nice car and nice upgrades. As for the wheels, not really excited by them.

Thanks man and FINALLY someone who agrees with me. I've probably picked out 10 different wheels to change them with, and I always get 'nope I like your wheels better'. Think I'm gonna go chicanes and be done with it.

 

[Sick03Vert]

Thanks man and FINALLY someone who agrees with me. I've probably picked out 10 different wheels to change them with, and I always get 'nope I like your wheels better'. Think I'm gonna go chicanes and be done with it.

First of all, you tricked me...I saw "New Member" and was like "BS! I know that guy!" :lol1:

Secondly, nice car! I like everything you've done with it. And the wheels...well, I like them. But rims very much come down to personal preference.

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next! Oh, and you SERIOUSLY, SERIOUSLY needed those tires man. WOW.

Anyway, very nice! :bowdown::rockon::beer::thumbsup:

 

[Zemedici]

First of all, you tricked me...I saw "New Member" and was like "BS! I know that guy!" :lol1:

Secondly, nice car! I like everything you've done with it. And the wheels...well, I like them. But rims very much come down to personal preference.

I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next! Oh, and you SERIOUSLY, SERIOUSLY needed those tires man. WOW.

Anyway, very nice! :bowdown::rockon::beer::thumbsup:

Thanks bud! Yeah I didn't wanna start a 'build thread' for me simply tinkering with the car.

Yeah I was showing chord in the rear, but hey. Life life on the edge hahahaha

 

[Jebadias]

I like the car but agree that you could do better as far as wheels go.

 

[Zemedici]

I like the car but agree that you could do better as far as wheels go.

Excellent! Any ideas bud? Thank you :beer:

 

[Zemedici]

Well, its been another year with the Cobra as my daily driver and only vehicle, and I feel that she's treated me well. Here's the rundown.

Here she is after I got her back from my detailer (I have extensive detailing experience myself, I just dont have the time to do it, Im at work before the suns up, and get home after its dark)

She cleans up nice, doesnt she?

Put a canton IC reservoir on, noticed the system was bone dry. I filled it up with coolant, and went to leave work, and the car felt like I was driving a Geo Metro. NO POWER whatsoever. I look behind me, and see a cloud of smoke like something you'd see out of a Bond film. White smoke. I limp it home and do some research, cracked intercooler. I ordered a replacement piece from Lightning Force Performance, and put it in.

God knows how long the intercooler had been cracked, and therefore the car pulling timing. I wanted to test the car's newfound potential, and raced my buddy's z28. This car used to drag me by 4+ cars when my IC wasnt functioning as it should have.

[YOUTUBE_BROWSER]Ad-pIqxoCLQ[/YOUTUBE_BROWSER]

HUGE difference. :beer: So THATS what its like to have a cobra running how its supposed to :-D




My clutch quadrant kept allowing my clutch cable to jump teeth, so I replaced it with this Ford Racing unit

I finally found some wheels I wanted, drove 3 hours one way to pick them up. Got them all brand new for a STEAL

Baby got new shoes!

Few uneventful months went by, then disaster struck! I was at my ex-mechanic's shop, and I was backing up, not paying attention, and bam! Backed into his boss's GMC. Tore up the entire right side of the cobra, and dented the bedside of his truck. Not a fun day.

After I got that all fixed (whole right side of car repainted, I also got the body shop to repaint my faded spoiler and both mirrors, so wasnt all bad)

Me doing some of my own detail work on the car.

After I got her mechanically sorted out, and got the body issues fixed, I figured it was time to turn to the suspension. I ordered Steeda springs off this forum, and slapped them on. I also checked all my bilsteins and they appeared to be in good shape.
Sitting pretty on Steeda Springs.

Wifey taking some pictures with her birthday present, a Nikon D3200)

I also got new taillights to replace mine, as one of them had turned pink. My coworkers had resorted to calling me 'pinky' (they're not the most creative bunch)

All cleaned up in PCB (where some of the first pictures in this thread were taken)

Driving down the highway one night after my TOB had been chirping for a while, she finally bit the dust. Literally exploded while I was driving down the road, I limped it home, and had it towed to my ex-mech's shop where I replaced the clutch with a mcleod and resurfaced the flywheel as well as put a national TOB in (against my better judgement, per my ex-mech's suggestion). The spec clutch I had wouldnt shift at high rpms, and I contribute that to faulty install not allowing the figers to grab the input shaft correctly at high RPMS. I made sure to install the mcleod correctly, and no more issues!

Some pictures of the clutch carnage.

Clutch spring that was flat-spotted. Odd.

Burn spots on clutch and flywheel.

I then installed LED interior and reverse lights on the car.

I had noticed the notorious 'driver mirror rattle' was getting progressively worse, so I decided to buy the inserts off the forum here, and attempted to take the glass out to install. Well, I promptly broke the little white arms off the mirror that hold it to the motor, so this is what I ended up with.

Not sexy.

Took a few minutes of tinkering.....and voila. Note to self, never try to rush these things again.

Well, I decided the Steeda springs werent low enough for me. So I sold them and put my stock springs back on, but I cut a coil off all the way around. I feel she sits just about perfect now. Also got new tires for her as well, real tires this time

Nitto NT555 275/40/18 for the front ant NT555r 305/35/18 for the rear

Meaty.

Perfect.

At a mustang show, GM wanted my car in the middle in front of the dealership!!

Also installed the 'anti-car jacker mod'

My tob started chirping (remember when I said against my better judgement earlier? Well, one should always trust their gut feeling), however it then turned into a sort of slapping noise, and I wanted it out. So I replaced it with a FRPP bearing.

Also got rid of the damaged Powder House (LOL) shift knob for a F*cking Fast Knob.

I then wanted to get retrofitted projector headlights, as my 'squirrel spotters' (HIDs in halogen housings) were blinding people and I KNEW the visibility could be drastically improved. After pursuing a few options to no avail, I was talking with a member here and ended up buying his personal set! Thanks Huachipato!

Visibility is great, the cutoff is perfect. They look factory. I absolutely love them. Probably my favorite modfication to the car so far.


Drawing I had done of the cobra:

I still have a few parts left to install. I've got brake calipers being hydrodipped at the moment, as well as hawk pads all the way around and drilled/slotted rotors for the rear, and also this. This will be my last piece to replace in the cooling system other than the radiator itself.

And there you have it, my year in cobra ownership. Thank you for reading, if you have any questions feel free to let me know. I feel that I take very good care of the cobra, and I do get complimented on it borderline daily. For comparison, here's a cobra I parked next to last week that's been rather neglected.

Guess which one has over 100k miles now :-D

I told myself when I bought this car that I would not touch the motor until it was paid off. I'm aiming to have it paid off for my birthday in July, so we shall see where that road takes me I truly do have a love/hate relationship with this car. Some days I enjoy every second i spend with her, and others I cant stand her. But she's been rather reliable, gotta give her that.

Thanks for reading.