Dkblue98GT"s white 97 Cobra vert

[DKblue98GT]

I finally started on the suspension. I pulled all of the rear suspension today and replaced it with parts from my stash.






Hopefully next weekend I will start on the front. I noticed that I need new rear pads and rotors. I will probably get some power slot rotors and Hawk HPS pads. I obviously need to do some cleaning and painting but that's a job for another day.

 

[Tally_4.6]

Looks nicer either way.

 

[Tally_4.6]

In reference to the steering wheel post ^ lol

Nice job on the suspension.

 

[DKblue98GT]

Looks nicer either way.

Thanks! The wheel is really nice, very comfortable and well made.

 

[DKblue98GT]

I didn't work on the Cobra this weekend but I did get a lot done. I got all of the stock Cobra rear suspension installed on the GT, AKA "The big blue pile"






After bolting all of the performance suspension parts into the Cobra at one time last weekend I am kind of amazed at what crap the stock parts are. Looking forward to getting the blue pile out of the driveway so I can put the white car in the garage.

 

[Tally_4.6]

Ooo man the paint ain't lookin too good there.

 

[DKblue98GT]

It's really awful...

 

[DKblue98GT]

So once again it's been a long time since my last update.

I started on the front suspension last Sunday. I began by making sure the stock K member is square in the car. I used the MM method with plumb bobs and a measuring tape. Turns out it was good. I then drilled a 3/16" hole on both sides between the rear mounting bolts allowing me to return the k member to square easily when I put it back in.
19 years of grime...




I supported the motor from below and removed the K member, it was very dirty. I spent about an hour cleaning and then removed the old motor mounts.
These have seen better days



I could feel a vibration on the highway when I put my foot in it, no wonder. I then installed my poly mounts. I spent most of the day cleaning .

Installing a stock k back in the car by yourself is a big job but at the end of the day I had it back in. I used my drill bit to line it back up bolted it in the lowered the motor down and bolted it in.


Tuesday I installed my a arms with poly bushings and Moog ball joints.



I also got the X brace back in. MM solid rack bushings.

 

[DKblue98GT]

This morning I measured and drilled the hole in each shock tower for the MM C/C plates and got those installed.



Then the struts


I wire wheeled the spindles tonight when I got home from work and installed them.

 

[DKblue98GT]

I still have to install the front H&R springs, bump steer kit and Eibach sway bar and align it. I'm looking forward to driving it when it's done. I will then put the blue pile back together and sell it.

 

[DKblue98GT]

Forgot about the MMK steering shaft, that went in on Sunday.

 

[DKblue98GT]

MM that is. For some reason I can never edit the posts I make.

 

[Tally_4.6]

Time out. You can use MM solid rack bushings on a stock rack/k member?

I have a qa1 and i thought i read i couldn't use them unless it was a MM rack.

 

[DKblue98GT]

Time out. You can use MM solid rack bushings on a stock rack/k member?

I have a qa1 and i thought i read i couldn't use them unless it was a MM rack.

They make a set that work with the stock K. On the GT I had poly bushings at first and these are a lot stiffer.

 

[DKblue98GT]

This morning I bolted the spindles to the ball joints and installed new cotter pins.



Next came the springs. I used the MM spring installation tool and it worked really well.



The stock spring compared to the H&R. I used a piece of road bicycle inner tube as a lower isolator.


I wire brushed one of the brake backing plates before I had to leave for work. I will do the other one tomorrow and hopefully get the sway bar and bump steer kit on.

 

[DKblue98GT]

 

[DKblue98GT]

Today I started by installing the Eibach sway bar and the Steeda bumpsteer kit.


The old sway bar bushing were pretty beat so I got some new ones.


I also cleaned up the ABS sensors and brackets.


Then I bolted on the painted backing plates from the GT. I had already drilled out the rivets to remove the old backing plates.


I pulled the SVE calipers and braided lines from the GT, cleaned them up and installed them with the Powerslot rotors. I bled the front brakes using a one way bleeder.


The GT had relatively new fender liners so I cleaned them up and used "Back to black" on them. I also Riv nutted all of the push pin holes so I could bolt the liners in.


I did a quickie alignment in the driveway and here is the end result...

 

[DKblue98GT]

I am very happy with the way the car turned out. It steers really well, and feels really smooth and solid. The new motor mounts made a big difference. I will do a more in depth alignment next weekend and then install the strut tower brace. I will probably have to grind the brace a bit as I think it's going to interfere with the CC plates.

I Love the stance of the car now and I won't be going any lower as I have about 3 inches of ground clearance for the X brace. I scraped it on a few speed bumps on the test drive.

In other news, I changed the oil a few weeks ago and I notice that my rear main seal has started to leak... Awesome, looks like time for a new clutch.

 

[lwarrior1016]

That cobra turned out nice! Personally, I think that drop is perfect. So where are you located? Ill give you $50 for the blue pile

 

[DKblue98GT]

Thanks! H&R Supersports with upper and lower poly iso's in the rear and an upper poly iso and very thin rubber on the bottom. It's really quiet and smooth. The H&R's are much more progressive than the Eibach Pro kit I have in the GT. I had no iso's in the GT and the suspension made too much noise.

I am in Albuquerque, NM. I would almost take $50.00 to get this thing out of my driveway. I hope to get a bit more for it, it has a Cobra bumper, MM subframes, a rear seat delete, new carpet, radiator and is in good condition except for the paint...

I bought a set of stock rotors and PBR calipers at the U-pull to put on the GT so it will roll. I will eventually refinish the Cobra calipers I took off the Cobra.

Future plans for the cobra are:
Exedy mach 400 clutch and new rear main seal.
MM or stifflers subframe connectors.
Aluminum radiator.
Long tubes.
More cleaning ad detailing of the undercarriage and engine compartment.
Refinish the rims or change them.
Drive the wee out of it...