Gallows
Well-Known Member
I bought my 97 Cobra in April of 2005 and started off with a stock car other than a K&N air filter and 98 Cobra wheels. I added a Hurst shifter, 4:10 gears , Flowmaster American Thunder catback, custom H pipe and Eibach lowering springs and wider [at the time] 275-40-17's for the rear. Life was good and I wasn't going to do anything else. Yeah right...
I picked up a short runner intake and IMRC deletes from na_svt and the following summer I picked up a Vortech V2SQ and put that on. Non intercooled and a crappy tune left me less than impressed so the following spring I installed a larger fuel pump. #42 injectors, intercooler and a dyno tune. 452rwhp and 378tq.
Not bad for a stock engine. Over the winter my ECU lost its tune and a trip over to the dyno was required to get it running again so I decided to gather parts for a "C" head swap and a N/A build. I also installed Maximum Motorsports adjustable lower control arms and a panhard bar tightening up the rear end. This past winter the ECU lost its tune again and the car was pouring fuel into the engine and out the exhaust. Another trip to the dyno got it running well again making the same hp. The following day after a 3-4 pull I heard a rattling/knocking and saw shiny particles when I dumped the oil. I ended up spinning a couple of bearings so I was undecided on finding an engine or doing a build. A friend of my father contacted me who had a 4V out of an 03 Aviator with 10,000 miles for $1300. I grabbed it and installed my FR500 intake and ditched the Vortech and installed a Magnaflow catback less tails which is how the car sits now.
For 2012 I have H&R springs and IRS out of a 99 Cobra that has been upgraded with 31 spline axles and carrier, 4:56 gears, Billitflow rear brace and Maximum Motorsports front crossmember brace. The bushings are shot and I will be going with the FTBR bushing package and am looking forward to the new ride qualities in the spring. For the interior I want to get rid of a couple of gauges and swap in an 03 console and bezel and a newer cd player.
Mod List
Engine:
03 Aviator long block
FR500 intake with 96-98 style lid ported & polished by na_svt off of SVTP
1/2'' intake spacer by GMsux off of SVTP
JLT CAI
ARH Header with 1-3/4" Primaries, 2-1/2" Merge Collectors, 2 1/2 X-Pipe (With Cats)
JLT oil separator
COP swap harness from The Red Monster off of SVTP
Trans:
Stock T45/clutch
Pro 5.0 shifter
Rear:
99 IRS with FTBR bushings
03 Cobra 31 spline carrier/axles
MM front IRS brace
rear Billit Flow brace
Interior:
Florida 5.0 dash gauge bezel
Autometer water temp/oil pressure gauges
UPR Billet shifter trim ring
Redline??? Cobra floor mats
Not bad for a stock engine. Over the winter my ECU lost its tune and a trip over to the dyno was required to get it running again so I decided to gather parts for a "C" head swap and a N/A build. I also installed Maximum Motorsports adjustable lower control arms and a panhard bar tightening up the rear end. This past winter the ECU lost its tune again and the car was pouring fuel into the engine and out the exhaust. Another trip to the dyno got it running well again making the same hp. The following day after a 3-4 pull I heard a rattling/knocking and saw shiny particles when I dumped the oil. I ended up spinning a couple of bearings so I was undecided on finding an engine or doing a build. A friend of my father contacted me who had a 4V out of an 03 Aviator with 10,000 miles for $1300. I grabbed it and installed my FR500 intake and ditched the Vortech and installed a Magnaflow catback less tails which is how the car sits now.
For 2012 I have H&R springs and IRS out of a 99 Cobra that has been upgraded with 31 spline axles and carrier, 4:56 gears, Billitflow rear brace and Maximum Motorsports front crossmember brace. The bushings are shot and I will be going with the FTBR bushing package and am looking forward to the new ride qualities in the spring. For the interior I want to get rid of a couple of gauges and swap in an 03 console and bezel and a newer cd player.
Mod List
Engine:
03 Aviator long block
FR500 intake with 96-98 style lid ported & polished by na_svt off of SVTP
1/2'' intake spacer by GMsux off of SVTP
JLT CAI
ARH Header with 1-3/4" Primaries, 2-1/2" Merge Collectors, 2 1/2 X-Pipe (With Cats)
JLT oil separator
COP swap harness from The Red Monster off of SVTP
Trans:
Stock T45/clutch
Pro 5.0 shifter
Rear:
99 IRS with FTBR bushings
03 Cobra 31 spline carrier/axles
MM front IRS brace
rear Billit Flow brace
Interior:
Florida 5.0 dash gauge bezel
Autometer water temp/oil pressure gauges
UPR Billet shifter trim ring
Redline??? Cobra floor mats
