Ernster500

Just found out that the "new guy" at work has a '98 Cobra.

Of course, I had to ask him about it.

And of course, the "Ford Guy" had to talk a lot of cr@p when I told him about my Z28...
Just figured...

Well, turns out his yellow cobra is completely stock with 76k miles on it.

I looked up the numbers and from the factory, the 98 put out
305 HP and 300 lb/ft at 4800 RPM.

My car is putting out 285 HP and 320 lb/ft at 4000.

You can check out my list of mods on my website (link in the sig), but I've basically got all the bolt-on's and I'm running an M6 with 3.73 gears...

I think I'm an ok driver, and judging from his lack of mods, he probably isn't too big of an enthusiast and probably not much of a driver either... (although he is the original owner and was wearing a cobra jacket)

How do you guys think I would do? Can I shut him up?

I think I am going to have to "call him out" but I'd like to know that I can beat him beforehand!

E

got_hp?

probably..........race him and find out.

just practice your launch.

treyZ28

can your LT1 driver beat a '98 cobra driver?

IrocManiac

If he's stock and by all the bolt ons you mean headers, cat back, CAI, and you can drive, then you'll win...stock for stock with identical drivers its pretty much an even race.

94GrayV6

If you're a good driver you'll take him. Just run and find out.

CL21376

Cobra's seem to vary a lot.

I pulled multiple cars on a cobra 'vert starting from behind him at a light.

Same story from a even roll and a stop.

But it was a convertible, so it's a bit heavier and he had a passenger. I was surprised I was able to pass him starting from behind him.

FacelessZ

'98 cobra is very overrated...as are all of the Ford Mustangs. '98 Cobra will lose...it's a very slow car...

Even the '03 Cobra...claimed at 390 hp...is more like ~340-350 rw.

Ford is totally hyped...

J's 82

Agree with the above.. the older cobras were overrated.. car and driver couldn't figure out why people liked them when a stock Z would whip up on them.. Then they recalled a bunch of cobras and skipped a model year for screwups with their horsepower numbers..the newer ones however are more of a handful and actually put down the goods they advertise.. but as a general rule unless they are modded stock for stock a 4.6 or an older cobra are good driving tests for a Z..

IrocManiac

dude I hate to break it to you but if the recalls were completed on the 96-98 cobras they're pretty damn good. Most I've seen with good drivers run 13.80s stock. Gears really wake the cars up and an exhaust on top of that the things scream...

Z97LT1

Uhhh, yeah, keep thinking that...the Ford guys will love you for it...

Kris93/95Z28

Are you dellusional? I have seen a few 03' Cobras in action and they are very much NOT OVER RATED. All I have seen on the dyno have put at least 375 RWHP STOCK.

Actually in the August 2002 Issue of MM&FF a STOCK 03' Cobra put down 381 RWHP, where as a 2002 SS put down 316 RWHP.

Transcam96

All I can tell you is that I raced my friend's 96 Cobra from a roll (we were in 2nd gear when we started racing) and by the end of 2 nd gear I had nearly one car lenght in front of him. Both of us only had catbacks.
If the 98s don't have more horsepower than 96s, I would say that you will beat him.

chevyboy_z28

with your mods you should be well over 300 hp and if your an ok driver youll be able to put cars on him off the line, the question really isnt whether or not youll win, it by how much...that is assuming he is stock like he says

as for the guy who says that 03 cobras are overrated, i wouldnt call running 12.6x STOCK overrated, i would call that a pretty fast dam car. if you dont believe me find someone with the 02 SS vs. 03 cobra issue of muscle mustangs and fast fords...that mf runs!

CrippleFightin

I raced an 03 Cobra not too long ago. No need to say who won. But we were right next to each other until about 50 and then he pulled way ahead. I knew I was gonna lose, but I never turn down a race. But as far as any Cobra before 03 as well as GT's. Stock they have no chance. And my car has about nothing on it.

IrocManiac

How can sooo many people say the pre 03 Cobras have nothing on his LT1 F body???? In all seriousness the 4.6L cobra's are DANG fast cars sure they had some problems ford addressed them and they have since been fixed.....some of you guys are either a)In denial b) don't have a freakin' clue c) so brand loyal it doesn't matter if the guy had an F50 or Enzo the LT1 would still win...NEWS FLASH our cars are NOT the fastest things on the planet...TransAm you mentioned staying with him to 50, thats decent, but I hate to say it, there's V6's that can hang with us to 30 or 40 and then its over...its the same type of comparison...If it is stock, and you've got the complete exhaust, assuming you can drive you'll win, if that car has either gears or an exhaust it'll be dang close, if its got both you could be in some serious trouble, those cobra's have some GOOD top end power...