Have a few questions about Mustangs, maybe some of you guys could help out. IDK what has came over me in the last 2-3 days, but i would really like to have a newer mustang in the driveway with my SS (The garage is, of course reserved for the beauty queen 95 Grand "Torque Monster" Am GT). Ok here is what i know.
I dont want a GT. I want something with the 32V engine (Mach 1 or Cobra).
Here are my questions
96-01 Cobra's, basically the same, except for exhaust changes, or minor things right, and the change to IRS, in 99 i think? Are the 32V engines in these cars Iron, or Aluminum Blocks? Do these cars have forged internals like the 03/04 supercharged models.
03-04 Mach 1's, These have basically the same 32V N/A as the cobra in previous years, with a shaker hood, and solid rear axle? Please correct me if i am wrong, i am not stating facts here. Iron or aluminum blocks?
I am basically trying to distinguish the evolution of the 32V engine, which years are best, which years to avoid, price, etc. etc. I would like an 03/04 Cobra to sit with the SS, but i cant afford one as of now. I wouldnt even want a mustang, but no matter what i do, i can't get the camaro to sound like a mustang with no cats, and flowmasters. That sound is magical (i tried installing LT's, and an ORY-pipe to the camaro, and while it sounds very good, and made a noticable difference in power, its still not that mustang sound). Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

96-01 are aluminum block engines with forged crank and rods but with cast pistons. 96-98 vary by 10 hp to the wheels, the 99 and 01 models are much stronger and would be close to the times of your LS-1. 99+ do have the IRS. The engine was first used in the Lincoln Mark VIII in 1993 and with a change in intake, cams and exaust was used on the first modular Cobra in 1996.



Totally different engine that the earlier ones. The block is indeed aluminum but the heads, intake, cams etc etc etc are different. Mach 1's are putting out similar hp numbers to the wheels as the 99+ Cobras but the Mach I's produce about 30 lb/ft more torque, and it does have the solid axle 8.8 with 3.55 gearing.
If you get one gears should be the first mod as 3.27's in the 96-01's is like 2.73's on a 5.0. It's way undergeared from the factory.

 

DO NOT BUY A 96 THRU 98 MUSTANG, THE HEADS FOR THOSE YEAR'S ARE CRAP HEADS! THEY FLOW ABOUT AS GOOD AS THE HEADS ON A TPI IROC!

Anything past 99 & up have the better heads, There is a 30 to 40 hp diffrence from a 98 GT to a 99 GT!

JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

 

He was referring to Cobras....not GTs.

 

If you want a drag racer I would avoid the '99 and '01 Cobras because of the IRS. Get a '96-98 Cobra or Mach 1.

 

I understand about the IRS. I am not really looking for a drag car though. I really prefer the looks of the 99-up's compared to the 98-prior's. It looks like i am going to be looking for a 99-02 Cobra, or a 03 Mach 1. Thanks for all the helpful input guys. What really sucks though, is all the 99-02 (i keep using 02 as a stopping point as not to include the 03's, i know there werent many made) i see for sale, people want an arm and leg for them. Anywhere from 21-26k. Called Ricart Ford in colombus, they have 7K in rebates on all 03 Cobra's, bringing the total to 29-30 for a brand new 03. Dont have any 03 Mach's , and they only have 2500 in rebates on the 04's bringing the total to 27-28K. Pisses me off b/c when i bought my camaro, i test drove a black 01 Cobra conv./Black top/spotless car. Car had 21K miles on it, and the guy wanted 20.5K for it. I should have bought the cobra and the SS at the same time, but i didnt, and the Cobra is gone now. IDK, maybe i should wait for the 05 Stangs to hit the market, and go pick up a brand new 04 Cobra (probably will have 25K in rebates to get rid of them since everyone will want the 05's, lol). Time will tell, thanks again for the info guys, i will keep ya posted if i get one.

 

what you have to remember is Ford spends hundreds of thousands of R&D dollars on perfecting the exhaust note alone, I guess since the pre '03 cobras/mach1's weren't as quick as the f-body, they could at least sound like it, eh? LOL GM could care less what the car sounds like, as long as people bought them.

 

99's are a bit hard to find (only 4400 of them), but if you do some searching on the Mustang Forums and Autotrader.com, they are out there at good prices (mileage is getting up there on some though). There are quite a few more 01 Cobras out there, and some shopping can yield relatively low mileage examples in the $18-21K range. Here are some examples...

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...hreadid=120938

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...hreadid=120391

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...hreadid=120663

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...hreadid=117632

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...hreadid=119322

http://www.svtperformance.com/forums...hreadid=118756


...which they didn't, hence their demise.

 

Scott filled you in on the Machs pretty well.

I just had to have one for myself and can tell you that it is an awesome car. Ford really put time and effort into it.


You cant go wrong with one.


Mike

 

No such thing as an '00 or '02 Cobra. Cobras are nice cars, but they cost a fortune compared to a GT or Z28. You could pick up a very nice GT and put a blower on it for the price of a used Cobra, and wax it's ***.

 

I'm interested in what ford will do for 06.Can you say 400+hp cobra for under 38k?

 

Personally, I say go for the Mach. Limited production cars are nice. When I had the Z28, I saw other Z28s everywhere. I have yet to see another Mach (Granted, I have only had the car for a month .) However, there are TONS of Mustang GTs out there, and I have seen a few Cobras, too. The Mach is a GREAT stoplight to stoplight stocker, and from what I have heard, are quicker than a Cobra in that respect (IRS).

My Mach feels faster than my Camaro (I have never been to a track with either, so this is just a seat-of-the-pants feeling). Of course, the Z had 75K miles on it, too. Anyway, just buy a damn Mach. Oh, and definitely get the 5-speed . There is nothing in this world like winding out first gear and just letting it idle back down .

Craig

 

What about the 32V engine in the Mercury Maurauder, is that a version of the Cobra engine? Why is it only 300 horses vs. say a Mach 1?

 

ive beaten and eaten alive many z's with my mach. and yes mustangs do sound way better. and cobras.... lets not go there cuz they are mid 12 sec. cars!!!!

what is it with cocky camaro owners.... thats why i get along better with trans am people...

 

If you can afford the cobra go for it, i bought the mach1 becuz i couldnt afford the cobra. Typically a mach1 should make about 325hp and about 340 lb/fts, but ive seen anywhere from 310 to 340 stock. They are good for low 13s in stock form. Seems like everyone thinks the ls1 is faster, i think they have trouble with the fact that the 2nd down from the top mustang is capable of wining in the 1/4 mile. All mach1s come fully loaded, the only avaible option is a interior upgrade package. (Gauge overlays, pedals, and some other junk) Mach1s also come with tokico shocks, heavier then GT springs, 13" brakes, mach460 sound with 6 cd changer, VERY nice bucket seats. Go test drive one see how you like it. Also, blue is the fastest....

Heres my car:
http://s93908519.onlinehome.us/15701.html