I'm going to list my 1997 cobra for sale, and I am just looking for some thoughts on what makes sense as a starting price. I have had this since 1999, and I have been restoring it for around 6 years. I am aware that I won't get even a fraction of the money I put into it, but I'm going to list everything done to the car. My original goal with this car was to make it as modern and clean as possible. I started with all of the suspension and handling / interior / paint / wheels before I was going to move on to the transmission and engine. The original intent was to put in a Tremec TKX and build / supercharge the motor, but I have since changed priorities a bit, so now I am selling it. Rather than pulling the motor, I refreshed it (see below) and called it a day.
The big details:
1. The car has never been wrecked, raced, or beat on. It has 147k miles on it, but the only thing that is still on the car that has all of those miles are the engine internals and the transmission. The engine block is Teksid, has always had full synthetic, and runs very strong still. I didn't have a compression test, but I did have a relative compression test done, and there is zero difference in any cylinders (see pic). The car passed smog easily a few months ago.
2. I have had the car painted in the last 4 years, and I keep it covered. The paint is really clean, and vibrant red, with zero dents or dings. The clearcoat is very good except the roof where a repair was done from a rock chip. The whole roof was sprayed, and it looks "good", but I think will need to be repainted eventually. The headlights are OEM style with no fog or haze. All of the exterior trim, seals, etc. are new in the last 4 years, but look brand new.
3. The suspension on the car is a Maximum Motorsports Max Grip package. That package completely changes the entire handling and geometry of the car. It includes tubular k-member (moves front wheels forward a bit), improved strut tower brace, adjustable caster / camber plates, full length sub frame connectors, panhard bar, torque arm, control arms, adjustable coilovers, heavy duty shocks / struts, steering shaft, and adjustable rear sway bar. That package currently runs about 8k in parts. Cornering is unbelievable, and stopping has zero nose dive. It also has Strange 31 spline axles, a Eaton Truetrac locking diff, and Ford 373s.
4. The interior of the car was stripped down to the metal, had Dynamat installed everywhere, front seat leather and foam replaced (TMI), vinyl on the door replaced with leather, higher quality carpet, front and rear windshield replaced (when painted), a thicker perforated steering wheel, and a center console from the newer model mustang (so it has 2 cup holders instead of a flip-out and an ashtray).
5. I refreshed the engine in the last 500 miles with the following:
New high quality fuel injectors
New fuel injector connectors
Re-wrapped much of the engine harness with new wrap
Ford spark plugs
MSD wires and coil packs (CARB approved)
Idler / tensioner pulleys
Alternator
Ford power steering pump (and some of the lines that go to the brake boost)s
Valve cover / plug gaskets
Ford PCV valve
Ford 02 sensors (all 4)
Pulled and cleaned the IMRCs.
New serpentine belt
6. The car also has the following other aftermarket parts (all smog in Cali with CARB numbers):
Magnaflow X-Pipe
Cold air intake.
JBA shorty headers
7. The brake calipers were rebuilt and have braided lines as well. The e-brake cables to each rear wheel were replaced.
8. The wheels are 2003 Cobra-style AFS wheels that are 10.5” rear / 9” front with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (older, but strong tread remaining)
A few last things I would do to make it really done in its current state:
1. replace the passenger sun visor, because it has a cracked mirror.
2. I would repaint the roof (again). It had a small rock chip, and I had someone paint it, and I think they only did an ok job.
3. There is a heat crack running along the dash I can't even see when seated, but noticed about a year ago. I would cover, repair, or replace the dash.
4. I would re-tint. I was leaving that for the end-ish.
I am sure there is more I am missing, but that is all I can think of for now. I have a ton of pictures, but I'll just post a few good examples.
Thanks in advance for any input.
The big details:
1. The car has never been wrecked, raced, or beat on. It has 147k miles on it, but the only thing that is still on the car that has all of those miles are the engine internals and the transmission. The engine block is Teksid, has always had full synthetic, and runs very strong still. I didn't have a compression test, but I did have a relative compression test done, and there is zero difference in any cylinders (see pic). The car passed smog easily a few months ago.
2. I have had the car painted in the last 4 years, and I keep it covered. The paint is really clean, and vibrant red, with zero dents or dings. The clearcoat is very good except the roof where a repair was done from a rock chip. The whole roof was sprayed, and it looks "good", but I think will need to be repainted eventually. The headlights are OEM style with no fog or haze. All of the exterior trim, seals, etc. are new in the last 4 years, but look brand new.
3. The suspension on the car is a Maximum Motorsports Max Grip package. That package completely changes the entire handling and geometry of the car. It includes tubular k-member (moves front wheels forward a bit), improved strut tower brace, adjustable caster / camber plates, full length sub frame connectors, panhard bar, torque arm, control arms, adjustable coilovers, heavy duty shocks / struts, steering shaft, and adjustable rear sway bar. That package currently runs about 8k in parts. Cornering is unbelievable, and stopping has zero nose dive. It also has Strange 31 spline axles, a Eaton Truetrac locking diff, and Ford 373s.
4. The interior of the car was stripped down to the metal, had Dynamat installed everywhere, front seat leather and foam replaced (TMI), vinyl on the door replaced with leather, higher quality carpet, front and rear windshield replaced (when painted), a thicker perforated steering wheel, and a center console from the newer model mustang (so it has 2 cup holders instead of a flip-out and an ashtray).
5. I refreshed the engine in the last 500 miles with the following:
New high quality fuel injectors
New fuel injector connectors
Re-wrapped much of the engine harness with new wrap
Ford spark plugs
MSD wires and coil packs (CARB approved)
Idler / tensioner pulleys
Alternator
Ford power steering pump (and some of the lines that go to the brake boost)s
Valve cover / plug gaskets
Ford PCV valve
Ford 02 sensors (all 4)
Pulled and cleaned the IMRCs.
New serpentine belt
6. The car also has the following other aftermarket parts (all smog in Cali with CARB numbers):
Magnaflow X-Pipe
Cold air intake.
JBA shorty headers
7. The brake calipers were rebuilt and have braided lines as well. The e-brake cables to each rear wheel were replaced.
8. The wheels are 2003 Cobra-style AFS wheels that are 10.5” rear / 9” front with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires (older, but strong tread remaining)
A few last things I would do to make it really done in its current state:
1. replace the passenger sun visor, because it has a cracked mirror.
2. I would repaint the roof (again). It had a small rock chip, and I had someone paint it, and I think they only did an ok job.
3. There is a heat crack running along the dash I can't even see when seated, but noticed about a year ago. I would cover, repair, or replace the dash.
4. I would re-tint. I was leaving that for the end-ish.
I am sure there is more I am missing, but that is all I can think of for now. I have a ton of pictures, but I'll just post a few good examples.
Thanks in advance for any input.
