Hunting For A 93 Cobra. Need Some Help

90GTFIVO

Active Member
Apr 28, 2011
120
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Carroll, OH
I'm not looking to buy it as a collector car, it has 141k miles, that ship sailed long ago. My question is should I even consider looking at it. Priced fairly low but would try to get him down to my price before I would consider buying.

What would you do? Any suggestions on how to approach / pursue this?
 
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It's all personal preference, do you plan on keeping the motor or putting in another? If it seems like its been taken care of, rides good, isn't a rot box, and you can get it at your price, I'd hop on it because if it's been taken care of, it's got a lot more life left if it only has 141,xxx miles.....do it!
 
If indeed he has the salvage title in his name, get the title number, VIN, and whats left of the title. Haul the guy to the DMV in the state the title is in and apply for a lost or duplicate title. About $20.00 here in Pa. Or am I misunderstanding the issue?
 
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Already ran a carfax on the car. The title was deemed salvaged / rebuilt long ago, like 15k miles into the life of the car. There were a few sales after that and when the car was sold from Florida to Kentucky, the salvage title was no longer and carfax warned that it might have been "washed."

I'd be surprised if the current owner has a salvage title b/c there was a duplicate issued around the time it was supposedly "washed" and it's been sold a few times since then.

Anyway, getting off track here... I'm just concerned the car could have major issues and I should stay away b/c it'll just be trouble and it won't be worth my trouble. Carfax says no structural damage, no airbag deployment, but severe damage (whatever that means). I'm really interested at the price he has it for and think I could get it for less as I'm not sure he knows it was salvaged. My bro-in-law says he'd stay away, my neighbor says go for it

Looking to the experts ;-) here for some help.
 
It would not be a daily driver. It would be a toy, weekend / nice weather ride that might see the track once in awhile. I have springs, uppers and lowers ready to go on a stang, just looking for one to receive the parts. I have a 93 GT in my garage right now but it'll be for sale within the next couple weeks. I had planned on finding a GT (preferrably one that looks just like Gordo's) and I was hoping to put a Cobra intake + other mods on it (I know... Trickflow is better setup).
 
most had leather IIRC. there were very few with cloth.
Give the car a good looking over, Drive it and not just around the block, see if the owner will let you have it for an hour or so. If it feels solid and drives good and the price is right and it dont leak (anymore than a 141k mile car should) then buy it.
Parts are still everywhere for these cars, as long as the things not a rot box and is straight then it would be a fun toy.
 
Said in his ad that you'll see a few drips after driving it but that's normal for 5.0s with that kind of mileage. My main thing is the frame and if it drives straight. He did mention that the black on black combo was a rare combo.... maybe he was saying black on black cloth was rare which would match up with what you're saying... not that it matters. Does door tag tell if it was leather or cloth?
 
IMO

depends on price selling a salvage car is tough. what is the color combo, and how does it look? I wouldn't pay more than 5K for a cobra with a salvage title and that millage.
 
that's what I was looking for S&B. I was thinking of offering him 4500 and then take it to the local SVT shop to have them take a look at the frame and other areas of concern

it's black with black cloth interior, exterior looks good and he says there's no rust. interior in good shape from what I can tell thinking about going to look at it tomorrow.

Anybody else care to submit what they'd pay? If you've already passed, thanks for your opinion and I'll definitely take it into consideration.
 
anything with black interior sells, if your that worried about the alignment of the frame you can buy it subject to inspection. but Honestly after you drive the car and look at it well, or even have a mechanic look it over im sure you will have no major issues.

I just got my cobra in jan. it has about the same millage and im updating the wearable parts, itis a bit of an expense but getting it back to original stock condition is my goal. Every 5.0 needs something or maybe i just have to do something to them.... anyway i would buy that car at 5K all day if you don't buy it PM me the guys number and I might have a wack at it. Im trying to get one of each color.
 
The car has been around long enough that it might be okay, but it does concern me that it was salvaged early in it's life, because that meant that it had to have a pretty severe amount of damage to total it out.

If I had a clean GT that I knew was in good shape, I don't think I'd dump it for a salvage title Cobra.
 
salvage titles are also applied to stolen cars that are stripped by chop shops and then rebuilt when recovered. perhaps that is what happened. either way a mechanic that can put it on a frame machine is a must for me with that unknown history.