Question: Is this a truely a real 2003 Cobra?

**03SnakePlissken** · 09-19-2009, 07:48 PM

I took the car to my pal who has something that even I don't have.... a LIFT!

While tweaking the exhaust, changing the brakes, and installing and tightening a shit-ton of loose/missing bolts... I was telling him that the 03/04 Cobra was an IRS.

He then looked at the floor around the solid axle 8.8 (That I was told was swapped in) and said that this was never a independant suspension car. He said that this was a standard Mustang that was dressed in Cobra clothes and a Cobra engine/trans/interior, but it is not a natural born SVT car. He went on to further make me cry harder (JK) by saying it was a Chevelle SS "Clone".

He based all of this off of the fact that there are mounts to install the upper control arms into the chassis... but he followed up saying that an independant rear would have been bolted straight up and that there are no mounts for an IRS type of installation, yet there are mounts for a solid rear axle type of installation.

So to those of ya that know a ton more than me (I know little to nothing!).... in your expert opinion...... IS THIS A NATURAL BORN COBRA.... or a combination of crashed cars assembled to appear as a SVT born car?

Pictures follow:

First, here is all the pictures taken of our 2003 Terminator Vert, in case you want to wade through them all.....
[ame="http://s409.photobucket.com/albums/pp174/larry0071/2003%20Mustang%20Terminator%20Convertable/"]2003 Mustang Terminator Convertable pictures by larry0071 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid409.photobucket.com/albums/pp174/larry0071/2003%20Mustang%20Terminator%20Convertable/VIDEO0006.flv@@AMEPARAM@@static@@AMEPARAM@@409@@AM EPARAM@@pp174/larry0071/2003%20Mustang%20Terminator%20Convertable/VIDEO0006[/ame]

Here are the pictures that I say are related to this conversation.

**97LaserRed** · 09-19-2009, 08:02 PM

looks like they swaped the rear end to me and cut the exhaust.....

**street591** · 09-19-2009, 08:42 PM

Personally I would call the svt registry and have them run the vin to see what it comes up as.

I didn't look at any of the pics but does it have the right side scoops? They should be all straight lines in the insert instead of grated. Also if you remove them they'll have a metal terminator I'd tag.

**RUTHLESS** · 09-19-2009, 09:40 PM

What are those hoses for that run to the drivers side fender? You and see them in the engine bay upderside shot.

Never mind it looks like an oil filter relocation.

**biminiLX** · 09-19-2009, 09:41 PM

Carfax the VIN or call Ford SVT hotline but I'd bet its a real Cobra. The rear swap won't tell you anything, all chassis attachments are same IRS/straight axle.
-J

**RUTHLESS** · 09-19-2009, 09:45 PM

That looks like Regans old car.

**vitaleffects626** · 09-19-2009, 09:48 PM

i say its real i dont belive some one to go thru all that truble and cash to do that but who knows

**03SnakePlissken** · 09-19-2009, 09:56 PM

Correct. It is Regans old car.

The hoses are for the oil filter relocation kit.

The rear swap won't tell you anything, all chassis attachments are same IRS/straight axle.

So the IRS did not have a cage or frame system mounted to unique brackets under the car? My buddy was telling me that any IRS setup he had seen was bolted up in vertically, but this has no provisions for a vertically attached center section carrier.

**RUTHLESS** · 09-19-2009, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by 03SnakePlissken

Correct. It is Regans old car.

and you are only worried about it being real or not?

**White5.0** · 09-19-2009, 11:43 PM

just look up the vin number here it will tell you:

https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...ls/default.asp

also, you can take out the black side scoop insert and look at the back of it. the word 'terminator' is on the back of them. if its a clone i doubt they would swap that but you never know

**03 OW SVT** · 09-20-2009, 06:37 AM

Another way to check is the Steering wheel air-bag. If it says Cobra on it than it is a Cobra. If it says Mustang then its a fake. Most people don't want to go through the extra hassle and pay the extra $$ to put a Cobra air-bag in a regular Stang.

**03SnakePlissken** · 09-20-2009, 11:21 AM

It is a real natural born SVT car. That makes me happy.

Originally Posted by White5.0

just look up the vin number here it will tell you:

https://www.fleet.ford.com/maintenan...ls/default.asp

also, you can take out the black side scoop insert and look at the back of it. the word 'terminator' is on the back of them. if its a clone i doubt they would swap that but you never know

Here is what I get from running the VIN on that website:

VIN: 1FAFP49Y43F401645
World Manufacturer Identifier - 1st, 2nd, 3rd Positions VIN Code:1FA
Assembly Country:UNITED STATES
Make:Ford
Body Style:Convertible
Restraint System Type (Passenger Cars) or Brake Type and GVWR Class (Trucks and Vans) - 4th Position VIN Code:FBrake System:STANDARD GVWR Class: Restraint:DUAL FRONT AIR BAG-ACTIVE BELTS Line,Series Body Type - 5th, 6th, 7th Positions VIN Code:P49Vehicle
Line:Mustang
Series:Cobra Svt Vehicle
Type:Passenger Car
Engine Type - 8th Position VIN Code:Y
Engine:4.6 L
Cylinders:8
Fuel:Gasoline
Model Year - 10th Position VIN Code:3
Model Year:2003
Assembly Plant - 11th Position VIN Code:F
Assembly Plant DEARBORN, MICHIGAN
Production Sequence Number - 12th - 17th VIN Code:401645
Prod Sequence Number401645
Additional Information
Wheel Axles Wheelbase202.6

**Martin0660** · 09-19-2009, 10:03 PM

It is a very common mod for guys to bolt the Cobra IRS assembly into normal FOX chasis cars. The mounting points are all the same. Ford built the cobra IRS craddle to bolt in to the normal solid axle pick up points. That is why it is easy to bolt a solid axle (like yours) into a Cobra for racing.

**biminiLX** · 09-19-2009, 10:05 PM

And your buddy would be right if Ford wanted to do it the right way :) .
The Cobra IRS is a cost compromise---not bad but still a compromise.
-J

**mlowry1260** · 09-20-2009, 09:22 AM

In the end, isn't the VIN ninumber what matters?

**03 OW SVT** · 09-20-2009, 09:53 AM

Originally Posted by mlowry1260

In the end, isn't the VIN ninumber what matters?

Yup!

**jaa55** · 09-20-2009, 03:58 PM

heres your IRS if your wondering what it looked like

**regan** · 09-21-2009, 02:08 AM

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR1pvcBs_3o"]YouTube- 170mph svt cobra[/ame]

that is my car just sold it last week to some guy in beaver county that is really funny to see it is a real cobra i hope it was here is a video of 170mph on route 28 in pittsburgh it was a real fast car and missing it already

**crazylou** · 09-21-2009, 02:55 AM

Originally Posted by regan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR1pvcBs_3o

that is my car just sold it last week to some guy in beaver county that is really funny to see it is a real cobra i hope it was here is a video of 170mph on route 28 in pittsburgh it was a real fast car and missing it already

WHATS SO FUNNY ABOUT IT..... NOTHING U SELL A GUY A COBRA AND DONT EVEN NO URSELF I THINK THAT IS FUNNY, MAYBE I AM MISUNDERSTANDING U IF SO SORRY...

**03SnakePlissken** · 09-21-2009, 06:55 AM

Originally Posted by regan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR1pvcBs_3o

that is my car just sold it last week to some guy in beaver county that is really funny to see it is a real cobra i hope it was here is a video of 170mph on route 28 in pittsburgh it was a real fast car and missing it already

No offense Regan, but I've met 4 year old that have a better grasp of the english language and how to form sentances and punctuate. Many of the (ok, all of the) posts you make are at best... VERY difficult to understand. Try to type things using the cool new things we have come up with in the last few thousand years... you know, like capital letters at the start of sentances......Periods at the end.......commas showing a break. All of this will make you look like a person that has graduated beyond the 4th grade. Actually, I think I just insulted 4th graders by comparing your writing skills to thiers!

Our Cobra was yours, and it is interesting that you had never wondered if it had been a real natural born Cobra or not. We ran the VIN (copied above) and found that it was in fact a natural born SVT Cobra.

We have also fixed many of the problems. No rattles any more. Half the car was loose or missing bolts. Shit was falling apart underneath.

The rear axle needed a QUART of fluid.

Rear axle ladder bar bolts were ready to fall out. The U-Bolts were hand tight.

Exhaust was a wreck. I spent over an hour just on bending/adjusting the exhaust. I'm lucky to have a exhaust bender available at my pals place.

Wire was cut on rear brake lights, fixed. Fuse blown due to a short caused by cut wire. Fixed.

Hydraulic lines on rack were twisted and bent. Fixed.

Brake lines going to front wheels were swinging in the breeze. Brackets made, fixed.

Clutch cable was bent very hard/sharp and binding. Re-Routed.

Front pads were bad, you knew that. You provided new pads for us. Thank you. Installed.

Front brake street legal kit being ordered from Aerospace Componants to replace the drag race brake rotor.

Honestly, we have only a couple more issues to overcome and the car will be tight and complete. It was not a complete mess, it just had a bunch of little shit that took no more than 6 hours on a lift to fix. All that is left is a rythmic thump in the drivetrain and getting the OEM steering wheel and air-bad back on it. After that she won't appear to be some riceburner reject and she should be ready for PRP next spring. Hell, I may even hook up the Snow Performance Water injection, but I will not spray it with meth, only water.

Regan, I am sorry to insult you, but every post of yours is embarrassing. You should present yourself as you are, an intelligent young man with a higher education. Form reading your posts, these folks most likely think that you dropped out of school in the 3rd grade so you can push drugs in the hood. You are very much the opposite. Represent yourself respectfully.