Discuss my decision NOT to purchase an 03/04 Cobra

[Venomous Bite]

If there is one thing I have learned its take whatever you think it is going to cost and add 50% this will give you a truly accurate cost estimate.

[50 BMG]

I figure it will be about 15K or so for all I want to do.

First off DO NOT use any 5.4L aluminum block except the Ford GT's. The SHM and World blocks have already failed more than once a piece.

Second, you will have over 15K in the engine itself.

GT block $2800 on karkraft.com
GT heads $1500 on Ebay once or twice a month from the same guy (stangin)
Crower cam/spring/retainer setup 1300 minimum if you can get a group buy or dealer cost through Dan or Jared @ LP.com
Crower valves $800
Bearings $100
5.4 Forged crank $550
CP Billet pistons and rods $2100
Canton windage tray $80
Canton street/strip 7 qt. Pan $250

So thats $9500 for the absolute essential parts alone (excluding the ~$1000 you'll need for head and rod bolts, head gaskets, valve covers, intake manifold etc.) AND before any labor/machining if needed.

Now add in your optional "upgrades"...

$1000-2000 for head work.
$2000-3000 for starter provision work (mandatory) and a conversion to wet sump system (not mandatory and I'd stick to a dry sump if at all possible)
$1500 for wet sleeve
$ ? for balancing the rotating assembly
$ God knows for the more than likely custom headers for it to fit into a stang's engine bay.

And on and on.

If there is one thing I have learned its take whatever you think it is going to cost and add 50% this will give you a truly accurate cost estimate.

Hmm, sounds like a labor quote from SVC...

[sovapid]

To me it seems like that would be an endless blackhole for money and heartache. Everything would be custom (can you even get a KB for the GT heads on a 5.4).

It would definately be cool, but unless your are sitting on a mountain of money and/or can perform the work yourself, I wouldn't do it.

I agree with lucaful, if you want the new style mustang, get the gt and put a saleen blower on it. Build the bottom end if you want to go for bigger power.

If you can't find any Cobras that you like around here, look nationwide and spend a few hundred for a plane ticket: Cars.com search.

Pick up a Cobra and a Helion turbo kit and you can get to 700ish hp relatively easy. (Relative to what you listed above. Still quite a bit of work) Cobra for $25 - 30K and $10k for turbo and supporting mods.

[50 BMG]

To me it seems like that would be an endless blackhole for money and heartache. Everything would be custom (can you even get a KB for the GT heads on a 5.4).

It would definately be cool, but unless your are sitting on a mountain of money and/or can perform the work yourself, I wouldn't do it.

I was going to do the same build as I listed out above. As you can see, doing it right the first time would cost me 20 grand. I abandoned the Ford GT engine build about a month ago now.

I'm thinking of just buying a GT outright in 2008 or 2009 when they're going to be at the lowest price and with the most availability.