Alright so I might be getting a mustang as my next car. I know I know. But it's really a great bang for the buck kind of car. I'm either looking at the 93-98 Mustang Cobras, or the 99-04 GTs. I'm pretty sure they both run the about the same times stock, but I was wondering which ones are more easily modded, and which ones are more reliable? Any input?

1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX - SOLD
2006 Mustang GT Convertible

93 cobra is a no, unless you have $10k.

94 & 95 cobra had the pushrod 5.0l v8, and about 240 HP. They respond well to mods, but I've kinda grown to think that body's kinda ugly (I had a 97 GT, same body), and the 5.0l as older technology.

96-98 cobra's are a DOHC 4.6l with like 300 HP, aka 4v (4 valves per cylinder). Again, early SN-95 body, but different ground effects make a big difference. These aren't cheap.

99-01 cobra is the same DOHC 4.6l, but with 320 hp, look fuckin sweet, and have something no other cobra EVER had, amber blinkers. Don't even bother with the 00 Cobra R, you can't afford it.

03-04 cobra, you can't afford, but fuckin own.

That being said, I'd go with the SN95 body with the SOHC 4.6l (aka 2v) (either is up to you, 96-98 and 99-04). If you get the early SN95 with the non-PI 4.6l, you have room to grow pretty easily. Unfortunately, the 96 & 97 only have 215 hp, and 98 had 225. However, you throw a set of PI (99-04) heads w/cams & intake and it'll bump you to like 265-270-ish (higher than PI motors).

On the non-PI motors, they had flat-top pistons with a higher cc combustion chamber. When Ford redesigned and came up with the Performance Improved 4.6l, they moved the fire down into the cylinders with dish pistons and lower cc combustion chambers. You combine the lower cc heads and flat-top pistons will bump your compression to close to 10.5:1. The PI cams are a better profile, and the PI intake has more volume. They're all a direct bolt-on, but have to go together, as the intake ports are different shapes between PI & non-PI. You could also swap in the 4v heads, but there's a bit more to it than just 'swapping'.

Then, all 2v 4.6l, for an additional $200~300, or so, you can get an aftermarket plenum (upper intake) and 70 or 75 mm throttle body, which is good for roughly 5~10 HP. You can pull one from a 99 model, as it's like 66.5 **CORRECTION = 66.8mm**(I think the biggest of all years).

Off-road x-pipe, h-pipe, or pro-chamber, non-factory mufflers (or throw in cat-back if you want), and you've got a nice exhaust setup. Most mid-pipe's run $100+, same with a set of mufflers, and never purchased a cat-back system.

The 4.6l responds to mods well, but the 4v doesn't have as much of a following as the 2v, in reference to aftermarket.

~Luke
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1969 Cougar - 11.91 - 380HP
2007 GSXR 750
1999 OZ - SOLD - 15.26 NA - 14.71 on 75 shot

Thanks for the detailed reply cougar, but I was looking for a comparison from the earlier cobras to the newer (99+) GT's! I obviously can't afford a newer model cobra haha. Thanks for enlightening me on all the cobra generations though!

1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX - SOLD
2006 Mustang GT Convertible

In that case, buy a 96-98 GT, PI heads w/cams & intake. You're only about 20 HP from a stock cobra of the same year. Add a 75mm throttle body, upper plenum, UDP set, off-road mid-pipe, cat-back, and a set of 3.73 gears and you'll probably out run stock cobra's of the same year.

Then, throw on the cobra body parts and you're good to go.

**EDIT**
I simply prefer the 99+, though. The 99 has the smallest combustion chamber head and biggest TB, but only 9.3:1 compression. In mid-2001, the water pump pulley changed, among a few other things, and they bumped it to 9.7:1 compression. Both have the claimed 260HP, but I think the 2001+ probably responds more to power adders.

However, you can use the 96-98 pistons and be at about 10.5:1.

~Luke
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1969 Cougar - 11.91 - 380HP
2007 GSXR 750
1999 OZ - SOLD - 15.26 NA - 14.71 on 75 shot

With all of the problems you had with your dsm... Do you seriously think its the best idea for you to buy a ford? Lol... Buy a toyota or a honda dude, then you dont have to worry about reliability.

Don't sell your car to 16 year olds...

95 Eclipse RS - Sold for 6k, totalled three days later
91 Dodge Stealth R/T TT - 3" exhaust w/ no cats, eurethane motor mounts, 300M unbreakable output shaft, kevlar faced clutch, turbo XS BOV, 99 3000gt front conversion, carbon fiber hood. Dyno'd at 386hp. - SOLD! for 5k
98 Dodge Ram 1500 Club Cab 4x4 black on black.

1991 Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX - SOLD
2006 Mustang GT Convertible

Don't sell your car to 16 year olds...

95 Eclipse RS - Sold for 6k, totalled three days later
91 Dodge Stealth R/T TT - 3" exhaust w/ no cats, eurethane motor mounts, 300M unbreakable output shaft, kevlar faced clutch, turbo XS BOV, 99 3000gt front conversion, carbon fiber hood. Dyno'd at 386hp. - SOLD! for 5k
98 Dodge Ram 1500 Club Cab 4x4 black on black.

69 Cougar (made by Ford) never left me stranded.
89 Ford probe GT never left me stranded, except when I totaled it (not sure if it counts).
90 Lincoln Mark VII never left me stranded (140k miles).
90 Mustang GT never left me stranded (215k miles).
99 Eclipse GS allowed me to fix it once on the side of the road, and spun rod bearing later (110k miles).
97 Mustang GT never left me stranded (135k miles).
02 Chevy 1500 left me stranded twice (but I fixed it on the spot after running to the parts store) (88k miles).
99 Mustang GT never left me stranded (147k miles). It tried when the throw-out bearing went out, but that's an easy fix on RWD.

Notice a trend?

Not to mention, total cost of ownership is cheaper than an Audi.

~Luke
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1969 Cougar - 11.91 - 380HP
2007 GSXR 750
1999 OZ - SOLD - 15.26 NA - 14.71 on 75 shot