Go for the blown 03 & 04 cobras. They can be had for $25-$30k depending on mods.

 

I paid $16,500 for my 01 Cobra this past April. It's a convertable and had 48K on the ticker, BONE stock also. Well it was.....now I dropped about $40K into her, but the entrance fee was low. If you have more money up front, I'd go for the 03-04 model if I had to do it all over again. I only had 20 grand saved at the time, and couldn't find anything but tore up 03s with crap loads of miles. For the price I spent thus far I could have had a Shelby GT500. But it would have been stock. I bet you could score an 01 Cobra for about $13K.

 

the 99 cobras are getting to the point where they are way more afforable than an 03/04, big difference in performance....I know, but you can do what im planning to do with my 99 I bought last month, I payed 12,500 for mine with only 37k miles with all the bolt-ons, I'll be getting a bulit crate motor and a KB blower, make as much or more power than any 03/04 at 2/3 of the cost of buying a 03/04

 

Wow, thanks for the replys! Do you guys know if cobras are in high demand right now? I live in Arizona and i've checking the news paper but no one seems to be sellling them right now.

 

That's because they are all over here on the East coast! I've seen soo many for sale lately.
One thing you have to consider and I'm currently going through it is that if you put a built motor and big old blower on you'll need to swap out your fuel tank to an 03-04 Cobra, run twin pumps, and upgrade the transmission.
I went from a stock bottom end with lots of bolt ons plus a D1SC running 8lbs of boost, to ordering the 16lb pulley. Since I was already maxing out the stock block and fuel pump, I ordered the MMR 5.0 stroker, and all the fuel mods, plus a T-56, new clutch, etc...So while some may think you can just put a built 4.6 with forged pieces together, and stick on a big blower, you can't. Not at the power it's capable of.
Well, you can if you must, but you'll have a ticking time bomb. One day you'll pull away from a light rather agressively, hit 2nd, then third, and WHAMO! No more third. Or you'll hit it too hard on a warm day and you'll run lean because your injectors are maxed out.
Just my opinion, but I went through it.

 

...So while some may think you can just put a built 4.6 with forged pieces together, and stick on a big blower, you can't. Not at the power it's capable of.

I understand you cant just drop a forged longblock and a big'ol bower in it not change anything and call it a day and expect everything to work, my point was that even if you buy the long block, the blower and all the supporting hardware (fuel system, transmission, rear end) with a low entrance fee of a 99, in my case (12,500) you still spend less than buying an 03/04 for 25-30 thousand then drop another 6k for a better blower

 

You should be able to pull a 1999 cobra with normal mods for around 10-13k

 

Save for a 03-4, better deal, less work than building a 99-01 to get to the same point or a little better. 12-16k + forged bottom end < an unmolested 03-4 engine/car 25k+ to start with for me. Simple bolt ons on a 03-04 will get you 500+ hp easy. If you're a do it yourself kind of guy, maybe not.

 

I live in Dallas, and there seem to a ton of '03/'04 Cobras for sale. When I got my Bullitt last week, I was checking the dealer websites around town. One dealer, North Central Nissan, had 5 of them for sale. I looked at an '04 Mystic vert with 36K on the clock and no mods other than a CAI. They wanted 27K. If you shop around, you might get a good one for less than $25K. Good luck.

 

I love my 99, but I kinda wish I had got the 03. I have a buddy who's family owns a dealer and he said he'd get me one at cost, but I was dumb and didn't, or maybe he was full of ####e and couldn't. Either way, I wish I had. There is SO much more potential in an 03-04. Swaping engines and transmissions and what not, never go as smooth as they can. I'm a strict do it yourself kinda guy. Being without the car for a month while I sorted out the T-56 swap was rough. You'll basically trade out the drive train and fuel system in a 99-01 to be able to compete with terminators. Plus, their stereos are better and, I think, their seats are better. I'm afriad to total up my costs in the 99, don't want to kick myself for not buying that 03.

 

http://www.mpsautosalvage.com/showcar.cfm?ID=625&CategoryID=1&Display=print

Just an idea.

 

Got my 03 for 21,000 w/ 36,000mls. It was a great deal. Selling my 03 mach 1 for 17,000.
The 03 cobra is a way better platform to start. Its reliable huge power. That to me is priceless.

 

I paid $13,000 for my 01' with 79k. 2 months later I started a little project. Built SB .20 over 9.3:1 compression. LT's, h-pipe, cat-back, ported intake manifold, SCT tune, 03' cobra rims, centerforce stage 2, aluminum flywheel, lowered 2", PR050 short shifter, cobra r hood, chin spoiler, JLT RAI and a couple of other goodies and I'm still under $17,000 total including car

But it helps when you do your own work on your car...

 

i paid 13k for my 99 ..

 

All depends on how much power your looking for...The Terminators are hard to find for under 25k w/ decent mileage...as to where the new edge cobras are going for mid to higher teens. If you can afford the termi. go for it...personally i dont need 600rwhp so id rather pay less and have more money to put into the car.

 

13800 for my 01 Convertible, had 89,000 miles, bone stock. (this July)

For me, 01 was worth it vs the 99 for the small little extras. And after have a 95 vert, no way I was going to a hard top again.

03/04 was wayyyy out of the price range.

 

I have a customer who just bought an 08 GT500. He has a 03 Cobra for sale. 14,700 miles on the car. Here are some details. Price is 25K but is looking at taking best offer. http://home.fastspecialties.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=162&Itemid=2

Ron

Gotta move fast on this one. He iinvested over 15K just in upgrades.