I'm a newbie with mustangs, but I have narrowed it down to the '96-'98 models. There are two to choose from in my local classifieds. A '97 Cobra ($16,500) stock, 5-spd, Enkei V-I rims, Potenza Z tires AND a '97 GT ($12,500) Vortech supercharged, 5-spd. Which would be the better value and faster car (the way they are)?
N/A 97 Cobra has 305RWHP and 285RWTQ.As for the 97 Mustang GT
it has 292RWHP and 345RWTQ if it is a 8lb. S-Trim kit by Vortech.
I would personaly choice the 97 Mustang GT in my opnion.Test drive
them and see whatever one that is worth buying.Those are fairly
cheap price's if you ask me.Remember though that a Vortech S/C
is oil feed just some food for thought and you alway's get what
you pay for.
I would go with the Cobra, has better resale value and it will be considered more collectible than the 97GT.
The 97 GT 4.6 is also a weak engine, and being supercharged it would be suspect of damaged or at least worn internals.
The Cobra also has more potential, no doubt about that. Its only weak point is the computer which has a very bad calibration but fixed easy with a good chip.
Originally posted by 96TT N/A 97 Cobra has 305RWHP and 285RWTQ.As for the 97 Mustang GT
it has 292RWHP and 345RWTQ if it is a 8lb. S-Trim kit by Vortech.
I would personaly choice the 97 Mustang GT in my opnion.Test drive
them and see whatever one that is worth buying.Those are fairly
cheap price's if you ask me.Remember though that a Vortech S/C
is oil feed just some food for thought and you alway's get what
you pay for.
a stock '97 Cobra will dyno 255-275rwhp depending on engine condition, and simply if its a strong engine or a weaker engine. Most dyno closer to the higher end.
I've personally seen a vortech blown '98 GT make 280rwhp, but thats tuned and with 24lb hr injectors. The GT may make anywhere from 250-290rwhp, its a crap shoot. However a stock '97 with just a blower isn't going to be all that impressive running the stock non PI heads.
I'd say go with the Cobra. N/A its already at an advantage. With 4.30s, exhaust, and drag radials mid - low 13s will be easy. A vortech on the Cobra will net awesome gains, enough to make a solid 12 second (11 second capable) car. If you want those kinds of gains out of the GT you're going to need to do the headswap.
I'd say look at both cars and see which one is in better shape, go for that, but personally I'd prefer the Cobra.
A buddy of mine has a 97 cobra with mods and he dynoed 260 RWHP and 260 RWTQ... Don't be so quick to assume what everyone posts in magazines is true. He dynoed the same time I did two weeks ago.
Originally posted by Mana4Real A buddy of mine has a 97 cobra with mods and he dynoed 260 RWHP and 260 RWTQ... Don't be so quick to assume what everyone posts in magazines is true. He dynoed the same time I did two weeks ago.
damn, that seems kinda low for a modded Cobra. what does he have done to it? also, are those numbers corrected?
Ya the numbers are correct. I raced him after we left the dyno and I beat him... We are both excellent drivers. He's got the K&N FIPK, 50 series flows, Ford recalled/recalibrated chip, MSD coils, Ford Racing HD clutch, and a Hurst short throw. I think he's got a couple other things. I have his dyno sheet on my computer, but my computer is broken. I'll post the sheet when I get it back up and running next week.
Oh ya and his fuel curve was perfect, 12.5 all the way through the rpm range.
Originally posted by Mana4Real Ya the numbers are correct. I raced him after we left the dyno and I beat him... We are both excellent drivers. He's got the K&N FIPK, 50 series flows, Ford recalled/recalibrated chip, MSD coils, Ford Racing HD clutch, and a Hurst short throw. I think he's got a couple other things. I have his dyno sheet on my computer, but my computer is broken. I'll post the sheet when I get it back up and running next week.
Oh ya and his fuel curve was perfect, 12.5 all the way through the rpm range.
but I mean are they SAE corrected? For temp/humidity/etc. I noticed that you are in CA, and if it was a humid warm day and the numbers weren't corrected they may be lower than what is typically found in corrected numbers. From what I've seen he doesn't really have any mods that would cause a big jump in hp, so essentially we're looking at a near stock '97. The Flows may give a slight gain, and probably the FIPK, but I've heard that they suck hot air on the dyno and may cost you hp. If he gets an h-pipe he should see some big gains, the stock 6 cat h-pipe blows. I'm running a MAC 2 cat h-pipe, but I'm considering going to an offroad h-pipe.
Do the Cobras come with the 6-cat pipe? I always thought that they came with the 4 cat stock.
I would also go with the Cobra, the GT makes more torque with the blower, but the Cobra has more potential, and its more valuable as others have already said.
__________________
Jesse Berger 90 LX, Previous 4 cyl. (Decommissioned, 351W on the way)
H/C/I+Bolt Ons
Best ET: 12.54@106 mph 2001 V6 5 Speed Daily Driver Windstar Intake, Dual Exhuast, CAI, Headers
Best ET: 15.6@88 mph (stock trim)
For that Cobra that had mods making 260rwhp. Those were nothing impressive. They were mods that make 2 hp here and 5 hp there. Now if he had a o/r h pipe, cai,timingadjuster,pulleys, etc, then something is wrong. As for the recalled chip, I'd like to see that. I have yet to see any tsb on it.
The Cobras do not have 6 catted h pipe. They have 4.
When buying a used car I think one of the things you have to think about is are the miles hard or soft. A stock Cobra probably was driven pretty easily so the miles should be pretty soft miles, easier on the motor. A supercharged GT I would think has many more mods to go along with it and has probably seen a lot of track time. Or at least been raced along the street a lot. You wouldn't supercharge just to go back and forth from work. So those miles are probably pretty hard miles. I think the Cobra would be a better value just in that respect. That is just my humble $.02 Good luck
I would like to thank everyone for their comments. I am test driving the COBRA tomorrow and if everything goes right, I will be talking to you guys more in the future with more tech questions.
What I didn't realize was the high insurance cost ($2000 per year) from Allstate!!!
gz97stang,ALLSTATE insurance is one of the better insurance
company's on the market today and is we'll worth the extra
money.Remember if you did get into a fender bender they
would give you a better check than if you went with cheaper
insurance company that would try to shaft you in the end.
Good Luck and happy times with your 97 Cobra.Come back
again!
'97 COBRA vs '97 GT Supercharged 
