[itsallme2500]

Hey guys, I currently have a guy trying to sell me his 1997 cobra. The car looks nice and everything, but he says the car has a ticking noise, which he blames a valve or a valve guide on.

The car comes with a brand new set of heads off a 96 cobra, but is it worth it? Could it be way worse then what he is making it seem?

he will take 4800 for the car...

thanks for the help

Here is an e mail he sent me about the ticking

it doesnt throw ne codes the valves arent sticking it runs smooth and sounds good its like a very slight ehaust leak. thats how minor the tick is. i dont know if the cams were degreed properly my friend has the tool for the cams but it wasnt for dual ohc
so i degreed the one at a time. the car doesnt seem like its as fast as it should be. i would say they are definelty within a 3 degree range from being perfect. when you go through the heads it has to be timed again ne way.

[limp1969]

common problem with cobra motors. 96-98 cobra motors have crappy rods and bearings in them. Make sure the car is cold before you look at it. If its warm then the guy started it before you got there to cover up any spun bearing etc.. If the car looks great inside and out a new ford service long block is $4600 with a 3 year warranty the car is worth around $8k if it had a new engine

[2Manystangs]

Don't buy it...you'll spend way more fixing a headache than just spending a little extra to get a perfect driving car...ebay has tons of 96-97s in the low 6K area...