Please Help! How can I tell my stang is a real cobra or not?

Well, the 1996-98 model year Cobra came with a 4.6L DOHC engine. 1994-1995 Cobra's came with the 5.0L. If by some chance your mistaken or mistyped the engine displacement you can tell by the 8th digit of your VIN# which is the engine code.
They goes as follows:
4.............3.8L V6
W............4.6L SOHC V8
V.............4.6L DOHC V8
T.............5.0L H.O. V8
D.............5.0L Cobra V8

And, the 10th digit of the VIN# is the Model Year Code which are as follows:
R..............1994
S..............1995
T..............1996
V..............1997
W.............1998

Another easy way to tell the year is the 1994-95 have horizontal taillights and the 96-98 have vertical taillights.

Do you know any history on your stang? If the VIN comes back as a 6 cylinder then there is a good chance that is how she was built. Its not uncommon for guys to upgrade their mustang from 6cyl to a GT or Cobra by bolting on the right pieces and badges. This is also true for specialty mustangs such as Roush, Saleen and Steeda. As you said, it really does'nt matter since in effect your pony has all the parts, performance and looks of a Cobra and obviously if upgraded, it is a very good job.

As far a validating whether it's a true Cobra or not, there is probably a Cobra registry where you can check it out. Another approach would be the one I took where I researched my 92 Limited Edition convertible right back to the dealership where she was purchased. Either way it sounds to me you have yourself a Cobra, even if she was not factory built. You got it right. Quite a car for your first mustang. Enjoy your ride!

Get your authentification if you want to check

stolen from another site:

This is for everyone looking to get there SVT build number.

http://www.svt.ford.com/contactUs.asp


“Certificates of Authenticity are provided to registered owners of SVT products,whether purchased new or used. The certificates contain exact information and detail the production number, date of production, vehicle identification number and where the vehicle was produced. These certificates are automatically sent to all new owners. All others requesting certificates must provide legal documentation showing the vehicle identification number, your name and current address, and a document validating you as the owner. Examples of this documentation would be a certificate of insurance, registration, title or buyers order. A copy of the documentation must be Faxed or mailed to SVT Headquarters in order to receive the certificate.”

Fax number: (313) 621-2500

Mailing address:
SVT Information Center
P.O. Box 490
Dearborn, Michigan 48121

Phone: 1-800-FORD-SVT
(800) 367-3788

Hours: Monday thru Friday
8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Eastern time.

If you are a current owner and you move, please notify SVT via Fax or mail

Hope My Replay Can Still Be Of Some Help

I have a 96 Cobra. It may be a little much to hope for, but there should be an authentication sticker somewhere on the engine block. I still have mine, but it is ridiculously faded. With all the aftermarket parts today, it is easy to be duped. I've raced my share of people who put a Cobra bodykit and exhaust on their car, and assumed that it gave their 96 GT a jump from 215HP to 305. Be careful about rounding up your engine size, as previously mentioned, the 96 comes with the 4.6L modular engine. It is faster than the GT because it has DOHC and an upgraded intake. One telltale sign of a fake Cobra is a lack of a snake design on the intake. I'll upload a pic of my block to show you what I'm talking about.

Hope this helps, and I really hope you didn't get screwed. The extra horsepower really is a ton of fun, and in my opinion, the naturally aspirated engine of the 96 Cobra is still one of the best Cobra engines (With the exception of the 5.4L that is now cranking out an absurd amount of power).