94 talon vs 99 cobra

[white92talontsi]

The 99 cobra suffers from a weak Independent rear suspension, 99 was the first year for IRS on the mustang's and they stopped putting them on the mustangs until the 03 cobra's came out. The IRS is known to snap. I worked on a 99 cobra at work and the guy was like i think the brakes are locked up. Well my friend has a 99 cobra that he bought about a year ago and i went up and done some research on it. I found out about the rear end probs and that the advertised 320 hp was not true. they were recalled but not all were done. i told this kid with the cobra i was like what year is it, he didnt know so i got under the back of it and saw the IRS and told him it was a 99(only year for IRS, except for 03)and i told him that i bet his rearend broke. He didnt believe me so i put up 20 bucks on it without even looking the car over. Sure enough his rearend was shot. This was at 50,000 miles and slick street tires. (shows you how weak they are). They also have a Tremec T5 tranny but they have proved to be weak. So if you guys run up on a cobra just look under the back and see if it has IRS. if it does its either a 99 or 03. you can tell a 03 from a 99 by the bumpers and the rear wing(03 doesnt have a wing just a extended trunk lid) Watch out for the 03 cobras though they come off the showroom floor runnin mid 12's(with the help of the lightning supercharger)

 

[Blue03Cobra]

Originally posted by white92talontsi
The 99 cobra suffers from a weak Independent rear suspension, 99 was the first year for IRS on the mustang's and they stopped putting them on the mustangs until the 03 cobra's came out.

The 2000 Cobra R also had IRS, but I'll cut you some slack about that since only 300 copies were produced. However, you forgot about the 7,251 2001 Cobras that also have the IRS...

Originally posted by white92talontsi
I found out about the rear end probs and that the advertised 320 hp was not true. they were recalled but not all were done. i told this kid with the cobra i was like what year is it, he didnt know so i got under the back of it and saw the IRS and told him it was a 99(only year for IRS, except for 03)

See my previous post about the 28 spline axles on the (non-00R) pre-03 Cobras...the weak link. Considering stock rear bumper covers, the '99 says MUSTANG and the '01 reads COBRA. Also, other than black, white and red, the '99s were available in Electric Green. The '01s had no green, but were available in (black, white and two different reds plus) Silver, Mineral Grey, True Blue and Yellow.

Originally posted by white92talontsi
They also have a Tremec T5 tranny but they have proved to be weak. So if you guys run up on a cobra just look under the back and see if it has IRS. if it does its either a 99 or 03. you can tell a 03 from a 99 by the bumpers and the rear wing(03 doesnt have a wing just a extended trunk lid) Watch out for the 03 cobras though they come off the showroom floor runnin mid 12's(with the help of the lightning supercharger)

1996 was the introduction of the Tremec T-45 transmission. While getting a bad rap for being "weak" it is actually a very strong tranny with weak shift forks. In the absence of an aftermarket shifter that includes stop bolts, the forks bend during hard shifting, especially powershifting. Otherwise, it is a very good piece. The '01s got the Tremec T-3650 which is considered equivalent, if not a slight upgrade from the T-45. The '03s get the T-56 six speed, which has internal stops and, in the Viper and Corvette, has proven to be one of the best mass produced factory transmissions available.

The rear decklid emblem is another way to differentiate: '99s read "SVT Cobra", '01s & '03s read "SVT".

Thanks for the props about the '03s...they are the real deal

 

[pneumo]

HUH? I always thought the rear bumper on the '03 read,"COBRA"?

Oh, well. I guess you'd know since you have one.

 

[Blue03Cobra]

Originally posted by pneumo
HUH? I always thought the rear bumper on the '03 read,"COBRA"?

Oh, well. I guess you'd know since you have one.

Are you referring to the decklid emblem? If so, the '03 is a simple "SVT". The bumper cover on all '96-up Cobras (except '99s and 00Rs) does read "COBRA"...

Here's a pic of mine (with aftermarket black vinyl letters inserted into the recessed bumper):

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[Blue03Cobra]

Forgot to add:

If the '99 has been "fixed", it will have a green dot on the intake manifold (showing that it has been exude honed and the computer flashed), and a loud (for factory) exhaust, that sounds alot like Flowmaster chambered mufflers...

HTH, everyone

 

[DSMeclipse4G63]

I work for ford I can say Ive never seen any 99 recalls or what you guys are talking about. So there must be many out there that are still affected, other than replacing engines in them like crazy(gt's included) no recalls. Oh yeah Ive driven both the 99 and 03 cobras...lemme tell ya 03 are totally different animal by far they are faster and yes they run anything from 12.6-13.4 most (98%) run sub 12.8 sec quarters. 99's arent nearly as fast, but to answer the orginal question as I did before the DSM would win hands down, only if it were a 99 others are a bit quicker.

edit: I wasnt calling it a lie, I just read my post and figured Id clear that up if you thought so

 

[QuickerDSM]

Originally posted by Blue03Cobra
The '03s get the T-56 six speed, which has internal stops and, in the Viper and Corvette, has proven to be one of the best mass produced factory transmissions available.

Agreed, although the T-56 was available in the Z28's and TA's long before the Corvette ever saw one.

Not to be a post whore, but how do you like your Cobra? I talked to a guy at the track about a month ago who owned one. He was running mid 12's with a pulley change (on the blower) a catback and stock tires.

Mike

 

[Blue03Cobra]

Originally posted by QuickerDSM
Not to be a post whore, but how do you like your Cobra? I talked to a guy at the track about a month ago who owned one. He was running mid 12's with a pulley change (on the blower) a catback and stock tires.

I love it. Sig numbers (397/377) are with a 9" cone filter and Flowmaster catback @ 5,600 miles. The car makes 350 RWTq. at 2,600 RPM, so it's pretty much instant acceleration in any gear but sixth.

I've had it just over a year and it now has 8,000 miles so I'll be taking it to the track soon. I'm guessing 12.7 @ 112 with good Texas air, track prep and a decent 60'. With the 50 degree, dense air we've had here recently, I'm back to easily smoking the tires on a 45 MPH punch in 2nd. Last fall I chirped the tires going into fourth at 110

I'm a Mod at SVTPerformance, and we've got lots of guys running mid-high elevens on stock tires with CAI, Pulley/tune and catback. What's your altitude in WA? The guy you met surely needs to uncork the intake, if he hasn't already.

Sorry to hijack the thread, as well, but thanks for asking...

 

[DSMeclipse4G63]

Damn most stockers are dynoing at 400-420 at the rear wheels STOCK. Because they claim sonthing like 380 or so from ford, and they are dynoing better like mopar cause of lawsuits from people mad at g etting less hp than what ford said.
Andrew

Oh yeah by the way the thread is over so it isnt hijacked.

 

[f4st]

'99 cobra had a major problem with engine vibration I beleive.'

I meant drivetrain vibration. BTW, sweet cobra. The only color i like as much as that blue is the mineral grey.