Basically my dilemma is something I'm sure you guys have seen or experienced before.

I'm just wondering what else could go wrong given what I've replaced.

I purchased my 98 cobra vert with 46k miles on it, already supercharged with lots of supporting mods back in may for 10k. It had a cage, shift light, etc. in it, and I knew it had been raced, but bought it anyways thinking it would be fine. Here's a summary of the problems I've dealt with, from may til now putting only 6k miles on her.

-Overheated (still don't know what the dealership did to fix)

-Headlight switch/Control stalk

-Power Steering hose

-Rear end was probably gone from the get go, but now replacing it.

-Chewed through rear brakes twice as fast as fronts, metal to metal nearly destroyed rotors.


The motor has a procharger p1 at 10psi on a 6rib system.


I guess my question is, what else is gonna be needed to make this thing reliable at 52k miles? What maintenance is coming up?

I love the car, I honestly do. But, it doesn't make sense to me to keep pouring money into it and not being able to drive it while it's down, when I could cut my losses and buy something else.

Some of you guys that have owned your cars for a long time now, help me out here.

Part of the problem is both my father and I are invested into this car. He wants me to basically fix it and dump it asap, and buy something else, mustangs being out of the question in his opinion (he's biased now since this one had a few issues). Both his and my previous cars were mercedes and Lexus, so he's not quite used to vehicles having issues. I honestly love the car, but as of late have been considering selling.


Sorry for the long post, I'm just looking for some insight from some of you veterans.

Most of teh stuff you mentioned seemed to be minor. The rear end was probably caused by a shitty gear swap. The brakes I would check the proportioning valve OR it's a possibilty that the car may have done a few brake stands in the past and could have bad calipers which are causing the brakes to get chewed up as bad as they are. That car can actually last for many years. The only thing I would recomend doing RIGHT AWAY is a good tune. The car running as rich as it is will surely detroy rings and you definitely don't want that. Trust me Derricks Cobra took a slew of beatings in my hands and it took them in his hands as well and that car never missed a beat. There are many other Cobra owners out there that can attest to that. Only issue is when they aren't tuned right they do have a habit of kissing the 7 piston goodbye.

IMRC if it goes get the delete

def worth it if it does go....may want to get it done before tune as well since it needs to be calibrated for.

thanks guys. I have the money for IMRC deletes and a tune, but again my hurdle is convincing my father. We've both got money invested in this car and while i'd love to, I don't have the money to pay him off for his end and then insure it under my name, and he's dead set on fixing the rear end and just dumping it.

I may have another way out of the situation, giving the rover back to him to make his money and then just taking out a smaller loan for a daily around springtime, keeping the cobra as a toy for both of us, since we're both invested in it.


It sucks, because i know it's just a car, but for some reason even through the problems it's had and the aggrivation it's caused, i still love the friggin thing. I dunno if its the look, sound, power or what but i really do love the thing.

a tune is definately a must if you plan to keep it. do you have any idea if the car is even mechanically sound? from what you describe in all your posts about the car it sounds like you bought someone else's rigged up car.. blower slapped on without any real supporting mods or quality of work.

I'm 99% sure the motor itself is stock. Car has stock headers on it and i don't think any internal/valvetrain work was done. Honestly, I don't think the motor has ever been out of the car. The previous owner, i must say, did do a good job with supporting fuel mods for the blower (pump, regulator, injectors, but stock rails). The car honestly runs great. It was definitely run hard and raced before I got it, but still runs excellent aside from running a bit rich. The trans makes no noises and doesn't do anything weird other than occasionally not wanting to go into reverse, which is solved by going to first, quick clutch kick, and then into reverse. Also occasionally grinds on a quick 1-2 shift, but that's normal for the t45 and usually solved by the royal purple synchromesh fluid I was planning to use, and the hurst shifter I wanted to buy since it has positive stops. Clutch is fine, i believe it to be a king cobra or something similar as it's much heavier than stock. My uncle who has a bad knee can't even drive it because of how heavy the clutch is, but i love it. The rear end, always made some noise but i never thought it was a big deal. Found recently that the posi clutches were burnt and the carrier bearings were shot. Replacing that with a rear end out of an 03 GT with 60k. Even with a bad posi unit the car pulled like hell. Can't wait to get it back, should feel faster.

Cooling, which is a big deal with these cars, is no problem since the one time it overheated. Even then, i shut it off quickly enough to not do damage to it. Car runs right around the R in normal on the gauge, even lower on cold nights on the highway because of the front mount.

No electrical issues, new battery as of a few weeks ago. Honestly, with the rear end fixed and the tune, mechanically it'll be perfect, outside of maybe needing an IAC.

Suspension is good. Shocks respond well, left rear spring creaks a bit but I was planning to lower it anyways. Full length subframe connectors are in perfect shape. Sway bars too, but could probably use some new bushings. All suspension components are in good shape.

Brakes are fine, i just didn't pay attention to the rears which caused that problem.

No rust on the body anywhere, could probably use just a buff and/or quick wetsand to be perfect. Some blend work was done on the body kit, which is now pulling away unfortunately and looks a bit ugly, but overall really not bad. Frame is also solid.

Top leaks just like any other convertible, right at the fold point over the quarter window. If left in the rain too long the right rear carpet gets really wet. Always just shopvac'd it and called it a day.

I'd really like to offer advice, but I can't. I've had my cavalier for 6 years and 60K+ miles. The daily driver cavalier sorta grew into a project and has been apart in every way except the fuel tank and rear axle off the body, I tend to just change or upgrade anything I can budget permitting.

Edit: oops. Didn't realize this was Mustang specific.. Thought it was high mileage specific

lol either way, its a 98 and only has 52k on it

i find the best treatment for older high mileage cars is to take them out and beat the shit right out of them. did that with my t-bird when i got it in 2003 with 32K on the clock and never had a problem with it.

honestly doesnt seem like much of a problem to me. you bought a raced car. guess what thats abuse. the rear isnt gonna take all that punishment without the proper equipment. i think the brakes are from the waterbox. and the headlight switch and power steering lines arent a big deal.

IMO i would sell it and buy somthing emissions exempt thats alot funner to drive. even a fox body would be a better carf. but im not sure what kinda of car your looking for. but a mustang is a straight line car. theyre arent good at turning. gotta analyze what you want ina car and then make your desicsion. but it doesnt seem like the car is too much of a pile. so it all in how much you like it.

lol, clear em out. and if its gonna break it'll break then

Run synthetic ftw, its old its going to need maintence every now and again and sensors and such only last so long...(especially out in the elements)
As for the top..that leaking can get reallly yucky and rot the shhhhit ouutta your floors even though you do vac it.... make sure all of the drainage tube thingys flow.(also makes the int smell uhg ) if you ever want to get a new one i've heard very good things about a place out of weymouth(wherever you go make sure they do the steaming)
http://www.edmunds.com/maintenance/detail....0&zip=02360
there ya go haha, know thats the stupid stuff but just for ideas

http://www.servicebeacon.com/recalls/1998_ford_mustang.php

98 seemed to be a good year for the 4.6, a few years to have had the bugs worked out

Ya know, if you aren't going to fix the top, there should be two large drain plugs that you can remove from the floor pan where a rear seat passengers feet would go. You'd need to lift the carpet to access it. Pull em both, and that will help with water collecting.

My bone stock Cobra has 40k on it....the things i ve replaced From 33k

1. Gas Filter
2. front brake pads/Rotors re-done
3. Batt
4. Air filter
5. Oil/oil filter (x2)

.....this was over a 5 year time, so far so good.

thats the way i roll and i've never had any issues. hell when i test drove my truck i took that out and burnt some rubber with it.