1993 Ford Mustang Cobra 5. 0. Well Preserved / Excellent Driver and Show Winner with less than 83k miles. This is a very unique Mustang Cobra. It is has been a family friend for 22+ years. The car was built on my son’s actual date of birth in May of ‘93. We bought the car used or shall I say pre-owned as is the more common vernacular with less than 3000 miles on the odometer. The original owner retained the car for less than 6 months. His name was Joe and he was a merchant marine captain out of San Diego CA. He traveled extensively and had to part with the car as he had to finance his wedding. His loss was our gain and in essence we feel as if we are the original owners as we have cared for this car most of its life. She has been kept garaged kept all of her life and it shows. If. for whatever reason. she had to be outside for any extended period it was under a car cover. This Cobra has been in the family since January of 1994 and has traveled the country twice since our ownership. It was my wife’s primary daily driver until 1996 when our daughter was born. It was time for her to drive the Explorer or F350 with two kids in hand. Our Cobra served many purposes. family vehicle. project car / magazine feature car (Super Ford November ’94 issue) and best of all track day car. There are about 10 track day events on the car (see COCOA inspection stickers on the passenger side windshield). I would guess close 400 track miles are on the car. This is the actual car that was used in developing Eibach’s “Drag Launch” kit. These were really popular in the 90’s with the 5. 0 crowd. At that time. I was the Technical Director at Eibach so pretty much all the 5. 0 and SN95 applications were my doing at Eibach. So this car has had just about every flavor of suspension underneath the car possible. At one point it had a full Cobra R suspension. I also developed the spring application for Ford SVT / Motorsport for their ’93 Cobra R program. This. by far. was the most compromised setup as far as street applications go due to the Koni damping rates. The car’s suspension is relatively moderate now with Koni Red adjustables and a custom spring combo of 800 lb/in fronts and 200-260 variable rears. But they really work as 250-260 rate springs; the initial rate is all preload. All the original suspension is in boxes with the exception of the 24 mm rear bar. It failed and broke during a test. Ultimately the factory bar did a good job of binding the rear suspension and not much else. So no need to have one back there. unless you are going to install a proper anti-roll bar that mounts to the chassis with the drop links attached to the trailing arms. I believe Steeda offers one for the Fox platform still. I do not want to digress too much as this is more about selling our car rather than providing a tech talk about vehicle dynamics and Mustang suspensions. This Cobra is pretty much loaded with the exception of a sun roof. The car still wears most of the original Teal paint (1355 out 5100) which is the rarest of the 3 color options Cobras came with in 1993. The Dove grey leather interior is still in great condition. but the driver’s seat is beginning to show some wear after almost 23 years of use. What makes the Cobra different from a GT? The 1993 Cobra was a milestone for the Fox platform and was the best looking of that generation Mustang as compared to the hideous 1994 Mustang. What was Ford styling thinking? Thank goodness they had some sense and cleaned it up by ’99 and really got the ball rolling again in with the 2005 SN197 platform. The ‘93 had the most developed 5. 0L engine with “GT40” heads topped with factory installed Crane 1. 7:1 ratio roller rockers and unique to the Cobra “GT40” intake manifold. The cam was also specific to the Cobra with slightly less overlap. This was to apparently increase torque but my connection at Roush at that time indicated Ford wanted a smoother running engine. Less overlap equals a smoother idle. Let’s just say they were seeking a more refined feel for the car. Remember this is the pre-variable valve timing days. The mass air meter is unique to the Cobra as are the 24 lb/hr injectors. The mass air meter is 70 mm vs. the smaller 55 mm on the standard 5. 0. This is one of the primary reasons Cobras respond so well to supercharging. they breathed really well. The throttle body is 65 mm vs. 60 mm for the standard 5. 0. The exhaust system is also unique in the form of mufflers which were less restrictive otherwise the headers and h-pipe and cats are standard 5. 0 stuff. Finally the engine had a 14% underdrive pulleys installed at the factory. All this amounted to an engine making 235 Hp. If Ford had skipped a little on refinement and used the cam out of the GT it would have easily registered 245 HP on their dynos which would have given the 350 powered Z28 a better run for its money. Remember this was pretty serious performance at that time. if you recall a top of the line 911 Turbo was making about 320 Hp. This level of power would propel the Cobra to mid 14 second quarter mile times. I can vouch for that. At LA County Raceway which was at a 1700 ft altitude the car ran consistent 14. 3’s-14. 4's. These were the base line numbers when we were developing the Drag Launch Kit. The Cobra tipped the scales at almost 3400 lbs. I guess the price you pay for refinement. The drive train is was also upgraded on the ’93 Cobras this included a Borg Warner T5Z trans with tapered roller bearings for durability and phosphate coated gears and better synchros. A closer ratio shifter was also included in the package. There is also a clutch with higher clamping force. but the design permitted less pedal effort which was another refinement on the Cobra. Keep in mind a fully load Cobra was close to $25K which was $4-5K over the cost of loaded GT. The suspension was also more refined and equipped with dampers produced by Tokico. The springs were also specific to the Cobra with 425-530 fronts and specific 160 rates in the rear. basically they were 4 banger springs. The front bar was 1. 125” which was smaller than the 1. 3” GT bar. This was necessary to keep the roll couple distribution in check on the Cobra. Finally the Cobra came equipped with full front and rear disc brakes. Not since the SVO did a Fox platform Mustang have 4 wheel disc brakes. These are also unique to the car as the front rotor hubs have a larger spacing to ensure the front and rear track remain the same due to the wider rear axle package front he T-bird platform. This was also designed to accommodate the 17x7. 5” common wheel back spacing on the directional wheels. The tires were Goodyear Gatorback 245-45-17 which was the largest tires put on a factory Mustang up to that time. It was also the first time a Mustang came equipped with 17” wheels. The body work was altered front to rear this included the front fascia with the open insert for more air flow and small running horse emblem. side skirts. rear fascia and rear spoiler which are all unique to the Cobra and by far cleaner the tacked on fake scoops on the GT. Bottom line the 1993 Mustang Cobra was the most refined Mustang yet. Power Train & Drive Train: The engine is all original with less than 83000 miles and has never been apart. Save for a tune up with plugs and a plug wire change the rest is FOMOCO original. The timing has been bumped a couple of degrees and I recommend that you run a minimum of 89 Octane. The bump in timing makes the throttle more responsive. The original date coded wires and plugs are included with the purchase of the car. The factory specific exhaust system is still intact. There are no major issues with corrosion except for the typical surface rust accumulated over the past 22 years. But the mufflers are in great shape and the car still has the factory rumble. The passenger muffler does have some scrapes from speed bumps. There are no funny noises or knocking sounds what so ever. This engine runs smooth. The engine runs cool as the original radiator has been replaced with a Fluidyne 3 row aluminum radiator. This radiator has a similar capacity to the Cobra R radiator. The stock original is included with the sale of the car. The factory 2 row just wasn’t good enough when the car was run at Willow Springs in the heat of summer. The car can cruise at high speeds with no problems. Remember on Texas Hwy 130 the speed limit is 80 mph “only in TX”. The transmission shifts great and the clutch is light and easy to manage in traffic. There is no clutch chatter and the take up during clutch release is smooth. All gearing going up or down provides for effortless shifts. There is no grinding and you can manage down shifts with heel and toe for proper rev matching. If you have not mastered the art of properly driving a 5 speed then push it into gear and the synchros will do their job. This is a smooth shifting T5. The trans was upgraded with synthetic Redline oil. The rear differential works fine and the track lock still has good lock up. but in tight corner under full throttle she peg legs a bit. Again synthetic Redline oil is used. Only Synthetic fluid has been used on this vehicle from its first oil change. Suspension: The steering rack is unique as it has fast ratio steering about 3. 5 turns lock to lock with a 15:1 ratio. It has the typical Ford power steering whine when turning the wheel at parking lot speeds. There is no shimmy while driving just the typical light effort that is common on Fox Mustangs. If you are hardcore and want precise steering then I would recommend high durometer bushings for the rack that all the Mustang vendors sell. The overall suspension is in great condition as it has had many upgrades over the years. The original springs and shocks are included with the sale of the car should you desire returning it back to factory original. Tires / Wheels: The car has 17” Goodyear Gatorback directional performance tires that are equal if not better than the original Gatorbacks as the compounds changed over the years. They are in excellent shape with about 2/3 tread depth and have only 6-7 thousand miles of use. The factory directional 7 spoke 17x7. 5” wheels are in good overall shape. There are no scrapes or dings; however. the clear coat is beginning to wear off in some spots. So a restoration of those is in order to maintain the car at the highest level of appearance. The rear spare has never hit the ground nor removed and the factory build sheet has never been touched since the car was produced see the pics. Brakes: The brakes were recently inspected and bled. The front and rear brake linings have about 2/3 of life as well as the rotors. The brake compound is a street track pad from Performance Friction they are quite durable and is a semi metallic matrix that was quite effective and long lasting. The relatively low mileage of the car proves that. Body / Chassis: The body is in good overall shape with zero rust present the benefit of being a CA car most of its life. It was in Indiana for a couple of years but a winter stored car which never saw salt. it now resides in TX. There is no history of a major collision. the car had a small impact with a Corvette in a parking lot and the passenger quarter panel was scrapped when parked. All paint and body work was performed at a Ford Dealership. The doors and trunk line up perfectly and close properly. The only issue is the driver’s door retaining spring is missing because it broke so the door will not stay in the open position when parked on a rearward grade. The driver’s door power lock stopped working literally this week. but can be locked manually. The passenger electric door lock still works fine. The chassis is straight and the car does not dog track. There are no replacement panels. All VIN tags are present on the major body parts. The only chassis modifications which are installed are the upper shock tower brace the lower K-member brace and sub frame connectors. These are all bolted and not welded. They are a major improvement and make the chassis stiff and very responsive and really should have been included on the factory Fox Mustang. These were standard Saleen upgrades and have been standard features on the later generation Mustang platforms. Exterior: The paint is original and in very good shape with the exception for a few dings and scratches. There is a small scratch on the front center grill opening by the running horse and rock chips on the side skirts from track excursions. If you want additional details pics let me know. Overall 90% of the car has original paint. I would consider the paint to be 7 out of 10. IMO. If you want perfect show paint sorry you’ll have to strip her down and start over. However. they are original only once. When polished she shines beautifully. There are no thin spots from over buffing. The trim work could use attention on the window frames the rubber is in good overall condition. but not perfect. The plastic body panels are in good shape and not warped and the black trim around the car is holding up well. A sign the car was garaged most of its life. The original Ford Carlite tinted glass is in good shape overall. The windshield is somewhat peppered from years of road use but there are no rock chips. It could use a polish. but not really necessary unless you desire crystal clear glass when the sun is setting. The electric side view mirrors are fully functional and can be adjust inside the car. Interior: This is where she in great original condition. The leather seats are in very good shape with minimal wear. The driver’s seat has signs of wear. but otherwise perfect. There are no rips or tears. The rear seats are also in excellent condition as are the seat belts. The dash pad is in great shape. The dash is not cracked and is still pliable. The door panels are perfect with the exception on the map pockets which are sagging and slightly worn on the bottom where the door pinches the bottom. The carpet is a little dirty but in excellent condition. The floor mats are original Ford with the Cobra logo. The drivers’ side is showing normal wear. The center console is completely intact and is fully functional. The cigarette lighter works. but was never used as it is a non smoker’s car. The head liner is in great shape as is the carpet in the passenger and the rear cargo area. The HVAC works great it blows cold when set to run the AC and blows hot when set properly. All fan speeds work. Electrical: Electrics are in excellent condition. The wiring is original and all the wiring is intact. The original radio works fine for a 90’s vintage Factory CD. AM / FM radio as well as the speakers in the dash and package tray. The CD stopped working properly about a year ago. The CD sometimes loads but most of the time it won’t feed a CD. The LCD display works fine. The gauge cluster is in excellent condition. The gauges work perfectly and all indicator lights work. The head light high and low beams work. The passenger Hella driving lamp was replaced as the lens was cracked. All turn signals. running and tail lights work and the turn single cancel works. The interval wipers work. The vehicle is equipped with an aftermarket alarm and the solenoid does not work to activate the rear trunk release. Overview: I would feel comfortable driving this car on long trips. If you want to fly in and drive it home that should be no issue what so ever. I would not have a problem driving it is a great reliable car. If you are really interested in the car I implore you to have the vehicle inspected. I do not want you to have any surprises everyone has their own opinion. therefore. I suggest you establish one for yourself before you bid. As you can tell this car is not easy to let go so it is not going for cheap. Good cars never do and with the provenance this car has it will only maintain and increase in value. If you want the perfect garage queen with low miles this is not your car. But it is show worthy. It won Best of Show at the Austin TX Mustang Round Up in the fall of 2011. http://s1179. photobucket. com/user/mocapics/library/WINNERS%20-%2031st%20Annual%20Round%20Up%20-%202011?sort=6&page=1 FEATURES AND OPTION INFORMATION Body Trim Tag Codes: http://www. 1993cobra. com/decoder. htm Date: 05/93 DSO: 71 Paint: RD Body: GT3. MLDG: L. Int. Trim: C6. R: 5. TR: 2BOHH AX: Z I have attempted to describe the vehicle as accurately as possible. The vehicle overall is in excellent driver in need of some minor cosmetics. But can be fully enjoyed while taking care of the exterior and slight interior issues. On a scale of 1-5 this is a 2+ 1- car. With a proper detail it could win MCA gold in the survivor category. SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL 713-471-2121. If you are serious the vehicle is located in Houston and can be inspected if you or a representative wishes to see the vehicle in person. The car is for sale locally and if sold. the auction will be canceled. Please remember. this is a 22 year old car. I am representing it as accurately as possible based on my knowledge and have tried to give as much information as possible. It is being sold without warranty and as is. Inspections prior to auction end are not a problem however. making an attempt to renegotiate the final bid price after the close of the auction will not be accepted and if you have a poor feedback rating or no rating your bid will not be accepted. This vehicle is sold as/is where is. The information may include inaccuracies or typographical errors. All such information is provided "AS-IS" without warranty of any kind. I hereby disclaim all warranties and conditions with regard to this information. including all implied warranties and conditions of merchantability. fitness for a particular purpose. title and non-infringement. In no event shall I be liable for any direct. indirect. punitive. incidental. special or consequential damages arising out of or in any connected with the use of this web site or with any delay or inability to use this website. or for any information obtained through this website. or otherwise arising out of the use of this web site. whether based on contract. tort. strict liability or otherwise. A $500 deposit via PayPal is required or cashier’s check within 48 hours of auction end. Full payment in a cashiers certified bank check or cash will be the only form of payment accepted and is required within 10 days of auction end. If you desire you can arrange for a freight forwarder to pick up the vehicle in the North West Houston area. however. the vehicle and title will only be released if payment is paid in full and all funds have cleared the bank.