[94cobra69ss396]

I posted this up before but it's now official. I have been chosen by 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords magazine to represent them in the Castrol Syntec Top Car Challenge. I will be using this thread to keep everyone updated on the progress of my Cobra before the challenge.

First let me tell you a little about the challenge. It's a competition between 5.0 Mustang & Super Fords, Eurotuner, Honda Tuning, Modified, Super Street, Import Tuner Low Rider magazines. Each magazine picked one car to represent them in the challenge. The seven finalist winners will compete in the following categories: (i) vehicle endurance; (ii) vehicle cost (based on used car value from www.intellichoice.com); (iii) dyno test for: horsepower (limit 3 runs or 45 minutes whichever is first), power to weight and emissions (5 gas automobile emissions analyzer) and (iv) at the race track for: lap time (20 minute session), ¼-mile time (best of 3 runs), ¼ trap speed (best of 3 runs), acceleration 0-60 mph, braking 80-0 mph. The winner will receive $10,000.

Now for a little background on my Cobra. It’s a 1994 with a little over 157,000 miles. It has a stock block, crank and rods with Probe SRS forged pistons. It also has AFR 165 heads, Crane 2040 cam, ported Vortec/Saleen intake and a Vortech SQ S-trim with the stock 3.33 pulley. I’ve also upgraded to a T56, installed a Spec Stage 3+ clutch, 3.55 gears and Superior 31 spline axles. The car made 433rwhp and 418rwtq and has a little over 70,000 miles since the build. The suspension was stock except for Progress lowering springs and so are the brakes except for Powerslot rotors and Hawk HPS pads.

For the challenge I’ve decided to install Maximum Motorsports’ Road and Track Box. I started installing it and the only thing I have left to install of it is the panhard bar. I also have a few things to fix like the leaking supercharger. I’ve already pulled it off the car and sent it to Vortec to be rebuilt. I also, pulled the water pump and timing cover because they are leaking water.

Here are some pictures from the MM install.

[Vettezuki]

We'll be following along the whole time. Remind of us your competition; it's pretty stiff as I recall.

[94cobra69ss396]

Originally Posted by Vettezuki

We'll be following along the whole time. Remind of us your competition; it's pretty stiff as I recall.

I only know who a few of them are. You can see them here http://www.syntectopcarchallenge.com/. In a few days the videos of each of the winners should be up but until then here are the ones I know of:

Representing Honda Tuning is the Sport Car Motion sponsored 1994 Honda Civic owned by Loi Song, owner of Sport Car Motion. Driven by Tim Kuo it competes in both the NASA TT series and Redline Time Attack in Modified FWD. I found out that his old times were in the 1:58 range but at the first RTA event for 2009 he ran a best lap of 1:55.221.

Next up representing Import Tuner is the AMS sponsored 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X owned by Ryan Gates. He also races in the NASA TT series and RTA Modified AWD and was the 2008 NASA TT National Champion. In 2008 he ran in the 1:56 range. However, at the first RTA event for 2009 he was running low 1:50’s on Friday, but ran into engine issues, slowing him down to the 1:53 range. You can read all about him and his car at www.gates311.com

The last car I know for sure representing Super Street is the Technosquare sponsored 2003 Nissan 350Z owned by Cheston Chiu. He races his car at NASA HPDE but has friends who are professional drivers so I'm sure he will not be driving his own car. I don't know what times he runs but I do know that the car makes 500rwhp.

It kind of sucks for me that the other magazines brought in ringers for what I thought was supposed to be a street car competition. I'll just do my best and see if I can hang with race cars with professional drivers in my daily driver. Besides, at least I'll have pride in knowing that I built and drove my own car.

[Leedom]

Those Motorgen.com stickers look great!!

Ron, we all here are proud of you and look forward to hearing about how well you do. If there is any way we can support you let us know.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by Leedom

Those Motorgen.com stickers look great!!

Ron, we all here are proud of you and look forward to hearing about how well you do. If there is any way we can support you let us know.

Haven't set it up formally (was hoping to make time to make a dedicated page), but you can contribute any amount you wish to Ron's effort:

MONEY - METHOD 1:
If you have a PayPal account and prefer to use it, just send money to paypal@motorgen.com. Make sure to put Castrol Challenge in subject.

MONEY - METHOD 2:
For those of you don't have a PayPal account or if you don't mind sending a good ole fashioned check (saves us a little on receiving fees), please send your check or money order to:

Motorgen.com
P.O. Box 5461
Buena Park, CA 90622

Make the check out to Ron Cooper and put Castrol Challenge in the memo.

We will pool donations and transfer 100% of the funds to Ron directly.

[Vettezuki]

Originally Posted by 94cobra69ss396

. . . It kind of sucks for me that the other magazines brought in ringers for what I thought was supposed to be a street car competition. I'll just do my best and see if I can hang with race cars with professional drivers in my daily driver. Besides, at least I'll have pride in knowing that I built and drove my own car.

Actually, I think it's kind of interesting. We'll get to see how a true daily driver working man's performance car, something most people could actually do, compares to big buck efforts. Except for the road course, I think you may do better than you might expect.

[94cobra69ss396]

Thanks Adam. The guys at Crest did a great job on the paint and Paul at Crest did a great job detailing it afterwards. He was also the one who organized and applied the stickers which I think turned out great. My wife even likes the way they look and thinks I should just leave them all on even after the challenge.

Thanks for the help Ben. I'm still trying to get a sponsor for tires but it's hard to find one so any help towards that would be great.

I'm going to try and finish up the timing cover and water pump today. My kids have a birthday party to go to this afternoon at 1pm so I might be able to finish it up after that. The rear diff cover is leaking now as well so I picked up some synthetic 75-90w so I can change the gear oil and fix the leak. I'll take some pictures of the work as I do it and post them up here.

[SeanPlunk]

Ron,

Your car looks GREAT. I can't wait to see how you do

[94cobra69ss396]

I finished installing a new timing cover gasket after the birthday party. I also bought a new water pump because the old one has over 70,000 miles on it. I figured since I had it off I might as well install a new one. Here are a few pictures from today.

You can see on the left side in this picture where it was leaking. I never knew that it was leaking because it never had a puddle under the car. I just knew that there was a leak but I thought it was a head gasket leaking internally, I'm glad it wasn't. I found that it would puddle in the K member and when I drove it would come out. I discovered it when I went to install the front suspension because when I jacked up the front of the car the water dripped out of the K member.







I'll replace the gasket in the rear diff Tuesday night and then start the panhard bar install.

[94cobra69ss396]

I fixed the diff leak this evening. I know this is boring but I want to keep everything done to the car for the challenge on here. Here are a couple pics from tonight.

I don't know what gear oil they used in the rearend when the previous own did it but man was it thick and sticky. Even carb cleaner wasn't cutting through it. I replaced it with synthetic 75-90w and added a bottle of limited slip additive.