40 More HP and no better ET?

[dennish]

So I fell for the CAI & CatBack and sure enough I saw a 50HP increase on the dyno.

Did it do me any good at the track NNNNNOOOO! WTF?

5 times last night, and 60' still at 2.2 or so, I know, I'm still learning to launch. But no speed increase, or ET, I'm bummed. 5 runs and a best of 13.059, w/2.1 for 60'. This cars a pig. I saw automatic SSZ28's run 13.1's? What's up with that?

I thought a factory Cobra would run 12's, IT's a LIE! They run low 13's BIG DEAL. I'm not suprised, I should have known "The Fastest Mustang Ever" would be a 13.1 car.

You know Ford is always "Close, but no cigar".

I guess I should have surrounded myself with all the luxuries of a Z06 after all, what a shame.

Bone stock 353 @ the wheels should have planted me in the 12's, 12.7-12.9 all day, but no, I get to kiss 12.90 twice out of 15 runs??? WTF.

I'm bummed you guy's, I just feel like a FOOL! A stupid FOOL! Help me will ya?

:wtf: :confused: :confused:

[lethalchem]

Originally posted by dennish
So I fell for the CAI & CatBack and sure enough I saw a 50HP increase on the dyno.

Did it do me any good at the track NNNNNOOOO! WTF?

5 times last night, and 60' still at 2.2 or so, I know, I'm still learning to launch. But no speed increase, or ET, I'm bummed. 5 runs and a best of 13.059, w/2.1 for 60'. This cars a pig. I saw automatic SSZ28's run 13.1's? What's up with that?

I thought a factory Cobra would run 12's, IT's a LIE! They run low 13's BIG DEAL. I'm not suprised, I should have known "The Fastest Mustang Ever" would be a 13.1 car.

You know Ford is always "Close, but no cigar".

I guess I should have surrounded myself with all the luxuries of a Z06 after all, what a shame.

Bone stock 353 @ the wheels should have planted me in the 12's, 12.7-12.9 all day, but no, I get to kiss 12.90 twice out of 15 runs??? WTF.

I'm bummed you guy's, I just feel like a FOOL! A stupid FOOL! Help me will ya?

:wtf: :confused: :confused:

Before you start bashing your/our car's capabilities, I'd recommend looking at a few variables first:

What were the numbers you ran completely stock, and more importantly WHEN did you run them? The time of the year (eg. weather/temperture/humidity) plays a HUGE part in how the cars perform. Also, where are you located? (distance from sea level).

With just a magnaflow catback and UPR CAI I was running 12.6's with my stock tires...and I suck at the 2-3 shift! There are numerous guys who claim to have gotten that time with no mods at all. It takes practice. These cars take some getting used to if you want to pull all you can from them. You CANNOT lift all the way off the gas when you're shifting, or your times will suffer.

Your 60' times are poor as well. That makes all the difference in the world. I'd imagine that not only are you having trouble with the 60', but you're probably spinning into second as well, right? If you're using stock tires, lower the pressure to 22-25psi. I'm getting consistant 1.9 60' with this technique (not the best I've seen on street tires, but will be enough to get you in the 12's). Are you leaving the line off idle, or are you bringing up the revs? It all makes a difference.

Let us know more details, and you'll be in the 12's in no time:tmb:

[Greg@SVTOA]

I work at a dragstrip. I've seen dozens of stock 2003 Cobras. Good drivers can EASILY get them in to the 12's, even heavy ragtops can do it.
Ford has hit a home run with the Cobra. However, you must be swinging at bad pitches and are striking out.. :D

Couple things about your comments:

"I thought a factory Cobra would run 12's, IT's a LIE! They run low 13's BIG DEAL. I'm not suprised, I should have known "The Fastest Mustang Ever" would be a 13.1 car."

It's as fast as the DRIVER. The problem is your 60 foot time is not very good. Can I say that w/o offending you?

"I guess I should have surrounded myself with all the luxuries of a Z06 after all, what a shame."

I hate to break this to you, but.. if you can't drive your Cobra, what makes you think you could do any better with a Z06? You would most likley have the same frustration- if you can't 60 foot, you can't ET. That's racing...

" I just feel like a FOOL! A stupid FOOL!"

Um... no comment on that one. :D

Now, before you get angry and insulted, and get me in trouble for being too candid, I will try to help you as best I am able.

To start with, dyno numbers do not always translate to quicker ET's. You do not provide any meaningful data here, with regard to previous results. It sounds like you do not keep a "Racer's Notebook" in your car for when you go to the track. This is Job#1 for you. What you will record in your notebook each time you run:

1. The WEATHER CONDITIONS!!
This is very very important! The weather condititons on any given day can have a dramatic effect on your results. If the barometer is high and the humidity is low, you will make considerably more HP and MPH than a day where barometer is low and humidity is high. So, when you make comparos from one day's results to the next, you must evaluate your notebook entires to get a better idea of what is happening. You will record air temps, wind speed and direction, barometer, humidity and dew point.
FWIW: if you go racing on a day when the barometer is below 29.99, your MPH will be lower and so will ET versus a day when the barometer is above 30.01. This is fact and never, ever changes.

2. Shift/Launch RPM:
You must chart your shift points and be consistant as to where you shift. Varying your shift points will result in different results.
You said you dynoed the car and got different numbers. Well, did you maximize your shift points in relation to whats on the dyno sheet??? Perhaps you need to make changes in shifting- you may need to shift lower or higher in the RPM band to get the most out of your car. You can only find the best places to shift your car by charting and experimenting- "Script" a run in advance Dennish. Jot down a set of shift points. Make three passes. Chart results. Then make some changes- shift sooner for example. Chart results. In short order, you WILL find the best place to shift YOUR car and get the best track results.

Now.. about those 60 foot times of yours. I'll be frank and to the point: They suck. Blaming Ford or your car for your shortcomings as a driver is not the answer. The answer is to get better. As I said in my sarcastic response above, if you decide to go buy a Corvette, but do nothing to improve your skills as a driver, do I need to say more?
I was in Dearborn last week for the SVT experience dude. I also went to the On-Track event at Milan Dragaway. I saw a LOT of guys who had a ton of power but were not doing so well at launch. I overheard guys say how ****py the track was. I saw them drive thru the water, drag water to line. Spin tires like crazy and not even let off. I tried to talk to some of them but they would not bother to listen, then they would bash the track for the poor results. Now granted, I'm a longtime racer and am very experienced, but I was on non-drag radials and had no problem getting 2.00 60 foot times on every pass. I wacked every '03 Cobra I raced save for ONE that managed to catch me at the top with MPH. (my car makes MUCH less HP than yours does) Point being, if you can't drive the car, adding more horsepower will only make things worse, not better. The cars do not magically ET by themselves, the driver's input has everything to do with it. When my 1994 was stock, as in stock heads and cam, I could get it to run 13.20's all day with "only" 103 MPH. Your Cobra probably traps well over 110 MPH. Several were going 115-116 at Milan, that's enough to easily run 11's.

Sorry if you're offended by my frank and honest reply, but there's good info here if you can see beyond the wise-ass commentary. :D

(Man am I gonna get it for this reply!)

[Greg@SVTOA]

Originally posted by lethalchem
Before you start bashing your/our car's capabilities, I'd recommend looking at a few variables first:

What were the numbers you ran completely stock, and more importantly WHEN did you run them? The time of the year (eg. weather/temperture/humidity) plays a HUGE part in how the cars perform. Also, where are you located? (distance from sea level).

With just a magnaflow catback and UPR CAI I was running 12.6's with my stock tires...and I suck at the 2-3 shift! There are numerous guys who claim to have gotten that time with no mods at all. It takes practice. These cars take some getting used to if you want to pull all you can from them. You CANNOT lift all the way off the gas when you're shifting, or your times will suffer.

Your 60' times are poor as well. That makes all the difference in the world. I'd imagine that not only are you having trouble with the 60', but you're probably spinning into second as well, right? If you're using stock tires, lower the pressure to 22-25psi. I'm getting consistant 1.9 60' with this technique (not the best I've seen on street tires, but will be enough to get you in the 12's). Are you leaving the line off idle, or are you bringing up the revs? It all makes a difference.

Let us know more details, and you'll be in the 12's in no time:tmb:



EXCELLENT RESPONSE! :tmb:

[lethalchem]

Originally posted by Greg@SVTOA
EXCELLENT RESPONSE! :tmb:

*laughs* Sounds familiar, eh?:tmb:


I didn't know the specifics about the barometer though. Thanks for some hard data. I only knew the caveman version: UUgh...Humid...bad...me no run good today....:D

[dennish]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I actually feel like club member.

I have talked to Z06 drivers, they are the same shmo's as me and they get 12.6's. I haven't been lied to, I mean maybe some one pulled the wool over my eyes about practice, but not all of them. Get in, hit it, and freak out over how fast you went. That's what the average shmo get's when he buy's a Z06.

How dare I consider the Cobra would allow me such also.

I do watch the temps and weather although I just look for low humidity and not too hot out. Perhaps you said the same thing I don't know. You need to know I had a good weather day. Humidity was 50% and it never got over 85. Track opens at 4, first try was 5:10 so, WTF.

My track yesterday was awesome. I ran the same lane 5 times and no trouble. Can you believe every body blew up in the left lane? It happened yesterday.

I went there determined to get the clutch out and be able to floor it without wheel spin ASAP. The car hooked everytime, not even chirps when the boost maxes out, but my attempt at a spirtited leave never happened did it. Bad choice. I will try your advice about different paramaters over three passes at a time and evaluate from there.

I will try again, and yes I will make better notes. I got to try only once last night starting with higher rpms and did cut the best 60' to a 2.114 as apposed to consistant 2.385's or so.

Greg, both you and other respectable people have told me,
I HAVE THE CAR! I believe that, I just get frustrated when I see fat old buzzards like me run faster. I will stay focused on my technique, and nothing else next time.

I'm glad my rant got the responses. I'm also thankful for the advice, and as far as offending me? My constitutional rights have NOTHING to do with protecting me from ANYTHING OFFENSIVE! Your fear that perhaps I'm going to complain about how you write to me is too bad, I'm sorry you have to protect yourself the way you do. Most of us are men here, and I expect to be dealt with like such. I can either engage or not. Turn it on or off, look away, or beyond, but please, don't consider how to talk to me, just realize, like I am, that what we need here is some serious drag racing advice, and if your governed by such, then it's obvious Ford has swallowed the Diversity training and political correctness bar without even chewing it, and that's sad Greg, it truly is.

I love my car, and I'm not running out to get a Z06, but I will say I am shocked at what it takes, and I will respect other drivers a lot more now as a result of your reply, so again thanks I appreciate it.

All hail the teacher, he was right after all. :allhail: :allhail: :allhail:

I just double checked your reply and I don't get anywhere near 112-115MPH. 107-110Max. Factory Dyno was 353 for both at the wheels. Yesterday w/cat back and CAI 401HP but only 366TQ. Fuel to air went so rich it ran off the chart after 4200RPMs.

More details...I shift at 63-6400RPM trying to max out before the redline, or hitting the limiter. I did shift sooner before and only went slower. I did leave just off idle 4 times, started at about 2000 the last time and bogged a little because I was too chicken to let it rip for fear of wheel spin. I spin when I hit second, but come on, it hits a peak boost, perhaps I should shift a little softer?
I ran a 12.9 twice before, and yes I did use about 2500RPM's and apparently feathered the clutch well. I think after this I will try that more often. I just expect to learn faster, and let's face it, there just hasn't been that much advice given to me before I cried this morning. I got to get to work or they're gonna kill me.

[lethalchem]

Those ZO6's are faster than the cobra stock for stock. Those guys running 12.6's should be running 12.0's(Some ZO6 guys claim high 11's are possible in stock form). That's 6 tenths off what they can do. You're running what, 13.0? If a stock cobra can run 12.7-12.9, then you're getting more out of your car than they are out of theirs. Their car is simply faster...until you start modding that is:D.

I raced a modded ZO6 a month ago in lousy weather. He had 385 to the wheels in a 3200lb car. We both ran 12.4's on street tires, but I beat him at the light and had him by over a car length. It's all driver skill. My CAR can run 11.6-11.8, but the OWNER of the car hasn't been able to click it off yet (of course not having drag radials can't help much:D)!

You've got a good attitude about learning. You'll be in the 12's the next time you're at the track. I can feel it! Drop your tire pressure to 22-25 and take your revs up to 2000-2500. When you launch, try to keep the tach from dipping or rising as you gradually let the clutch out. In this car, you squeeze the gas, not mash it. It doesn't seem to respond as well to that. Also try having 2/3 of a tank of gas in your car. Some say the added weight helps over the rear tires. Good luck:tmb:.

[jammer42]

Dennish, I have drag raced most of my life in street races or at tracks. No time did I ever complain that it was the machines fault I went slower than another person with the same unit. But I did go and practice, burning up tires and parts untill I learned and then could compete with all my competitors. No one hands you the ability to win or go fast ,only advice with there knowledge . Experience has to be learned by you.At that time you can feel a huge degree of acomplishment as you did it with your capibilities and learning how some went as fast as we do with the same machine.If eveyone could buy a car and it would turn out the same ET's for all(boring) - there would be no challenge and never a feeling of an acomplisment. Your car has a very fast baseline and when you learn its limit you will then have a lot to be proud of(you might evan learn more than the rest if you aproach it from a differant way, there are many roads to get to the same place).It took me awhile to acheve the times that the other people were turning in , but that is the challenge and fun part! I feel you should have asked for help and how, but never have bashed the machine as it really is a thing of beautty fast-good looking and the most important FUN to own!).Next the conditions for traction changes day to day and track to track. You will learn to feel the traction each day and then start to be the one that wins against stronger machines.Trophies are earned not bought.Your freind in the need for speed.

[SoCal94]

dennish - just to back up a minute. If you saw 50 hp increase at a particular RPM or RPM range, you have to make sure you're in that range as much as possible to take advantage of it.

If all the additional power was at 2000 RPM, and you zoomed right through it, shifting at 6000 RPM, you never really used the additional power. Same thing if it was only at the top end and you short shifted.

Have you taken it back to the track since the original post?

SoCal94

[svt2205]

So, after 4 years of being a dead thread, it's now coming back to life. Hmm.... What I wonder, is the original poster still around and does he still have his Cobra?

[vger]

Is the original poster still around and does he still have his Cobra?



He posted not too long ago, says it is much faster now!!

[dennish]

Yes I still have the car and twisted it to an 11.70 @ 119 just this very spring thank you very much. This is because I really have an 11.3 car, I just don't hammer it as I could.

[99_Venom]

Yes I still have the car and twisted it to an 11.70 @ 119 just this very spring thank you very much. This is because I really have an 11.3 car, I just don't hammer it as I could.
That's the spirit. Keep at it until you've got it.

Congrats on the 11 second slips...

[SoCal94]

Jesus - 119, that's great!

Best regards,
SoCal94

[five0stanger]

Ok, so what did you do to go from the lousy 13s to 11.7s? Did you cave in, like some of the Cobra owners I know, and remove the IRS? Sorry if that reads like I'm flamin' you. I'm not. But, I did read enough of the initial post, on this thread, to make me wonder, "Hmm...mine runs high 12s, in good weather on the street tires, with the stock IRS. I wonder what this guy was doing or not doing." I keep saying to my friends, if my car would only hook without any trouble. Plus, I don't think I'll be removing my car's IRS for the sake of ET. That's why I regularly race the Lightning.

BTW: 11.7s are very respectable. Good job!

[five0stanger]

99_venom, you know Josh, right? He managed 120 against me, a while back. Here I am leaving him like he was tied to a stump. I left so soft it didn't hop. But, he tried to hard, started hopping. He got it cleared up and tried to run me down. I got the stripe, but he comes blasting past me. All while I was doin' like 113. It was pretty funny. I was paid back, on the next pass. I hopped and he went blasting away from me. That was with his IRS, 3.73s, and a Steeda diff brace. Of course, the Kenne 2.6 didn't hurt his speed either.

[brooster]

Has anybody installed the svt drag package w/ 3.73 rears and the svt suspension package? I had mine installed about a month ago. I was hoping to get out last week but had to much to do. The original baseline was 12.80 at 105mph. Really slow 60 ft times 2+. I went to sema 2 weeks ago and the PSCA drags and picked up an adjustable panhard bar as I was told the rearend would be out with the 1.25" lower suspension and the stock panhard. With the overdrive transmission I still dont turn to high RPMs in 6th. I am trying to find rear uppers and lowers as I have been told the stock ones could be suspect and really dont want to do any damage. Has anybody replaced their roots with the Kenny Bell twin screw supercharger? I have been told this will take the car to between 700-800hp. I still would like to drive it on the street sometimes. Thanks for your help in advance.

[hersheyman]

I watch mostly stock 03/04 Cobras run 12.7-9's all day long on drag radials with about 2.0 60' times. I've ran a best of 13.26 @ 104.5mph on drag radials and my Slobra is still n/a'd. I have a friend with an '04 Mach1 who recently ran a 12.37 @ 109mph with slicks, longtubes, and 4.10's. Get some stickier tires and learn what rpm to launch at. With your 2.1-2 60's, I'd say you are launching too high and spinning in 1st and 2nd gear. Your car has too much torque to do that on street tires and probably even on drag radials.