Cobra -1st buy

[Unique427]

Originally Posted by 767Jockey

Forgive me if this sounds harsh, as I certainly don't mean it to come off that way. However it sounds to me like you're perhaps jumping into this purchase too quickly without enough knowledge to really know what youre buying.

The only way to really know anything about the engine is through receipts. Who built it and when? You say a 383 stroker. More often than not, a stroker engine measuring 383 cu. in. is a small block Chevy. I'm not about to try to start a Ford vs. Chevy debate, that can go on forever. What's not debatable is that a Cobra with a Chevy engine usually carries a very significant price discount. Is this in fact a Chevy engine? Without a build sheet from the builder, there is absolutely no way to know what this engine is. For all you know it could be a junkyard engine with a fresh coat of spray paint on the outside. All you have is the sellers word on what it is.

You mention that it's a 1998 car. Was it built in 1998? If so what do all the rubber compnents look like? Rubber degrades over time even when just sitting. Check out all the rubber seals, gaskets, suspension bushings, etc careflully. How about the tires? They may look good visually but how old are they? There should be date codes on the tires. Why did he drive the car 500 miles yet it still needs an alignment? Why didn't he get that done? That's usuallly one of the first things done when a car is completed. That's concerning. Does the seller even know for sure what he's selling? If he doesn't know, how can you possibly know what you're buying?

A 6 speed transmission is usually a good thing, what transmissiion is it? What clutch is in it? It sounds to me like you may need to learn more about Cobras in general before you start to learn more about this particular car. You mention you want to buy this car ASAP. I would suggest you slow down and learn more about Cobras before you buy this or any other Cobra. Lots of red flags here.

767Jockey gave good advise.

Take note, and other may disagree, look at the date code on the tires.
Tires have a life limit even if the tread is excellent. If the date code
shows older then 5 years, expect other unseen issues. I have found
in many cases owners willing to ignore tires will shrug on other service
issues as well. It also provides some help to validate claims of vehicle
use and completion date.

If you don't know how to read a date code look here.

https://danthetireman.com/blog/artic...t-numbers-mean