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2003 Ford Mustang Cobra SVT With Just 5.5 Miles!

Sitting in Reader Douglas S’s garage is one of the coolest ultra-low mileage finds I think I’ve ever seen! And it isn’t just that this car has covered 5.5 miles, that it’s a supercharged Mustang Cobra SVT Convertible or the fact that it’s was never prepped by the dealer. No, it’s the fact that Douglas’s dad purchased this Cobra brand new after seeing the soon to be released Terminator Series Cobra at the 2002 Chicago Auto Show. He traded his daily driver 1999 Mustang Cobra in for it at Jacky Jones Ford in August of 2002 with the plans of driving it, but after trailering it home, he decided it would be a good car to put away and not drive.

Fast forward 16 years and this Mustang is still parked, but it now belongs to Douglas. He was able to buy the car from his dad and he plans on holding onto it. It currently shares the garage with a 2008 Shelby GT500 that has just 5.3 miles on it, more on that car later, so he figures it’s in good company and might as well stay parked.

It’s easy to see why Douglas’s dad wanted this Mustang. His 1999 Mustang Cobra was equipped with the 4.6 liter V8 which was rated at an impressive 320 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, but he felt it needed more power. Well, the supercharged 4.6 V8 in this “Terminator” series Cobra churns out 390 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. To handle the additional power, Ford revamped the engine, with a cast iron block and heavier duty components. With the Eaton supercharger pushing 8 psi of boost into the engine, it allowed a 0 0-6o time of 4.5 seconds and a 153 mph top speed!

His dad also happened to know someone at Ford and was able to get some extra paperwork that didn’t typically ship with these cars. Douglas sent a few photos of some of this paperwork, which appears to include the inspection forms. Having all of this paperwork is great, but what’s truly incredible is the story. The fact that his dad bought it new makes this such a special car for Douglas to own. These cars are worth a decent chunk of money these days, but it sounds like this car is priceless to Douglas and his family. I hope he is able to pass it on to the next generation!

Honestly, I don’t know how you have the will power to purchase a car like this new and not drive it. I wouldn’t be able to do it if it were sitting in my barn or garage! So props to him and his dad for having so much self-control. We will be running a story on that Shelby soon, so hopefully, we can learn a bit more about both of them and their passion for special edition Mustangs! I want to thank Douglas for sharing this Mustang with us.

If you have a cool car story, I’d love to write about it! You can email me at mail@barnfinds.com with your story and photos.

Comments

  1. Avatar TimS

    Power ratings mean nothing in a car that never gets driven. Just a large diecast you have to insure.

    Like 50
    • Avatar Don

      Put it on the shelf with the other statues…

      Like 2
  2. Avatar William Denny

    Who said he didn’t drive it? 5.5 miles equals 22 quarter mile runs!

    Like 24
    • Avatar UK Paul 🇬🇧

      Testing at the factory / moving about when built mileage? I think all the brand new cars I have bought have had at least 5 to 10 miles on the clock on delivery.
      I also struggle to understand how someone could sit on this car instead of enjoy it but I guess it is cool to have such low miles. Each to their own.
      If i did this It would be in a car cacoon with a sofa and a fridge full of cheese.
      I say that if it was a car that really pushed my buttons like an Aston Martin or Alfa. Something really beautiful.
      This is a nice car though but not a work of art like some.
      I rented a convertible GT when they first came out that had a couple of hundred miles on the clock. The gear knob fell off when driving it.

      Not as bad as a Fiat i once had rented with 50 miles on it. The passenger seat had not been stitched together.

      Like 7
  3. Avatar Lyman

    with the plans of driving it, but after trailering it home, he decided it would be a good car to put away and not drive.

    Like 4
    • Avatar grant

      If he planned on driving it, why didn’t he let the dealer prep it, and why’d he trailer it home? This car has been a dedicated paperweight since it was ordered.

      Like 18
      • Avatar Josh Mortensen Staff

        He lived one state over from the dealer and wanted to get it home as soon as it arrived. It wasn’t ready to go when he got there, so they sent it off without prepping it.

        Like 3
  4. Avatar angliagt Member

    It’s a car,& needs to be driven & enjoyed.
    Wonder how much they paid for insurance all
    those years?

    Like 10
    • Avatar grant

      Maybe nothing, depending on where it is and if they’ve registered it. I’d think his home owners policy would cover it in the garage.

      Like 3
      • Avatar Brakeservo

        Common misperception, a homeowner’s policy does not cover automobiles.

        Like 9
  5. Avatar 36 Packard

    Yes, I was going to say that but I didn’t want to get grilled like I have seen others get on here when they bring up inequalities. I would have been happy with the standard Stang, not that I could have even afforded that, yet to buy many and not even drive them?!! Bet they have others to drive too.

    Like 9
    • Avatar Sandy Claws

      I agree, people here apparently know my feelings on this, but this still is one fine automobile! I would love to own this, think he would take ten grand in cash?

      Like 2
  6. Avatar Coventrycat

    Way cooler than a similar mileage Grand National. I only need to see one, though.

    Like 4
  7. Avatar Superdessucke

    For the “glad it exists” file but I truly don’t get doing this. Not a good investment. In this case, future Cobras got faster and faster, and a prospective buyer won’t have the attachment to it the original owner does. It would bring in a lot of money, but I doubt enough to account for inflation, insurance, storage, and the other costs incurred maintaining it all these years.

    Not to mention comparing it to what you’d have gotten have had you put the $38,995 purchase price into a mutual fund back in August 2002. (You’d have about $144,000).

    And as to sentimental value, wouldn’t more memories be made driving it versus it just sitting in a garage covered in delivery plastic?

    I say pull the plastic off the poor thing and drive it in the summer and on nice days, but that’s just me.

    Like 29
  8. Avatar Mac88

    I’ve got a friend who ordered a 2008 Z06 Corvette, took delivery, drove it 13 miles home, put it in his garage and it has not been started or driven since. I think it scared the crap out of him. He’s a real strange dude. Nice guy, but strange.

    Like 8
  9. Avatar Brakeservo

    Virtually no new car bought and held for investment ever pans out. People have bought and stored Clenets, Excaliburs, Bricklins and of course DeLoreans. Has there ever been a single case that the car out performed a well managed stock fund that didn’t incur insurance, maintenance, physical deterioration and storage costs??

    Like 6
    • Avatar Copocamaro

      Can we say GNX!!!

      Like 7
    • Avatar Dave

      SuperBirds.

      Like 5
    • Avatar Mike_B_SVT

      Arguably, this car is still worth sticker price (around $40k). Even if they had driven the car regularly, it would still be worth about half sticker ($20-25k, give or take). Not a large number of regular production cars can say they are worth half sticker after 15 years ;-)

      I know, I know, if they had invested the money, blah blah blah. But which one makes for a better story? “My dear father invested a tidy sum, for which I am eternally greatful.” Or “My old man was a car nut, and stashed some kick @ss Cobras in the garage for years!” :-)

      Like 1
  10. Avatar H5mind

    Paintings can be viewed; cars should be driven. Imagine if he put 10% of that money into Bitcoin!

    Like 5
  11. Avatar Jack Walsh

    Next up? More Detroit iron, but this time with negative 24 miles. Yes, they drove it up on the trailer in reverse, trailered it home in reverse and backed it into the barn, where the owners have slowly rotated the drivetrain in reverse for 25 years.

    Like 2
  12. Avatar Tom

    Waste of money . Car will never be able to be driven again without a lot of $$$$ pumped into it. Maybe a museum car but that it’s same for the Shelby. Put a couple hundred miles a year on it at least . It will still be worth something now it’s basically junk.

    Like 3
    • Avatar Rx7turboII

      Basically junk? Lol. Put the “medicinal” weed down there negative Nancy! Junk is most rusted out 912’s here lately, this is just a waste of a good car sitting idle, but nowhere near junk… SMH

      Like 4
      • Avatar bruce baker

        It totally depends on how much thought, and prep he put into these two cars. Old motor oil, bad old gas, & hardened old rubber oil/grease seals can be what turns these cars into “junk”. I have personally had room temp. nearly clear motor oil under 10 years old burn my hands as the oil filter disintegrated in or near my bare hands two different times now. Acid, & time is bad for cars that are not started or driven at least once a month with annual oil changes. Plus the original car batteries could be seeping acid too. Plus bad 10 yr. old or more gas could do harm when there finally started.

        Like 2
  13. Avatar CCFisher

    Everybody loses! Nobody gets to use and enjoy the car, and the money would be better off in traditional investments. I don’t understand what drives people to do this.

    Like 4
  14. Avatar angliagt Member

    Well,it was posted in a public forum,so you should expect
    some opposing viewpoints.

    Like 1
    • Avatar Ike Onick

      Like mine.

      Like 0
  15. Avatar Steve

    Long term, dormant storage is hell on cars. The environment this one in in does not look all that stellar either.

    Like 3
    • Avatar PSI'd Shawn

      Is the owner willing to sell that yellow BF Goodrich banner? 😁

      Like 0
  16. Avatar Jay E.

    I have no words…

    Like 1
  17. Avatar big mike

    Some years back I went to a big car auction at Barnhart, MO, I had gotten word on a 63 Chevy Impala SS, that had been store since 1964, it had 1033 miles on it, the Family of the original owner had decided to sell it,(after the original owner had died), as you walk around this lot with about 500 cars of all make and models, some wrecks, some odd balls, you all have been to then, well this car that I was thinking about trying for started out with an reserve price of 25K, you could hear the crickets, well the auctioneer said once, twice, no bid, on to the next car and the we all walked away from it on to the next car to be auctioned. Well after about 6 hours they started back to the cars that had not sold, they call it second chance around, and if they are not sold then, the owners pay a site fee and haul it back home. Well they started at 20K, no takers, finally they removed the reserve and bidding started at 5k, I started bidding and did something I never do, went over the max I was willing to pay for a classic, which is 13K, I paid 13,550 for the car.
    Let me tell you about Baby(my name for her) this car was a manufacture in early September of 62 the vin number showed 012, it was a white hard top with red interior with a 3 speed tranny, it was equipped with a nice legendary 409, the car had not ran or even been start, which I was very thankful for, since the early 1970 the family told me. Well as I loaded it up thanked the family as they were handing me all the original paperwork from the car, the car was owned by a GM employee that walked it down the line, which apparently back then they could, putting everything he could put on it, he bought it for 2200.00 I still own it and it actually parks in the house garage, not down it the shop, the main reason I wanted it was because the day I was born, my parents owned a 63 Impala SS that was white.
    I have attached a picture of it to show you Baby!!!

    Like 23
    • Avatar UK Paul 🇬🇧

      Great story and nice car!

      Like 2
  18. Avatar jim seals

    Fire that Bad Boy up and Smoke those tires! @@@@@@@@@

    Like 0
  19. Avatar Joe

    When the 1978 Corvette Indy Pace Car was available for pre order, I knew of multiple people that were ordering 2 at the staggering $12,500, lol a copy and either having the 2nd one sold by the time they were delivered for nearly the cost of both cars or putting one away as investment and driving the snot out of the other one.

    Like 1
  20. Avatar Bernie H.

    I hope Douglas knows how to correctly “long term store” a vehicle like this, otherwise he’ll be in for a nasty suprise when discovering its all seized up, especially the supercharger. Someone at Ford Service in Dearborn, MI ought to be contacted, as they were’nt prepped for storage after assembly. Also, there is a “start up” procedure to prevent disasters.

    Like 1
  21. Avatar Jimmy

    A picture is worth a thousand words. Heck our 2012 GT/CS has 412hp with no boost and we drive it as many weekends in the summer as weather allows.

    Like 4
  22. Avatar W9BAG

    I can see where this is a conundrum; buying a classic with ultra-low miles. Drive it, or make it a trailer queen for car events. I’m confident that car will sell for a PREMIUM price. Hence, the conundrum begins.

    Cars are meant to be driven. One can speculate why we find such uber low mileage cars in the first place. Whether as an investment, future plans to show it as a super original car, etc ? Who knows ? But, as I said, cars are cars. Cars are meant to be driven. I imagine this Mustang will need a TOTAL refurbish to make it safe to drive. All things rubber, like brake components, tranny mounts, motor mounts, belt(s), hoses, everything liquid replaced & flushed. Fuel delivery (tank & pump) cleaned/replaced. Not an inexpensive task. Been there, done that. Leave no leaf unturned, or it will come back and bite you in the back side. Personally, I would perform the aforementioned refurbish tasks, and drive it. Just drive it. On days when it’s raining, use the wipers & washers, the A/C, cruise, all accessories. Park it where the birds won’t poop on the cloth top. Make it a vacation car. Looooong summer adventures including thousands of miles trips, and enjoy the experience. Bullocks regarding the additional miles. You paid for it. Enjoy it. Really nice find, guys !

    Like 2
    • Avatar Mike_B_SVT

      I’m an original owner of a Sonic Blue ’03 Cobra Convertible. It is my daily driver. No special occassion needed. Grocery store run? You bet. Drive to the coast for the day? Sure thing. Any time, any where. If it isn’t freezing or raining, the top goes down (heater on or AC blasting, as necessary).

      Even after 16 years it is still a blast to drive. So I have to say that I agree ~ “bullocks regarding the additional miles”!

      Like 6
  23. Avatar Hoos Member

    I haven’t found a car yet that is any fun on a trailer. The fun is in driving them.

    Like 3
  24. Avatar Bob_in_TN Member

    I operate in circles of Mustang owners from all over the country, and there are many who have fun with trailer cars. Their fun comes in showing the cars, even more so when the cars are low or ultra low miles. They enjoy telling the story of how they acquired such pristine cars, and how they go about preserving them. Some enjoy simply owning such specimens.

    Like 1
  25. Avatar Frank Rizzo

    Crazy. If the guy gets hit by a truck, he just spent money on a car to sit and look at it. Just don’t get it. Go buy a sweet diecast to look at, these cars are meant to be driven!!

    Like 1
  26. Avatar linda lafferty

    I had a friend who bought a road tractor and it sat for years in his front yard…20,000 dollar yard ornament?…I wouldn’t tell anybody I had these two cars unless I had a museum to show them…not in my private garage! Some people have too much money for their own sanity! By the qay, my missing daughter is 28 now missing since she was 10…throw some of that money my way for an investigator

    Like 0
  27. Avatar UK Paul 🇬🇧

    Terrible about your daughter Linda.
    How did she go missing? Are the Police still looking?

    Like 0

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