The 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra is amongst the most desirable American production cars to emerge during that decade. Its combination of looks and performance was a fitting way to bid goodbye to the venerable Fox-Body, and pristine examples command very healthy prices. Our featured Cobra isn’t pristine, but its cosmetic shortcomings are the least of its problems. Lifting the hood reveals a lot of fresh air, because its V8 and transmission are long gone. The buyer could scour the usual auction sites for replacements, or they could throw caution to the wind by dropping something more potent into the engine bay. The seller has listed the Cobra here on eBay in Milton, Florida. They set their BIN at $19,900 with the option to make an offer.
With its replacement waiting in the wings, Ford sought an appropriate way to send the Fox-Body Mustang out with a bang. It had formed the Special Vehicle Team, or SVT, in 1991 as a tuning house producing limited-edition high-performance models. The 1993 SVT Cobra was one of its first offerings, with the company producing 4,993 examples. Buyers could choose from four paint shades if you count two variants of Vibrant Red. This Cobra is 1-of-1,854 ordered in Black, making it the most popular color. Scrutinizing the photos reveals paint deterioration across several surfaces, along with chips on the hood and scratches on the hatch and rear spoiler. However, with most of the exterior presenting quite well, the buyer might be able to address these shortcomings with isolated repairs. The panels are straight, and the underside shots confirm that the car is rust-free. The distinctive spoilers and aerodynamic additions are in good condition, as are the beautiful 17″ alloy wheels.
This Cobra features the most popular paint and trim combination, with 1,079 buyers teaming the Opal Gray leather interior with a Black exterior. Its condition is pretty respectable for its age. The leather has the typical wrinkles that develop with age, but no significant rips or other problems. The carpet is clean, and the plastic hasn’t succumbed to abuse or UV rays. Someone added an Alpine head unit with Apple CarPlay and a rear-mounted camera. Otherwise, it is as it left the factory. Luxury touches abound, with this car featuring air conditioning, power windows, power locks, a six-way power driver’s seat, power mirrors, cruise control, and a leather-wrapped tilt wheel. The A/C is inoperative, and we’re about to discover why.
The 1993 Mustang SVT Cobra was a very respectable performer, thanks to the attention lavished on it during design and construction. Its 5.0-liter V8 featured a long list of upgrades, including GT40 cylinder heads, an improved intake, an upgraded camshaft, larger injectors, and an improved exhaust. The results justified the effort, with Ford quoting power and torque figures of 235hp and 280 ft/lbs in its Sales Brochure. There is a widespread belief that both numbers were underestimated, and the car’s performance supports that. The V8 wasn’t the only area to receive attention, with all Cobras featuring a five-speed T-5 manual transmission with internal upgrades, while the suspension received Tokico shocks and struts, and linear-rate springs. That is great in theory, but the reality is that this Cobra no longer has its original motor or transmission. It is unclear why they were removed, but aftermarket upgrades to the suspension and brakes may suggest a history of competition. Whatever the reality, the buyer faces some choices before this classic returns to its rightful place on our roads. They could scour the usual online auction sites, hoping to find a Cobra V8 and five-speed, or they could throw caution to the wind by choosing something different. The final choice will depend on their desire for authenticity.
This 1993 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra has attracted plenty of attention, with the seller’s listing receiving over 660 views today. This has only translated to 55 people adding it to their Watch List, and there could be a sound reason for that. The price looks extremely impressive for a car that presents so nicely, and it might be that many of those people only discovered its mechanical shortcomings once they had clicked on the listing. The Watch List tally is still respectable, but do you think that the interest shown will translate into sales success?
Let me be the first to say this is a prime candidate for a 350 chev engine. Trying to locate a 5.0 COBRA engine would be very difficult and then coming up with the cash to buy it would be outrageous to say the least. The new owner could just go to their local boneyard and find hundreds of used small block chevie engines for a couple hundred bucks and then go to J C Whitney catalog for some cheap high performance equipment. Probably for less than a thousand bucks you could have a real barn burner. It’s your car, no one should tell you what to do with it. There, I said it.