1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test parts'
 

My friend has the very first Mustang Cobra ever built at his shop. He is rotisserie restoring it for the omner. It is a 1993. I realize it is not a chevy or an old musclecar..but thought someone here might be interested anyway...
I did not really believe the story as the car is just a shell in primer on the rotisserie at the moment. But I started checking the rear spoiler and lower skirt parts that are unbolted from the car and I found "test parts" engraved and it seems the guys at Ford actually signed the rear fin underneath with an engraver. The original marks and dates and codes are written allover... I thought I would take some pics next time there... if anyone is interested, I will post....

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

Hell yes I'm interested! Let's see some pics! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

Does this car have the original SVT cerificates stating its #1 ? They made alot more than one test car. The owner needs to contact SVT and they can get replacment docs for his vin showing its no# I had a teal 93 that I ordered the replacment paper for. Very cool if it is!

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

SVT certs?? heck if I know.....but apparently it is the correct VIN as being the number 1 car......the first built...I have not seen the owner at my buddy's shop this year...but, when I talked to him a whie ago. he seemed to know about these things. I guess the VIN's are published..or available?? I will stop by there tomorrow if I have time and take some pics.

I hope it is the first Cobra because this guy is really going crazy restoring this car..he has bought many NOS parts for the car....I cannot imagine how much he will have invested in this car when it is done....and what it is actually worth.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

When I lived in Maryland a neighbor told me he had the local Ford dealership deliver a brand new Teal '93 Cobra delivered on a flat bed to his home. He stored it in his heated / dehumidified garage and ran it around the block occasionally. He was planning to give it to his grandson when he turned 16 (the lucky kid was about 8 at the time when I left in 2001 and grandpa still had the Cobra waiting for him).

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">SVT certs?? heck if I know.....but apparently it is the correct VIN as being the number 1 car......the first built...I have not seen the owner at my buddy's shop this year...but, when I talked to him a whie ago. he seemed to know about these things. I guess the VIN's are published..or available?? I will stop by there tomorrow if I have time and take some pics.

I hope it is the first Cobra because this guy is really going crazy restoring this car..he has bought many NOS parts for the car....I cannot imagine how much he will have invested in this car when it is done....and what it is actually worth. </div></div>

The first three pilot cars are known to have been destroyed. I think the earliest known pilot in private hands is #8, which may be this car. I don't think the #1 production car is in the registry, but I haven't looked for a while.

Ultra low mile 93's with bulletproof paper and owner history have gotten close to $50,000. If this is the #8 pilot car, I'm sure it would bring more.

Unfortunately, docs are important because fakes have already started to show up.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

The story on the first 18 93 Cobra's is that they were used for photo shoots, shows and testing. Cars 1,2 &amp; 3 were destroyed in crash tests, which leaves 15 cars left. The first car sold to the public was car #19.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

#8, 11, 14, 15, and 18 are all in private owner's hands. I checked the registry, and shows that #11 was delivered new through Blue Springs Ford here in Kansas City. No dealer listed for the other 4. The first regular production car, #19, was sold new in Maryland. It was in very rough condition in 2007, and the owner was gathering parts for a ground up restoration.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

interesting stuff..

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

why would it need to be restored?

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

Its more than likley that it has spent the last 17 yrs being tortured on the street and has had a 347 w/ supercharger installed... rear wheelwells rolled to get 28x10.5 slicks under the quarters and the rear disc brakes removed and replaced with drums so you could get the wheels to sit under the car. Thats if its had an easy life.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

Every single 1993 Cobra I know of is a blown or turbo drag car or has been street raced to death.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

this may be the number 19 car...I am not sure. I asked my buddy and he said the owner has all kinds of paperwork on this car. Also that the owner of this car has another 93 Cobra w/3500 orig. miles and another with a blower and 700+ HP. It seems like the car must be something special anyway. I will ask further if the actual owner of the car shows up again at my friend's shop.

Anyway..here's a few pics. if I can get them to load...unfortunately my battery died on my camera...

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

BTW..the car is being restored because the car was hit hard in the rear and my buddy 'repaired it' using another car. They did a real nice job reproducing all spot welds correctly and all seam sealer, etc. The owner of the car is rather particular...I guess there is only one 1st !!..sort of...

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

rear fin...notice 'test part' hand-engraved..and some other words?? signed by worker?? Is this part number a prototype number???

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

rear fin w pic

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

hand engraved 'test part'

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

prototype part number? on rear fin

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

hand written date on rocker lower spoiler piece...these pieces had lots of hand written dates and numbers/codes...but may battery died in my camera after these shots... Ill post more and find out more about the car as I know more.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

btw this car is an original red car..is car number 19 red??

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: al8apex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">why would it need to be restored? </div></div>

for the same reason a 1973 Z28 would have been restored in 1990.. 17 years is a long time..

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW..the car is being restored because the car was hit hard in the rear and my buddy 'repaired it' using another car. They did a real nice job reproducing all spot welds correctly and all seam sealer, etc. The owner of the car is rather particular...I guess there is only one 1st !!..sort of... </div></div>

How might the rebody affect its value in the collector marketplace?

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">btw this car is an original red car..is car number 19 red??
</div></div>

Thanks for posting some pics! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

#19 is a code ES Vibrant Red clearcoat car. #8 is code EY Vibrant Red single stage.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">SVT certs??I hope it is the first Cobra because this guy is really going crazy restoring this car..he has bought many NOS parts for the car....I cannot imagine how much he will have invested in this car when it is done....and what it is actually worth. </div></div>
I just got done with a 1992 ssp car. Growing up with the fox body these cars were a dime a dozen. Trying to find NOS is not very easy, when you find something its usually pricey. I would've never guessed parts would be hard to find for these cars, look at production numbers. Better yet add in notchback.
Joe

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hep1966</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW..the car is being restored because the car was hit hard in the rear and my buddy 'repaired it' using another car. They did a real nice job reproducing all spot welds correctly and all seam sealer, etc. The owner of the car is rather particular...I guess there is only one 1st !!..sort of... </div></div>

How might the rebody affect its value in the collector marketplace? </div></div>

It will affect it some. How much, I don't know. The collector market for these cars is not nearly as developed as the market for 60's cars, and the values are all over the place. I would think that a rear clip replacement would affect this car less than it would a car built in the middle of the run.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Justbad Joe</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">SVT certs??I hope it is the first Cobra because this guy is really going crazy restoring this car..he has bought many NOS parts for the car....I cannot imagine how much he will have invested in this car when it is done....and what it is actually worth. </div></div>
I just got done with a 1992 ssp car. Growing up with the fox body these cars were a dime a dozen. Trying to find NOS is not very easy, when you find something its usually pricey. I would've never guessed parts would be hard to find for these cars, look at production numbers. Better yet add in notchback.
Joe
</div></div>

You're not kidding. Notch specific parts, in particular, seem to get pricier by the day.

There is some good news, though. Ford recently announced their intention to rerelease 9000 obsolete part numbers. The announcement said that these numbers would cover everything from the Model T up through the 2000 model year, but I've heard through the grapevine that a substantial percentage of those will be Fox related.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">prototype part number? on rear fin </div></div>

The date on that piece is interesting. The scheduled build date of #19 is 12-17-92.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: hep1966</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">BTW..the car is being restored because the car was hit hard in the rear and my buddy 'repaired it' using another car. They did a real nice job reproducing all spot welds correctly and all seam sealer, etc. The owner of the car is rather particular...I guess there is only one 1st !!..sort of... </div></div>

How might the rebody affect its value in the collector marketplace? </div></div>


I know everyone's definition of a rebody is different, but I'd have to say this car is NO rebody. The parts replaced were one full qp w/complete wheelhouse and most of the trunk floor and rear panel section. The full floors, roof, doors, one whole side of car and complete front firewall,dash, cowl, etc are all original. The car could have been fixed easier in a more typical manner with replacement parts, but the owner wanted as few non-original spot welds, etc as possible. I have to give the owner credit for the way he fixed the car.

I cannot call a car a re-body just because it used used parts instead of NOS..or worse yet...aftermarket parts to fix it. I know my 69 Indy will have a lot more replaced body parts and it is not a re-body.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: old5.0</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body">btw this car is an original red car..is car number 19 red??
</div></div>

Thanks for posting some pics! [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]

#19 is a code ES Vibrant Red clearcoat car. #8 is code EY Vibrant Red single stage. </div></div>

That is interesting because the guys at my buddies shop were talking about the special paint...and the difference in the paint in the engine compartment?? Something to do with the clearcoat?? or lack of..I cannot remember exactly. I will stop by later today and find out more on the car. And take some more pics also.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

ok, so stopped by my buddies today, but could not take any pics...he had car in booth with paint primer/sealer on it getting ready to start painting the color. He was skitzing about dust when I entered the booth, so I did not stay long. He was very adamant though that this car is getting single-stage paint...non-clearcoat..and that that is how it came from the factory...

so???
could be car number 8 based on original paint?? But,the build date of car #19 and the date on the front spoiler seem to match perfect though...??? What was the build date of car 8??? If prior to the date on the front spoiler, than I would say this is definitely not that car.

are you sure you have the paint correct for car 8 and 19??? Maybe You typed them reversed??

I will take more pics in the next few days...

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: iluv69s</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> ok, so stopped by my buddies today, but could not take any pics...he had car in booth with paint primer/sealer on it getting ready to start painting the color. He was skitzing about dust when I entered the booth, so I did not stay long. He was very adamant though that this car is getting single-stage paint...non-clearcoat..and that that is how it came from the factory...

so???
could be car number 8 based on original paint?? But,the build date of car #19 and the date on the front spoiler seem to match perfect though...??? What was the build date of car 8??? If prior to the date on the front spoiler, than I would say this is definitely not that car.

are you sure you have the paint correct for car 8 and 19??? Maybe You typed them reversed??

I will take more pics in the next few days... </div></div>

No, I've got the paint right, to the best of my knowledge. Single stage cars are rare as hen's teeth. Not sure of the exact number, but pick a number less than 20 and you're in the ballpark.

#8 was built on 10-08-92.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

Can't you just ask the owner which number it is?


Jason

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

I don't think he's met the owner yet.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

when i lived in midland texas,a new teal cobra was given away at a raffle at a mall there.

what's the deal with these?

are they 5.0's that came with a supercharger?

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: agtw31</div><div class="ubbcode-body">when i lived in midland texas,a new teal cobra was given away at a raffle at a mall there.

what's the deal with these?

are they 5.0's that came with a supercharger? </div></div>

Different cam than the standard H.O. GT-40x iron heads. Cast GT-40 intake. Crane 1.7 roller rockers. Bigger 24 lb/hr injectors. Bigger mass air meter and throttle body, more aggressive tune in the computer. and underdrive pulleys on the crank and waterpump. There are also extensive suspension differences between a Cobra and a standard 5.0.

No 5.0 ever came from Ford with a blower, although if you went to the right dealer, you could certainly buy one.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: SuperNovaSS</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Can't you just ask the owner which number it is?


Jason </div></div>

I have met the owner, but it was last year when the car first arived at my buddy's shop. When it was still wrecked. But I have not seen him around my buddy's shop this year at all. I suspect he will be showing up soon as the car should be done painted real soon. The problem is that I am rarely at my Buddy's shop so the chance of me running into him is slim. I will try to find out more as soon as I can.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

It seems that the date on the front spoiler excludes this car from being #8.

I cannot imagine that my buddy is painting the car incorrectly...I guess anything is possible.

Can anyone access the Cobra site you are referring to? How about a link?? I am real curious now also. Thanks alot..

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

Its www.1993cobra.com. The registry is missing some very early production cars, but #19 is definitely shown as a clearcoat car.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

You know, I can remember a few years ago here in St. Louis when somebody traded in one of the 1993 &quot;R&quot; models into the local Ford dealer. I actually made a 40 mile one-way trip to the dealership just to see it because it sounded neat with the no radio, no A/C, no back seat, etc. That's my kinda car! They just had it sitting in the front row with it's black wheels and I also remember it having very low mileage but I can't remember how low.

Re: 1st Mustang Cobra ever built.....with 'test pa
 

I've always wondered what the weight loss was worth in the quarter. For some reason, no one I've met with an R has been willing to loan it to me for some track thrashing. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/haha.gif[/img]