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Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
I have a 01 Saleen SC slightly modded (see bottom), and the other day I was on the highway, and I pulled up next to a 03 Cobra. I couldnt really see him, and he couldnt see me. but we all know what happens next...I dropped it into fourth gear at a 70 mph roll. I pulled on him hard, and had him by a full cars length. well as you can see I have 3:73 gears, and soon, I had to shift to fifth gear, when I did that, he jumped ahead by half a cars length. We both had to slow down for slower traffic after that. I'm not sure if I could have taken him at higher speeds.
Does any one have any idea? I feel my lower gears hurt me in higher speed races. Please be objective, try not to be biased, both the Cobra and the Saleen are very nice and fast cars, I'm just looking for an unbiased opinion.
Posts: 43
Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
I have a stock supercharger(Saleen type II Roots)...I'm not sure what the boost is, I think it is 12psi, but I'd have to check. And no, I did not change the pully yet.
01SaleenSC, if you are making 12 lbs of boost, the prev owner changed the pulley. Your car stock made around the 8 range, and with you being at some altitude, it would make even less. If you are currently making 12 psi in Provo, i'd be careful. Not only is 12 psi close to a safe hp limit for the engine, but if you're not tuned well (too lean), your connecting rods will come apart. So find out what your current max boost is. If you are running 12psi on a stock tune (no chip), id be nervous. What you really need to do is get it to a wide band dyno, so you can see where your current air/fuel ratio is, as well as rear wheel hp. As far as the 03 cobra goes, it makes 8ish stock. But you really cant compare boost on an 03 to yours, cause yours is a 2 valve, and the 03 is a 4. Your car stock dynos around 330 to the wheels @ 8ish psi, but the Cobra dynos 380ish rear wheel hp @ 8psi. Stock cobras have 3.55 gears, so your 3.73's will help some, even more so with your 5 speed vs. the cobra 6. But if you are pulling on cobras now, chances are the prev owner changed the pulley
Posts: 43
Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
I appretiate the added info. I might have made a mistake on the boost. I think the series II supercharger only produces 12psi max. so you are probably right about the 8psi. I'll have the Ford dealership check for me, my saleen is there now getting the throttle cable replaced. How can I check in the mean time if the pully has been changed???
Also, where and how can I get a dyno test done, and how much does it cost???
01Saleen, call Liz and get the exact pully size on your car stock; then measure the diameter yours (contact point to contact point). If there is a difference, then the pully has been changed. It wouldn't surprise me if it had been changed, as that was an easy and popular mod for hp. Was the car a Utah car before you owned it? If it was, then it's possible the altitude was taken into account. You need to get in the car and see how many lbs of boost it makes max. -Then go from there. I'm sure there are several dynos in the salt lake area. Call a local hot rod shop and ask them. It doesn't cost that much to do an engine dyno-under $100. Ever go to Boise? In Boise I can hook you up.
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Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
Wow! Thats a good idea, I never thought about that. The car was originally from Texas, it was bought at an aution in Texas too. The dealership that I bought it from, shipped it to utah from texas.
I'm sure considering all the other mod. work, the pully probably was changed too. To see the amount of boost, when would you look at it? at what speed and rpm range?
Havent been to Boise, how long of a drive is it from Salt Lake City?
...Boise is about a 4 ish hour drive, maybe more. One other thing: 01 saleens came stock with a borla catback system and an H pipe, 02's got the X pipe. -See what your boost reads between 4000 and 5200 rpms max. the easy way is to have a friend ride with you and watch the boost guage, then you won't have to worry about it. If the car is too mean for you, you could change the gears to 3.27's and it would be more drivable and get better fuel economy as well (or 3.08's for that matter). I happen to prefer 3.55's; i think they are a good balance. -Go see what your max boost is
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Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
My H pipe was swapped out for Bassani xpipe high flow cats. I do like the feel of the 3:73's. They pull so damn hard through the first two gears. The only thing I dont like is that as soon as you take off in first you have to shift to second. This is extremely annoying when you are making a wide left turn across traffic, and cars are behind you. You almost have to shift in the middle of the turn. unless you want to go past 3k rpms. Other than that, the 3:73's are remarkable. 3:55's would be more practical as well as the 3:08's, but the launch of the 3:73's are by far impressive.
Ill find out what my max boost is tomorrow. That's when it will be back from the shop.
So, do you like the Saleen over the Cobra? The "overall" consideration factor.
01Saleen, -the biggest reason i like the Saleen over the Cobra for is value. It's a fact of life that a Saleen holds its value better that a cobra, and it really boils down to what you get into that Saleen for$$ wise. If you pay sticker or near for a new Saleen, it's probably not worth it, $ wise vs a cobra. If you can get a good deal on a Saleen, it becomes a different story. Wait 2 years from now and see what 03 cobras are going for on ebay. It will be scary.
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Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
yeah I agree. Both cars are amazing. The speed potential of the cobra is extremely impressive. But I have to go with the 'overall' choice and thats the saleen.
Jeff, anyhow, to answer your question, I think you would need to be running 11-12 psi to beat a stock cobra. Was your car originally sold to a Utah dealership?
01Saleen, sometimes when cars are sold to high altitude cities like salt lake, adjustments are made for thinner air. It is possible saleen altered the tune, and changed the pully if it was sold to a 6000' location. Oh, by the way, what color is it?
Posts: 43
Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
Well it was originally sold to a texas Saleen dealer, Guller Ford in Conroe Texas. It was then sold at an aution to Luxury auto sales in clearfield Texas, then i bought it from them. So i doubt there were any adjustments made for altitude. The salesman and I drove it around town for an hour the saturday I bought it, and he bought me lunch (of course). Got more head turns, waves and smiles than I can remember.
It is Silver metallic/charcoal grey int./black lettering.
Liz at Saleen sent me an authenticating letter, and a copy of the original window sticker. MSRP was $43,944.00
Posts: 43
Joined: 11/15/2003 From: United States Status: offline
Hey Rick, I got a racing story for you:
The other day I was driving down the street and I pulled in behind a Sub. WRX (NOT the STI). It had an exhaust upgrade. When I pulled in behind him, I seen him look in his rear view mirror, he was probably looking at the "SALEEN" sticker across my front windshield. The light turned green, and he punched it. I followed behind him and didnt have it to the floor. I kept right behind him.
At the next light about a 100 yards down, he pulls one lane to the left, so that I could pull up next to his right side. He looked over and smiled. The lane I was in was to merge to the left, so we all know what was to happen next. The light turned green, I of course, like an idiot spun my tires and he got a slight jump, about half a car. Once my tires hooked up, I was gone. Got to love the boost from that damn supercharger.
I must have pulled on him by two cars before I shifted into third. I let off the gas as soon as I hit third. The race was already over.
It was a close race....until the light turned green.
Printable Version
Can I beat an 03 stock Cobra? - 
