I wasn't aware the previous generation Cobras had an IRS. I know the new ones coming out don't. Ford specifically stated they didn't want one because of wheel hop.

 

if you haven't already, I'd recommend going to a dealer and actually test driving a Z prior to getting rid of your cobra and committing to a Z. I'm not saying the Z isn't great, I love my Z. but as a previous mustang owner I can tell you that there are times when I miss the throw you back into your seat feel of a torquey V8.

 

random response/thoughts:
the way the wheels on the z are positioned so close to the corners and the way the weight is distributed both make for great handling in the z.

ya, big brakes only help with fade on the z, not with stopping distance. look at stoptech brakes, too.

get a base model and you'll have more money to spend on upgrades.

oem lsd is not great. you prolly want an aftermarket one, eg nismo, cusco, et al, esp if you go fi later.
good luck.

 

In California, you should be able to get an 05 OTD around the low 30K's. The 06's are comming out soon, you might want to wait a tad if you want the 300 HP engine.

05: 287HP 274 TQ
06: 300HP 260 TQ (I'm going off the top of my head)

There is alot of topics running around which engine is better, but to be honest, you won't see a huge difference unless you are doing some serious racing.

 

that has crossed my mind about a million times. Just coming back from work tonight I gave her a nice top of second gear rip, man 570 rwhp throws you back perfect in your seats..

 

Cool, thanks. Yeah I saw that 06 was getting a bump in power, I read somewhere on this board I believe it was mostly ECU tweaking, but I can't remember for sure.

I'm going to hopefully check one out at a dealership in the next week or so. I've sat in one, just never driven one. My buddy however, whos an import nut, keeps pushin for the Evo, I like it's power and awd characteristics, but man that interior!

 

actually the difference is pretty extensive; different cams, plenum, ecu, connecting rods, and something else i forget. There's a thread around somewhere with pictures where they compare the two. I think Jeff@performance had something to do with it.

people who have done dyno comparisons have said that there's no real torque difference between the two engines. I'm not totally convinced, and I'd like to see more info on the subject.

 

Yea but see, with a Z, now you are allowed to turn.

 

obviously at first you are going too feel kind of powerless, going from 570 rwhp to around 240 rwhp, but hey power can be upgraded and you can still turn.

 

I was talking to John Morton the other day about the handling of the
350Z and he said it was the second best handling production car he
has ever driven. The best was a Corvette but he said he wouldn't want
to own a Corvette. He didn't say why. John, www.john-morton-racing.us ,
is the world famous Nissan racer and has raced just about every type of
car made and should know what he is talking about.

 

JackMan017, if you are interested in handling numbers, according to my Gtech RR, I have pulled 1.06 G in track conditions. I was running BF Goodrich KD tires. My suspension mods are HKS Hipermax II coilovers, 350 Evo Camber arms, and SPC rear camber and toe bolts. My alignment camber is -3.0 camber in front and -2.4 in the rear. The toe is set to 0 in front and rear.

 

That is sick. And make no mistake JackMan. You can get your Cobra to produce these lateral G numbers(well maybe close to) probably easier than you can get the Z to 570rwhp, but the numbers don't tell the whole story. I think you know this or you wouldn't even be considering the Z.

The chassis is carved from stone making the car more predictable at extreme angles with tremendous feedback to the driver. I've never been surprised with my Z at 8-9/10ths driving, yet the Cobra bit me regularly.

In retrospect, I wish I had brought the car to Steeda to have the suspension tuned properly...so you might want to try that route first.

 

The chassis is very stiff and well balanced. I believe that is why the Grand Am cup 350Z's are very competitive against cars with alot more horsepower. I know my car was good stock but with just a few tweaks in the alignment and a good corner balance made a giant difference in handling.

 

wow, very impressive

 

the fact that its a 25 year old chasis that I'm trying to work with really steers me away from doing any kind of suspension mods to the cobra minus some subframe connectors that are already welded on.

Yeah Im sure my cobra could pull the g numbers pretty close, but at the expense of knocking out every tooth I have in my mouth from that smooth ride i'll have...

 

Exactly. You can use and enjoy the handling/ride/feedback 100% of the time. How often do you get to use the full extent of the power? The decision for me was easy. I'm interested in hearing your thoughts after you test drive one.