My build. Project "Sniper"

[NITMARE]

I fully expect this to be the most hated on car to ever come across this board...and I am okay with that.


94 black Cobra. I have done some pretty extensive mods to the car but the most extensive mod is the motor swap that it is undergoing...

-Viper 8 liter V10
-Twin ball bearing T-76 turbo's
-10 point cage built in house
-custom fabbed k-member, and control arms
-custom fabbed trans mounts
-firewall pushed back 10 inches

-Alcon 4 piston brakes with 14" rotors
-Coil over suspension with Tokico Illuma's on all four corners
-Forgeline SSP3 rims, BFG G-force KDW's
....and tons and tons of other mods. Every inch of the car has been built by me in my garage. We have since moved into a shop where the work will be getting completed.

There is literally too much work to the car to list so I will let you guys tune in as I update the build and ask questions if you would like.

Some will hate the build some will love it...I can live with whatever you think about it. I set out to build Mustang that has never been built before and I think this gets that goal accomplished.

I FINALLY got the stuff back from the powder coater ( 3 weeks late ) and thought I would post some pics before it goes in for the final install this weekend. Nothing really flashy about it. I got rid of all the Viper red and went with a textured black. I also had the coolant pipes, throttle linkage, oil pan, k- member, and numerous other odds and ends done in the metallic silver just to add some contrast. The stuff took longer then it should have but everything came out REALLY nice. Not a flaw on any of the parts. I have to go pick up the pulleys and a couple brackets in the A.M....the 2 into 1 charge pipe will also be getting painted on Monday.

You can also see the headers I fabbed up and bolted on now that they're back from Jet Hot...and yes I have to run the header wrap as much as I didn't want to. There will be exhaust heat issues and the back two cylinders sit basically in the passenger compartment.














I just got the paint laid down in the engine bay today after TONS of smoothing and prepping. Also got the k-member just bolted into place. I painted the engine bay with the same House Of Kolors Jet Black that the body is...but instead shot it with a couple coats of their Hot Rod Flat clearcoat....I wanted to keep everything clean and easy to keep looking good since it will be a daily driver. I should get the motor and trans bolted in tomorrow for sure

Nothing too exciting just gives you guys and idea of the size of the recess that had to be made in the firewall. Also you can see the k-member I fabbed up installed. Since I have already been asked that is NOT a modified UPR member. This was the first part I made for the car. It's 1/8" wall Chromoly. Sorry for how shitty the pics are...dirty lens and the black is dark it's hard to make out detail.








Got the mounts finished up for the radiator. I wanted something clean so there are no brackets or anything, it sits in a lower mount and then I modified the stock upper section so that when it is bolted in there are tabs on the inside that hold it in place. That radiator is substantially bigger then a 5.0 radiator. It's a 2 core aluminum GM Performance Parts unit that is their recommended unit for their 572 crate motor (and the inlets and outlets happened to work out perfectly)...so I hope it can keep a 488 V10 cool. I will be running twin Spal 10" fans on the backside as soon as the I finish up the shroud. The radiator is laid back 15 degrees. This gives it more surface area for the incoming air to make contact with. I want every bit of air coming in the front of the car to be doing something. Either cooling the engine, feeding the brake ducts, cooling the oil cooler, or feeding the engine.

[NITMARE]

A couple pics before I got the oil pan powder coated

[thedon809]

Wow that is just awesome. I love seeing people do custom stuff like this. 1 of a kind that's for sure. I would love to see the look on peoples faces when you pop the hood.

[JGK95]

This has to be the most retarded-est, yet coolest project I've ever seen and I've never juxtaposed those two words ever in a sentence!

Keep up the progress updates with pics!

Question: Did you fab up the oil pan by yourself?

Jay K.

[Thomas]

It will be interesting to hear what the exhaust sounds like as their will be more room and a different lenth of piping. Really cool build.

[Jasonmiddletn]

Wild build....what's up with the dually setting on the 24.5's in the second picture by the curb?

[LPDesRoche]

Well thats different for sure. I like mustangs but you really have to want the Viper V10 really bad to go through all of that. You could have made equal power with a stroked and turbo'd windsor for a whole lot less effort. But I applaud you on your efforts thats for sure. Not sure I would have gone through all of that for a shittier exhaust note.

[NITMARE]

Thanks guys I'm glad you think it's at least somewhat cool....

JGK95 - that is totally the reaction I am going for! It is retarded, it doesn't particularly make sense, but I just think it's cool shit.

And yes I fabbed the oil pan myself from 16GA sheet metal...it was the first pan I've ever done. It was a little tricky figuring out how to get the volume I needed whit just a rear sump and VERY little ground clearance.

Thomas - I think I am more pumped to hear it then anything else. It all runs through 3" pipe, through a true X pipe, and out of Borla mufflers, the exhaust will exit just in front of the rear tire through the body (Viper inspired of course)

Jason - that's my tow rig....it's for sale

2002 Ford F-350 Dually. Crew cab, Lariat, 22.5's, 70K miles - SVTPerformance

[NITMARE]

Originally Posted by LPDesRoche

Well thats different for sure. I like mustangs but you really have to want the Viper V10 really bad to go through all of that. You could have made equal power with a stroked and turbo'd windsor for a whole lot less effort. But I applaud you on your efforts thats for sure. Not sure I would have gone through all of that for a shittier exhaust note.

I hear ya man, the car was a 357 Windsor with TFS High Port heads, EFI Spyder intake, Tremec TKO500, and running a single 88mm turbo before I started this build...it was a nasty car for sure...I have just been itching to do this swap for over 4 years and I finally pulled the trigger.

it's definitely not about being able to make more power....it's more about doing something that's never been done.

[Hamrhead]

I think it's going to be a cool ride, but regardless of that, I gotta respect your skills and determination to take on the project.

+rep!


Though, I seem to remember Ford swapping their Triton V10 into a Mustang a few years back, don't I?
(I know, still going to be a different animal)

[04mystic]

I like everything about it but leaving the Viper logo on the valve covers. If it was me I would have put some blank ones on there so it would keep the sinister look of the engine bay and make people wonder what kind of engine that is.

I would never get tired of popping the hood and hearing people say, "what the hell is that"?????

[hotrodtp]

Man, I have had a bunch of Mustangs. I have also been to some of the biggest shows, and races. I HAVE NEVER SAW ONE WITH A V-10. AWESOME!!!!

[triblk6spd]

Nice TIGing.

[NITMARE]

Hamrhead - Thanks for the props, and you do remember correctly. Ford's concept for the 03 Cobra's was their Triton V10 based short block but with one off DOHC heads for it. There are only 2 valve heads available for the Triton. It makes far less power then the Viper V10, is hideous, and is almost double the size dimensionally.

04mystic - I actually agree with you. I am having some aluminum panels made that will bolt on to the valvecovers with countersunk stainless allen head bolts. I am having "SNIPER" machined into them and then I will powdercoat them black and leave the milled out area raw aluminum.

hotrodtp - I've never seen it done either...I am hoping it stays that way

[TimLippard]

Do you foresee any issues with so much weight sitting up front? How are you gonna lay that much power down with so little in the rear end? What about steering issues?

It sounds like a awesome build. Good luck to ya.

[NITMARE]

We shall see what the weight distribution is like. The nice thing is that Dodge made these things all aluminum...I was running a cast iron 351 with cast iron heads and an old large frame 88mm turbo before this. I doubt this setup weighs much IF any more. Also you can't really tell in those pics but only the front 2 cylinders sit forward of the the front wheels. I think the motor is set back enough to keep this from being an issue. I went with stiffer springs on the front coilovers also. Until it's on the scales I simply will not know if I accomplished my goal or not.

My engine sits in a substantially better location then Dodges SRT10 Challenger concept that's for sure.

Notice how far behind the front of the engine the shock towers are

[boplaw]

Very skillish. I wish I could weld. I'd give up this pen and dictation recorder in a minute.

[IDWIN]

very cool! Props for the ambition for pulling this off!

[Tiago]

awesome project!!!

[HotWheelz]

When do you hope to have the project completed?