Stock 1996 Mustang Cobra Dyno Runs

Huge shoutout to Performance Innovations of Hampton Virginia for hosting this Dyno Day
This is a stock 1996 Mustang Cobra. Only power train modifications are a JLT Fenderwell Intake and BBK O/R X-pipe with SLP Loudmouth 2 Mufflers. The car has 103k miles and is 23 years old at the time of this video.
The temperature was 83F at 66% humidity. Sea Level.

[@georgeharleydavidsonrider156]

I just bought a 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra Convertible. 21,000 original miles garage kept its entire life. Black with a tan leather seats. The carpet all the gaskets around the doors the door jams everything on the car looks brand new and smells brand new inside. Paid 12-K for the car . I’ve been Camaro owner my entire life and currently own a 2010 Camaro RS SS . The Mustang puts a smile on my face every time I drive it. Great car for the money .

[@mattgulian6009]

Nice man, that’s a solid deal! That’s definitely one to hold onto with that low of miles, great color combo too

[@georgeharleydavidsonrider156]

@@mattgulian6009 Thanks Matt

[@boomerdc]

you didnt get beat on it, around here with 20-50K go for around $12-20K I paid $8K for mine but it has lots of work done including supercharger and its a convertible, looks good but has 98K miles you did good

[@martinramirezmi5457]

Sounds so nice! Days when they still used to make real cars.

[@kevinpazos9846]

Great power for a 20+ year old car. With some gears, a bit of weight reduction, some suspension work and a few bolt ons, and you've got a surprisingly quick and fun car. I'm jealous lol. Love the color btw, my 96 mustang is that weird vomit green color that was everywhere back then lol.

[@midnight347]

It's over 25 years old going on 30 now.

[@DoomSlayerSVT]

amazing what we thought was fast and powerful 20 some years ago

[@LthlMustang]

Love the car

[@mattgulian6009]

Southern White Boy thanks man!

[@itzfatdabz4297]

Nice I'm trying to buy a cobra to . I'm also out here in Hampton Va.

[@m.m.6757]

Did you get one ?

[@ianrs6310]

4.6 was the best sounding Mustang made.

[@huntercraig1004]

THE best sounding. Coyotes sound great but I wouldn’t trade me 96 cobra for 3 of them…

[@Dat4valveGuy]

⁠@@huntercraig1004Id take that trade sell the coyotes buy my 96 back then buy 5 more cobras lol

[@T.J.Caldwell318]

Looks great but needs a a Saleen wing on the back it would look boss. Very nice car bro congrats

[@elektrosmokes1911]

Wayyyyy back in the day, my full bolt on 96 cobra laid down 296whp/300tq un-tuned. If you have one of these 96-98 cobras with IMRC setup still intact and functioning, you NEED to check and clean the back of your secondary intake valves. You'd be amazed how bad they can get(even when driven hard), and gunked up secondaries/IMRC plates will straight up rob you of power. The car in the video is a little sick, and I'd be willing to bet IMRC issues are the culprit.

[@mattgulian6009]

I actually sold the car about a year ago unfortunately. Interesting point about the secondary intake valves getting dirty, I believe it. Gotta say though, if a full bolt on Cobra is only making 30 more hp than mine was stock… I wouldn’t say mine was too unhealthy 😂 that’s why I never put much money into performance mods on these, Ford didn’t leave a lot on the table in terms of NA power. Best option was to go forced induction

[@elektrosmokes1911]

@mattgulian6009 The only big component I had that you didn't were BBK longtubes. Other parts were different, but I'm sure the gains were similar. I tore in at 40K miles to check the IMRCs because it was sitting at 270whp FBO, and I didn't feel it was up to snuff. Cleaning freed up over 25 wheel. I sold mine over 20 years ago, but I still miss it dearly. One of the cars over the years that I shouldn't have let go of.

[@mattgulian6009]

@@elektrosmokes1911 nice! Yeah they are great cars

[@forgottenmuscletrucks]

I have a 5.9 magnum 02 R/T Dakota. Will have dynod soon. Still blows my mind these 4.6 cars make more hp than the 5.9 but I know for sure the dakota will throw down about 320 torque to the wheel. With future mods I'd be happy at 330hp an 400ftlb. Still want a mustang lol. Such beautiful cars.

[@mattgulian6009]

Thanks man! Love those R/T Dakotas, almost bought one actually

[@petrolhead8851]

Those numbers are healthy as fuck

[@matthewhughes1924]

I'm a Sigma Pi, I'm up in Northern VA. I just got a 97' Cobra. It needs some TLC.

[@williamschirmacher6526]

I have my 96cobra. All stock except the intake. 39k miles

[@cljerjr31]

not bad

[@ryan422423]

Im tempted ro buy one they want 4k this guy does looks mint with 73k miles on it what yall think??

[@mattgulian6009]

ryan422423 I’d go for it man! They’re a lot of fun. Mine wasn’t too much more than that (paid 6300 back in 2014 with similar miles). They’re super affordable to maintenance as well (accept for 4v engine parts)

[@chucky-s9569]

If you haven’t bought it or never did, watch the odometer when driving. Work gear known to break

[@MF-Rell]

Is the IMRC working? I thought it would be around 275 to 280 🤷

[@Himothy474]

That's the right number. Exhaust and a tune he could hit 270-280 plus

[@mattgulian6009]

Yeah 260ish is pretty standard for these stock, the car did have a JLT intake and O/R xpipe in this video on stock tune. Those mods don’t really do much for power

[@midnight347]

@@mattgulian6009 that is wrong those mods do make power on these cars even without a tune. You should be easily in the mid 270 range bone stock cars do 260+. A jlt intake and a midpipe is prob good for a good 15+ rwhp above stock.

[@midnight347]

@@Himothy474 I disagree the mods he had should see north of 270 easily. Bone stock cars do 260+. These cars def benefit from jlt intakes and they must def benefit from catless midpipes even with a stock tune. Those mods plus exhaust and tune should see easily in the mid 280 whp range. With long tube headers and a ported short runner you can see over 300 to the wheels.

[@midnight347]

I agree those numbers are close for a bone stock car but jlt intake and catless x should for sure be over 270 easily imo.

[@Cobra-uy3jz]

Nice man....what are your plans for it?

[@mattgulian6009]

1996 Cobra thanks man! I don’t have anything too crazy planned for it. I’d really like to do cams / short runner intake / headers. And then do some auxiliary deletes (more to clean up the engine bay) like IMRCs, EGR , SAI system, power steering , battery relocation, COP conversion etc... I’d really like to just have it be a clean NA build!

[@Cobra-uy3jz]

@@mattgulian6009 awesome, sounds very similar to what my plans are....I just deleted the IMRCs...adding some UD Pulleys this week and dyno tuning next week. Plan to do a set of NA-SVT Todd Warren Custom Cams in the future. Keep uploading, can't wait to see it progress.

[@mattgulian6009]

1996 Cobra awesome man will do! Looking forward to seeing a video of the cams! Would also like to hear how much power she makes, should flow a ton with cams and the IMRC deletes

[@Chris-zm7wh]

What’s up with the goofy boy ricer white lettering on the tires lol

[@texdevildog9174]

Nice Cobra. Have you had it tuned since the changes? Seems like it be higher HP.

[@mattgulian6009]

Gary B thanks man! Nah it’s on the factory tune. Tuning it is something I’d like to do down the road after I get the EGR and SAI systems off the car

[@anthonylaudano9751]

I hate to say it but the motors on the 96 too 98 cobras were so weak

[@ryanjamieson8779]

@@anthonylaudano9751 lol based on what? they revved fine, and make smooth power, and take to boost bigtime.

[@anthonylaudano9751]

@@ryanjamieson8779 Based on how many cars have replacement motors including my 97 cobra.I missed a shift and the motor blew up. The 96 to 98 4.6 was junk until the 03 cobra came out.It is just a fact and I am a mustang fan.

[@petrolhead8851]

Anthony Laudano you’re trippen,the 96-9& motors are the best 4.6 motors out there,and are very underrated,the only weak points are the weak ass rods and pistons,very little intake choices,and bad computer...get rid of those weak points and the car is a beast!!! Stock Teksid block,crank,and heads will handle 1000hp

[@paulosicne8498]

Love the spoiler delete. That's how my 2010 Stang is.

[@TheHiroCameron]

the 97 cobra could come from the factory with no spoiler but it was only the 97 out of the 96-98 era

[@midnight347]

This car should be making more. They dyno 260 bone stock. You have an easy 15-20 hp worth of mods you should be 275 easy imo. The cams prob need degreed some are off more than others stock. It may not be 100% healthy unless that is a low reading dyno or mustant dyno.

[@elektrosmokes1911]

Dirty secondary intake valves/IMRC plates is my guess. My full bolt-on 96 un-tuned laid down 296 AFTER I cleaned the disgusting secondary intake valves. This was a very very long time ago, but I remember being shocked at both how dirty the ports were, and also how much more alive the car was up top after taking care of the issue.

[@TaylorMadejdm1975]

I like it without the wing but the tires look a little high school..

[@mattgulian6009]

Haha agreed, the tire letters are nearly entirely faded now, they will not be replaced

[@midnight347]

These cars look cool without rear wings ecspecially if you're running an aggressive wide tire like a 315 out back I'd run like 17x9 on front 17x10.5 on the rear 275 and 315 respectively

[@Panchitoisdead714]

Put a h pipe they sound way better but beautiful cobra I wish I can get one but out here in Cali I'm looking at around 10k on average 😐

[@mattgulian6009]

I’ve thought about going H pipe, but honestly I like the sound of the X a bit better. 10K might not be too bad man. Can always go with a GT as well

[@joshuasandelli]

Buddy I live in Hampton roads we should meet

[@petrolhead8851]

Nice man! Those are real healthy numbers! Put some 3:73 gears and that car will wake up! FBO cams and a tune you’ll see around anywhere from 320-330whp,and if you port the heads and intake and do e85 you’ll probably around 360whp and honestly I’d say that pretty good for being on the stock block,you’ll eat up c5 and c6 corvettes,and mildly modded coyotes

[@mattgulian6009]

Venom Svt thanks for the feedback man! Yeah 3.73s are something I’d really like to do soon, as well as Cams and a Short runner intake. The cars are a ton of fun for what they are, sounds like you drive yours like it’s meant to be man 👍🏻

[@petrolhead8851]

Matt Gulian yes 3:73 gears are where it’s at with these cars! Don’t go listening to people saying 4:10’s or 4:30’s because it’ll be harder to launch your car and have any traction with those gears! As a matter of fact I beat a bolt on Mach 1 with 4:10’s,I had a better launch and my power band was wider...these cars are very underrated if you can drive them,one thing people find hard to do in these cars is banging gears! People shift slow and causes them to loose races and call these cars slow,these cars with a good driver can easily do 13.5 - 13.2 in a 1/4 mile...anyways yes I drove the shit out of mine when it was running,now it’s getting fully built and possibly coyote swapped,if not,it’ll be a built 4.6 with a on3 twin turbo

[@creepystank420]

@@petrolhead8851 idk... I have 4.10s in my gt with fbo and ported heads. I can launch on street tires just fine.

[@midnight347]

@@petrolhead8851 dude there is no way in hell I would go less than 4.10 in one of these b headed cobras that is absolutely bare minimum and that is if you're at all concerned with highway mpg. I would recommend 4.30 or 4.56 these cars need a steep gear it revs to almost 7k stock and has little bottom end they need gearing to shine 3.73 is nowhere near enough with that long ass geared 5 speed. If you have an mt82 swap sure 3.73 is fine (that would make the first 4 gears similar to 456 with the 5 speed) 3.73 in these cobras ecspecially all motor is terrible advice. If you're spinning put a better tire on it and work in your suspension. I had a bolt on exhaust 97 for 4 years I went 4.10 and thought it would be too low (because of people like you giving bad advice) but after I did it I was kicking myself for not going 456. 4.10 was way better than stock gears and made a decent difference but I was still pulling to 125+ mph at the top of 4th gear with a stock sized 25.7 inch rear tire. A taller tire could give you even more speed. I bet you could still pull close to 120 from 4th with 456 and even more with a taller tire. That is way more than these cars can trap in the quarter ecspecially all motor so you ain't gonna run out of gear at the track if that matters. As for highway driving I was still turning about 2600 or so rpm at 70. I bet you'd still be just under 3k even with 456 gears. These cars love to rev and gears makes a huge difference. 373 is a waste of time in these cars and is still gonna be too long geared imo. The coyotes that came out in 2011 had a very aggressively geared mt82 that made the optional 3.73 gear feel steep as hell and is enough gear in this high revving cars but 373 with the t45 isn't gonna be near enough. To get an mt82 to feel like that in the first 4 gears you'd need to have like 3.08 gears out back. There is a reason ford gave the coyote transmissions such aggressive gearing because the high revving 4vs love to rev these old cobras are no different its like the older smaller more primitive version of a coyote.

[@midnight347]

@@petrolhead8851 you might beat a 4.10 geared mach maybe you had more power maybe you outdrove the other person but it isn't because 373 is better than 410 for these 4v cars I can assure you of that. You're just flat out wrong. 456 gears and a sticky tire you'd have been eating that mach 1 for breakfest lunch and dinner. There is a reason there is a saying don't fear the gear on these old 4v cars ecspecially the b head cars.

[@edjackson4389]

Nice car for sure, but that Laser Red paint always loses it's color

[@mattgulian6009]

Ed Jackson yeah they do unfortunately :/ my driver side has defently faded worse than passenger side

[@edjackson4389]

@@mattgulian6009Back then they used a candy red midcoat that wasn't very UV resistant. Got it cheap from China probably

[@cudaman2formula874]

Same thing with mine.that color is amazing when good

[@mattgulian6009]

Cudaman2 Formula yeah I love it. I’d like to eventually get it repainted

[@cudaman2formula874]

@@mattgulian6009 Yeah I might have mine painted ,the car isn't worth much but I love it.

[@antz19coyote73]

DUD

[@JABBAWOKKY]

Tire letters are hideous

[@fast02gt]

God those tire letters are terrible

[@Lianpe98]

*not stock*

[@orange1soda]

WOW ricer wheel letters.just made me sick.

[@mattgulian6009]

orange1soda thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@hudboys8120]

The lettering is on the tires.. not the wheels/rims💀

[@lawlor2925]

My 2011 buick has more power lol

[@mattgulian6009]

Wow I guess technology improved over 15 years, who woulda known

[@TheKoppenhaffer]

What a fucking idiot. Bet it weighs a thousand pounds more, is FWD and automatic and no fun to drive too. Move on peasant.

[@mattgaynor1847]

Doubt that hp at the wheels and crank are different bud

[@midnight347]

You are clueless. What did your 2011 Buick dyno at the tires? Gaurantee it was less than this unless it's modified.

[@lawlor2925]

​@@mattgulian6009except 1s meant for speed while the others a family grocery getter, with more power. Doesn't matter, there's year 2000 cars making more power than current 23 year later cars. Duurp

[@anthonylaudano9751]

The hood and the look.THE LOOK of the motor was awesome but other than that junk.Iam sorry but 4.6 wasn't perfected yet until my 04 cobra was born

[@mattgulian6009]

Anthony Laudano I would agree that the B head 4 valve looked good and maybe didn’t make a ton of power... but I wouldn’t say they’re junk. Mine has been bulletproof reliable and after 23 years still makes similar power to what it would have made from the factory.. and I wouldn’t call the 03-04 cobra engine “perfected” either.. it was significantly heavier than mine due to the iron block and supercharger, and only made 85 more hp to the flywheel with the supercharger... not really that impressive especially when you look at a modern coyote. But thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@anthonylaudano9751]

@@mattgulian6009 All I can say is don't over Rev it and don't try throwing a lot of boost to it or you will have issues. Like I said before I had a 97 cobra with less than 3000miles on it and I missed a shift and blew the motor up.There fine as long as you don't over Rev them or try to throw a lot of boost at them.

[@petrolhead8851]

Anthony Laudano dude you talk a lot of shit,I revved mine at 6900rpm for 4yrs since I’ve owned it and the motor is still intact with 125k miles,only thing that ever went bad on me is the transmission,with just 3:73 gears,intake,and under drive pullies I’ve beat on 392 chargers,bolt on Mach 1’s,modded Lightning’s,big turbo Mazdaspeed 3’s,brand new twin turbo Audi’s etc!!! Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean these cars are garbage!

[@wickedhouston5538]

@@anthonylaudano9751 you dont know what youre talking about. missing a shift will not blow the engine. only blow the transmission if its not a performance trans

[@anthonylaudano9751]

@@wickedhouston5538 Yah I don't know what I am talking about. I owned the car dummy.Also look at the history of the 4.6 in the 98 to 96 cobras.A ton of them have blown motors.Also I own 10 mustangs so I know what I am talking about.

[@windwalker121]

4.6 was a gutless engine when naturally aspirated, especially on torque.

[@andrewc3606]

260 whp is pretty good for a STOCK 280cu in motor lol

[@fastfordman1965]

How much horsepower was a LT1 350 Camaro putting down in 1996?

[@midnight347]

​@@fastfordman1965285 hp 325 tq. They were slower than these cobras which had 305 hp 300 tq but at higher revs. What these cars need is a steep gear, sticky tire and the driver mod. That makes most difference per dollar by far.

[@boomerdc]

I was highly disappointed and hung my head in shame with those pathetic numbers...

[@Panchitoisdead714]

It's a cobra from like 20 years ago what did you expect?

[@Panchitoisdead714]

It's a cobra from like 20 years ago what did you expect?

[@boomerdc]

@@Panchitoisdead714 LS numbers.. that was it's main competition

[@Panchitoisdead714]

@@boomerdc dude a Camaro of the same year is like 10 hp difference

[@boomerdc]

@@Panchitoisdead714 maybe, but performance wise there's a vast world of difference