RedSVT04

is it smarter to go with a stock s197 and whipple it or buy a cobra? this is for a friend not me, i told him the cobra cause it has more room to grow but i thought i'd ask you whipple guys. thank you in advance.

hammeron

both options are good, hard to say
which is smarter

RedSVT04

well smarter/cheaper, i see alot of the whipple guys here breaking the 400 whp mark and hitting low 11's on the 1/4 on a stock block. i told him that the s197 whippled might be cheaper than the terminator. can anyone confirm this? he is trying to buy either car but is really stuck on the idea of a whippled s197

moosestang

If you are talking about a new cobra, then yes the whipple and gt will be cheaper. If you mean a 03-04 cobra, then no. He should be able to get an 09 gt for cheap or a used one even cheaper.

The guys running low 11's are not using the whipple tune, so he should factor a dyno tune into his costs, plus clutch.

onederful100

the internals in the s197 are good for only so much, the terminator will have more potential bc of the block and internals. but a used s197 will probly be cheaper to buy than the terminator. i think to go upwards of 500 rwhp the terminator will be cheaper.

stang910

Tell him to go drive both cars and buy the one he likes. IMO its hard to beat a termi for power, but the S197 is more refined and can make enough power to run 11's on stock internals.

mygt500

have him get a termi with a whipple on it or have one put on.....JMO

which is cheaper
The S197 with the Whipple but the stock internals are NOT forged like the termi's/cobras.

Sure you can hit 11's with the s197 and the whipple....even 10's but your on borrowed time and possibly borrowed money to get the motor replaced...

r3velation

i was locked into this ordeal myself a couple years back. i assessed the damages, the costs, calculated everything...except for comfort. so the time comes around to go shopping and i test drove an 04 cobra, to my dismay, i don't fit in the car unless i go for that "low-rida" look. not a very comfortable feel driving a blown 390hp car. so my options after that day were any and all types of s197s.

tell your friend to look into some 05-06 saleen supercharged. they're going for pretty competitive prices and the look is there.

modaddict

Tell him to get what makes him happy...period.

Regardless of how strong the factory bottom end is, he has to drive the car around and like it. Personally, I don't think someone would be happy if their heart is set on the S197 style/looks...

If he truly only cares about going fast at the track, then forget both ideas and just get a turn key fox body for cheap.

antonio1988

+1 on what modaddict said