When your engine serves you an oil milkshake, you have two choices pour it out and start over or mix in some new flavor and rebuild. Jon Pavia opted not just to rebuild but to make his 2003 Cobra stronger and faster. We detailed his revamped engine in two stories here (Part 1 and Part 2), and his new combo recently hit the Dynojet at VMP Performance with some impressive results.
That engine made 608 horsepower through a 4R70W auto with an unlocked converter and 725 horsepower with a 100 shot.
As a refresher, we detailed the first and second parts of that build Jon picked up one of the storied early modular aluminum blocks. Cast in Italy by Teksid, these 1999-earlier blocks are noted for holding up to big power, while saving weight versus the monolithic iron block Terminators were born with.
“I built the engine myself and it’s been a ‘work in progress’ for the last year and a half. It’s a Teksid block with my stock ’03 Cobra crank, Manley H-beams and a set of Gibtec billet pistons,” Jon explained. “The pistons I chose put me right at 10.5:1 compression. The heads were previously ported from the last engine so this time I sent them to Total Engine Airflow for a complete overhaul (new intake/exhaust valves, springs, exhaust seats, guides). A set of custom grind Bullet cams spec’d by Todd Warren topped off the engine.”
Jon Pavia 2003 Cobra Mods
• Cobra Engineering oil cooler delete, rear cooling mod, secondary timing tensioner
• Metco Motorsports pulleys
• Viking Performance coilovers (front and rear)
• VMP Gen2 TVS w/ GT500 throttle body
• UPR K-member
• UPR Extreme Series rear suspension
“Previously, the car went 9.29 in the quarter mile with a 1.26 60-foot on UPR suspension and Viking coilovers,” Jon added. “With the added horsepower, a TH400 trans and full line of UPR/Viking suspension, my goal is to run in the eights and set the record for the fastest ’03-’04 Cobra with a TVS.”
With that huge jump in performance and cooler weather heading to Florida where he is based, we’d say Jon has a good shot at reaching his goal in the near future.