MM&FF magazine on page 113 of the November 2000 issue shows a Mustang referred to as the Cobra Jet Mustang has a Lightning Engine mated to a Cobra R 6-speed transmission. Said it was for display purposes only..darn! In a light car like a Stang and with a 6-speed, can you say 12's???
Now how long before some customizer among us makes his Lightning with a 6-speed conversion? That would be cool!!

 

I remember hearing about that, on this board as a amtter of fact.

It went 13.4@110 or something.

Not too bad for starting off in 3rd gear, and still had terrible traction problems.

It was compared to the Ford Motorsports Cobra-Jet or something, and it had to lose.

Wouldn't you let the president win the round of golf? Not me.

I am sure others know more about this as one of these fellows actually got to sit in it. Silver?

 

Isn't the Cobra R motor essentially a Lightning motor with a different compresion ratio as it's always been?

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99' Lightning
94' Lightning
96' Cobra Convert

 

Nope its a 32 valver 5.4 liter

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1995 Cobra with a T76 Turbo
2000 Lightning (stock)
My toy can be seen at sundancerracing.com look under street cars

 

The transmission in the Cobra R *should* mate to our engines with little to no work. The following are some potential issues that would need to be resolved:

1) engine management. I dont know if the chip relies on transmission information for any of its calibrations. I dont think so but it might be worth looking into.

2) fit: how are you going to mount it? what kind of additional frame or bracket modifications would be needed to mount it?

3)gear spacing: this is perhaps the most important consideration. The transmission used in the R is the same mechanically as is used in the viper if I remember correctly. Both of these engine/transmission combinations make power higher in the RPM band and at higher revs than our motor. Gear ratios would need to be adjusted to make sure that the engine's power peaks occur at the right places in the shift sequence. This is one of the reasons that the Cobra Jet performed poorly when compared with the Cobra competition it was placed up against.

4) Shift throw: I've driven the manual transmission F-150s with the V6 and the shift throw is 14+ inches. It feels like a driving a tractor.

5) Cosmetics: what are you going to do with the steering column shifter and gauge cluster?

I would love to move to a 6-speed if at all possible, since the auto always seems to shift at the wrong points on road courses. The downshift at the wrong point on a sweeper can be VERY unsettling.

Unfortunately, I dont have the engineering know-how to do much about it. And San Antonio doesnt have any competent tuners or performance shops that deal with american iron. If anyone can solve the above problems, let me know

 

It can be accomplished, just a matter of how much $. Ford did it with the Cobra Jet, so it will work.
The Cobra R tranny has the following ratios:
2.97,2.07,1.43,1.00,.80,.62
The L has:
2.71,1.53,1.00,.71

It would appear that there is a lot to be gained with the extra gears for roadracing.

Rex

 

The computer gets info from the TSS and OSS on the transmission, the OSS (output shaft sensor) would be easy, just drill a hole in the right place, push a tone wheel on the output shaft and drop the sensor in, another hole for the mounting bolt. The TSS (turbine speed sensor) would be a little more complicated, and I'm not sure you'd even need it.
G

 

What about that 6 speed tranny available with the turbo diesel ????? Already set up to go in a Ford truck?

 

The diesel bellhousing is different & can't be changed. it's a one piece case. Even if it would fit, You wouldn't want it. It's no good for performance, (slooow shifts are mandatory) the Cobra R trans is what you want. Lloyd

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2000 Black L #2189. Airaid & Superchip R9. Drag Results: Best ET: 13.15 @ 103.09 Best R/T .501 (twice) Best 60' 1.90 on F1's 1973 Cutlass Supreme 455/450HP 4 speed. Too many Mods to list! 95 Olds Aurora 91 S10 305TPI/700r4 project 2000 freightliner FL60 Rollback tow truck 1989 Ford F450 Wrecker My garage overuneth

 

Call D&D Motorsports if you are seriously considering a T-56 swap into your Lightning. I ordered a 6 speed for my turbo Cobra and Don Walsh Sr was very helpful and willing to talk even before I decided for sure to order a tranny. The T-56 they offer is a balanced and blueprinted Viper/Vette trans and the gear ratios a different than the Cobra Rs, if the R's trans is available it would probably be easier to make it work in the L.

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00 Lighting, stock and staying that way (for now)
95 Cobra, turbo, T56, lots more to come
70 GS455 Conv. Holley ProJection 4di
74 VW Thing, Slow, but cool