"Mark's Cobra has a very unique history with Ford," explains John Clor, formerly of SVT Communications, who remembers the Cobra. "It's very interesting to see a car that has gone through multiple engineering programs. It started life as an engineering car with one of Ford's suppliers for the Cobra R program. These cars had a very hard life, including a lot of R&D work and track testing.
"Engineering cars serve a very specific purpose, and when the engineering team is finished with a car, it may serve as a press vehicle for a media launch, but it usually isn't designated for resale. They are usually destroyed, but in this case, the car was used in another program. The amazing part is that it slipped out the doors."
This 1PP Cobra rolled off...
This 1PP Cobra rolled off the assembly line on '95 Cobra R wheels. Although Mark bought the car with a different set of shoes, he has since swapped on the original wheels.
Once the car's duties at Ford were complete and it was being stripped for the crusher, one of the engineers on the project saw the opportunity to get a new racecar. After some paperwork, the car was loaded on a flatbed headed for its new home in Colorado.
After the drivetrain was reunited with the body, it adapted well to its new race duties. We're told it even won the SCCA E-Street Prepared national championship in 1999.
The Saddle leather interior...
The Saddle leather interior was upgraded by Ford from the stripped-down '95 Cobra R to the stock trim found in the '96 Cobra. Though Mark's Cobra still sees some track time, it is still very streetable.
Although this Cobra has a racing heritage, it also served as a test vehicle for Tokico and Torsen. The popular Tokico Allumina shocks and struts, along with Torsen's T2-R differential, were designed and tested on this Cobra.
Once round three of Mark's 1PP Cobra's engineering life was complete, the car changed hands a few times before ending up in North Carolina. Today this Cobra draws a lot of attention at car shows and still gets to stretch its legs on a road course every now and then. "I've run some track event to put the car to the test," Mark adds. "It runs neck and neck with modified Corvettes. Not bad for an old war horse!"
When you open the hood expecting...
When you open the hood expecting to see a 351 R engine, you're greeted by one of the earliest 32-valve 4.6Ls to roll off the assembly line. The engine's build date of February 21, 1995, is stamped on the driver-side valve cover.
Mark's Cobra remains in the same condition it was when it left Ford to be destroyed. The '96 drivetrain remains unchanged, with the Four-Valve 4.6L modular engine and T-45 five-speed transmission resting comfortably underneath the hood. The exterior still has characteristics from both the '95 Cobra R and the '96 Cobra. Cobra R wheels sit in all four corners, and the Cobra R hood gives the car that super-aggressive look. The rear bumper cover and taillights were swapped to '96 units, giving it a unique blend of body parts from 1995 and 1996. The Saddle interior is still in great shape. The Cobra R interior was updated by Ford with all of the options available for the '96 model year, offering a few more creature comforts to Mark and whoever is lucky enough to be a passenger.
"I bought a neat but worn '95 Cobra with an interesting past, involving a unique race history and an unusual documented prototype pedigree," Mark adds. Rare finds aren't limited only to the classics, and with this much history sitting on four wheels, it's hard not to fall in love with Mark's Cobra.
The Saddle leather interior...
The Saddle leather interior was upgraded by Ford from the stripped-down '95 Cobra R to the stock trim found in the '96 Cobra. Though Mark's Cobra still sees some track time, it is still very streetable.