We've got a 2000 Mustang convertible that a previous owner spent too much money on making into a "Cobra clone", with the enhanced suspension, wheels, exhaust, and cosmetic stuff. We bought it because we wanted a nice convertible Mustang, and all that other stuff was just gravy.
However, as time has gone on it seems like we're treating it more like a long-term investment. I store it every winter, and we only drive it a few thousand miles every summer, so the engine only has 52K. I've slowly started an upgrade program (better air filtration, leather seats, etc.), with the long-term goal of converting it into a REAL (or, as real as we can get) Cobra.
This means, of course, installing a V8. I am not a mechanic, so I would be looking at hiring a shop to do this. Does anyone have any real-world experience with this? It seems like a used V8 can be had at an auto-reclamation shop for relatively cheap -- but what's the installation gonna cost? How many hours are we looking at? Is it a "plug & play" conversion? What else has to be changed out?
Thanks in advance...
-- Jay Honeck Iowa City, IA
2000 Mustang Convertible