79 mustang cobra

[RACECAP97]

I'm pretty sure that the TRX package was standard on the cobras, which would mean that the TRX wheels would have to be on them. Now, I work at a dealership and the sales department where I work swaps wheels for customers all the time. Basically to whatever the customer wants for no price change. Kind of an under the table thing. I'm sure this could have happened in 79 too, well i'm sure it did. Weather it happened to yours or not doesn't really matter I guess because to be original it should have the TRX's on it.

[Sellis1012]

The swap idea seems to make the most sense considering the options the car had and who I think the original owner was. The story I have fabricated is it was a graduation gift to a girl on her way to Cal State. The car still has the 1980-81 parking lot decal on it for the college. Of course most girls wouldn't care about the rims, but would have had A/C in California. Maybe she even picked the cars but liked the 13 inch rims better?

[79 cobra]

My 79 mustang brochure states trx tire were optional , except for cobra .
It was standard . Maybe they were stolen and replaced ? I have seen new cars with dealer swapped rims . It does happen . I had 13 inch rims on my base model 79 mustang . When I junked it , I put on it a set of trx rims . I kept the 13 inch wheels . I have no regrets .

[RACECAP97]

I did some reading on this last night and came up with this: The TRX wheels were supposed to be the top of the line wheels at the time, hence the fact that they were standard on the cobra and the pace car. Any mustang from 79-84 could be ordered with the $33 TRX suspension package but the only cars that it came standard on were the pace cars and cobras. I'm pretty sure they are quite common though since the whole package was only a $33 upgrade. My book doesn't mention anything about capri's though, so lets not forget that they also could have the TRX package. One interesting note is that the black magic capri's came with wider TRX wheels than the mustangs. "The gold ones". I'm not sure if this was only a capri thing or if they just switched to a little wider casting in the later years. I couldn't find any specific info on that.

[79 cobra]

I have seen gold trx rims on a black capri . It looked cool . I didn't know they were wider .

[RACECAP97]

That black capri most likely was a black magic capri. I didn't know they were wider either until I found one at a junk yard awhile back. There was only one of the gold TRX's left and it didn't have a tire on it so just out of curisity I took the rim over too a mustang that had some silver TRX's inside it and put them together side by side. The gold one from the capri was a good 1/2 inch wider or so. I didn't have a tape measure with me or I would have measured it. Kinda interesting though. I didn't pick it up because I couldn't find the rest of the set.

[Hissing Cobra]

Sellis1012, can you post pic's of your White/Black with red decals? I'd love to see that combo. It seems that I only ever see Red/Black or Yellow/Black Cobras. It's kind of fitting though, as mine was Red/Black and I changed it to Yellow/Black!

As for the TRX rims and suspension, well that was standard equipment on both Cobra's and Pace Cars.

Also, if any of you care to pick up a copy of the hardcover book entitled "Ultimate Mustang", it states that approximately 7,000 Cobras were manufactured in 1979. Whether or not that's accurate, well that's debatable. I'd be curious to know where they got that information.

[Sellis1012]

My 79 mustang brochure states trx tire were optional , except for cobra .
It was standard . Maybe they were stolen and replaced ? I have seen new cars with dealer swapped rims . It does happen . I had 13 inch rims on my base model 79 mustang . When I junked it , I put on it a set of trx rims . I kept the 13 inch wheels . I have no regrets .

hi 79 Cobra,

I'm not understanding the last part of your message. You kept the 13 inch rims and got rid of the trx rims? Did you end up having a use for the 13 inch rims?

[Sellis1012]

Hi HC,

I will work on getting the pics out. I am activated in the Air Force reserves right now so it will take some time. Mine is the only 1979 white one I have ever seen in person. In the past 15 years I have seen 4 red ones including mine. I saw one at Whiteman AFB in Mo. in the late 80's. I saw one on a Chicago street in the early 90's, then I saw one behind a gas station in Indiana a couple years ago(I was on my way to a Mustang car show). I tried buying that one. The original owner would not sell, so, my passion reignited, I got online and found my white one. I saw a silver one the same day in Indiana at the car show(blue graphics). The silver one was weird to see. Online I have seen pictures of some red ones, a blue one(blue graphics), an orange one, a yellow one, and a couple black ones of questionable originality. I have only ever seen one 1980 Cobra in person(red turbo). That was down in Kentucky.

[79 cobra]

Hi sellis1020 I had a base model 79 mustang . I had just bought the tires for my 13 inch rims . About $56 each at cost from a friend . Approx. under 2,000 miles on them . I also have the hub caps too .

The car looked like it has been through every winter in northern Ohio since 79 . I paid $350 for it with 59,000 miles on it , and drive it over 8 years . I only added a water pump . The only time it seen a tow truck was when a brake line rusted out . One day on the highway the pass side front coil spring shot out of the bottom of the A arm . Rusty as it was , I decided that was a good warning , of things to come . So I stripped it and junked it .

[79 cobra]

Sellis1020 I have seen a few cobra around . About 5 years back I seen a white cobra driving . I think it had a orange cobra decal on the door . It didn't catch my eye til after it passed . It was quite . I think it was a 2.3 turbo . It had a temp. plate on it .

I've seen one in Ashtabula , Ohio . It had fresh silver paint . I think a 2.3 turbo . The interior was trashed .


I have seen them at Norwalk raceway park (Ohio) . One was butchered up for 1/4 mile only . It still had the door and dash cobra emblems . I talked to the owner . He owned a body shop in P.A. It had a mint body and multi-color paint job .

I also seen a red one with a cracked and sun faded hood decal . It had the 16 inch pony rims on it . I thought thoses rims looked bad on it . I don't know what motor it had .

I seen another one on a trailer in primer . It was for sale . The sign said 79 cobra . It had a pace car front end and no interior . I think it had a 351 put in it . It was $2,500 .

I even seen a 80 or 81 cobra . First one I had seen in person .

I can't remember them all

[Hissing Cobra]

You guys are lucky. I've seen one in my entire 34 years on this earth, and it is mine. I have seen a lot of them in pictures and books, but none in person. Where have they all gone?

[RACECAP97]

There is a yellow one about 3 blocks from where I live, 2.3L turbo. And an 80-81 blue one out in Iowa about 15min from where I used to live. I've seen a few others but I only know where those two sit right now.

[79 cobra]

Well , Pacecars seem more common than cobras . I have seen over the years , many pacecars . Only 12 or so cobras . Also all 79 mustangs had aluminum front bumper reinforcments . 2.5 mph impact test .
80 and up are steel . 5 mph impact tests .

[RACECAP97]

I would have to agree that the cobras are definatly a little rarer than the pace cars, on the other hand the pace car is the more sought after of the two. I'm pretty sure that the 80-81 cobras are a little harder to find than the 79 though. I would love to get ahold of the one by me so I could have the 79 cobra and pace car sitting side by side at my house.

[79 cobra]

I agree with your last post .

[79 cobra]

The basic 2.3 t cobra package cost $ 1173 . The 5.0 cost more .
How much was the basic pacecar package ?

[RACECAP97]

Don't forget that the large cobra hood decal was offered as a $78 add on. It wasn't part of the standard equipment. The 5.0 option for the cobra or any other mustang would have been the same amount as it was an option for all mustangs. I don't have the pace car package price but my book states that the standard lowest option pace car with either the 5.0 or 2.3T engine would cost $9012 "without any extra-cost options or destination charges. Also realize that the pace car was regarded as the top of the line mustang in 79, also the most expensive, and had the largest list of available options. I paid $2000 for mine, it has every option available except power door locks, and the rear window wiper because it has louvers instead.

[79 cobra]

My cobra had louvers and a rear wiper . The louvers were removed just before I got it . I have them , but no mounting hardware . My decklid was rusted out . I changed it . It don't have the rear wiper anymore .

When I first found it , it was in a repair garage , pushed in the corner next to a 427 vette . I guess the current owner never paid for the brake job or exhaust work . The garage kept it . The plates were 10 years old . The motor was tore apart . The garage owner wanted $1500 as is , and really did not want to talk about it . Sore subject I guess . He must of taken a loss . I passed on it . Next time I went there it was gone . I asked were did it go . He fixed it and gave it to his daughter . I did see it around . Everytime I went back to the garage for deliveries . It was back for repairs . Finally he asked me if i was still interested . I said in what ? I had forgotting . He said the mustang , for $700 . It was in running condition . He put in a new battery and radiator . He said the driver seat was falling through the floor . His daughter had a new baby and he didn't want it in the car .

I got it for $700 . It looked good for its age , but had hidden rust . And not so hidden rust . If I had known then , what I know now I would of kept my money . It needed a lot of work . I just wanted a V8 . I put a lot of money into it . I'm sure I've exceeded its value . I'm still not done . It will never be a perfect car . Thats what I try to remember .
It needs paint , headliner , carpet . That can wait . I don't want it parked in a garage forever . The cobra gets hungry and needs to eat a little RICE . It should be driven .

When it gets to 25 y.o. it can have historical plates on it and never pay for plates again . Also no more emissions testing . Bye-Bye cats.

I guess my options were cobra package , rear wiper , rear defog , 5.0 , auto , 3.08 gear , a/c (don't work) , sound system , and leather interior .

[RACECAP97]

Well when fixing up a car don't most people at some point exceed the value? I know I will sooner or later but I bought the car planning on that fact. I bought it to make the way that I want it to be so i'm sure I will invest more than what it will be worth in the long run. But on the other hand this is hopefully going to be the last car I buy to fix up because it will never really be completed.

[79 cobra]

Your right when are they ever done .
About 5 or 6 years back , a friend sold his 66 g.t.o. vert . It was garaged over 20+ years . There were bags of aluminum cans piled on it . I was told it had 28,000 miles on it , and needed a clutch . It went for $500
Someone got a good start .

The same guy gave my other friend a 71 t-37 pontiac ( le mans lookalike) with a mint body . IT had 68,000 miles on it . And a 72 le mans with a 428 pontiac motor in it , but not complete for the cost of their storage . About $850 He also got a good start .

Oh well , I'm in to far to stop . I might as well finish it.

[Hissing Cobra]

I've exceeded the value of my Cobra by far. But, I don't mind. I'm not building it for resale anyway. I'm building it to attend many cruise nights, car shows, and the best part, drag racing up at New England Dragway. I hope to run mid 12 second quarter mile times.

[79 cobra]

Great I'm not alone . Hissing cobra your car will look new when your finished . I'd like to hit 13 sec. e.t.s . It must be streetable . The track is an hour away . I drive it there .
Later

[Hissing Cobra]

I hear ya, New England Dragway is 2 1/2 hours from my house. I'll have to drive it. But, I'll have Triple A to get me a tow home if necessary. My cousin blew up his rearend at that same track and Triple A towed him all the way home (up to 100 miles). It's good insurance to have.

[RACECAP97]

Wow, i'll consider myself lucky from now on then. Bandimere speedway is about 15min away from my house and if I blow something, i'll have my brother tow my sorry but home. He just bought a brand new Dodge Diesel. Hehe, now I don't have to have my own truck.