2003 Mustang Cobra Detail

[gamatt]

I finally had some time to address the paint on my '03 Cobra that I bought back in January. Overall the paint was in good shape, no major deep scratches or dings, but there were some pretty good paint chips and bug etching on the front bumper. Also the horizontal surfaces had some water spot etching which I decided to just live with instead of trying to remove too much clear on a daily driver. I could tell the paint had potential.

Process:

- clay using ONR mixture for lube
- M105 via HF rotary and 4" yellow cutting pad
- M205 via HF rotary and 4" white polishing pad
- Klasse All in One by hand via foam pad
- Klasse Sealant Glaze via spray and wipe from bottle with homemade mixture with water mixed 4:1 (SG:water)

I actually clayed the car a few weeks ago. Some parts weren't bad, but the back bumper especially was VERY heavily contaminated.

Next up, the compounding with M105. Having not done any paint correction in over a year, it took a few panels to get the hang of the right speed, amount of product and pressure. But once I got in a groove it was pretty smooth sailing. I did clean the pad once, half way through doing the car. Now for some 50/50's, I brightened some of these up to show the defects, I'm not a good photographer.

Rear bumper

Door

Front fender ( I made one more pass here to finish cleaning up the "good" side)

Door sill

Roof Before and After

Trunk area (there were some water spots here and on the rear fender, polishing removed them with no problem)

And now some various afters:

 

[BobbyG]

Now that's what I call a great post! :dblthumb2:

Your choice in products and equipment is top notch and those results are proof positive how successful one can be using a rotary polisher... :dblthumb2:

Beautiful !! rops:

 

[aqcivic]

love the color. great work!

 

[rider9195]

Wow! Great looking Cobra! Really like the wheels on it as well.

 

[5.4 Shelby]

I love the 03/04 Cobra. I was searching for one when the Shelby was announced. I decided to wait for it instead. Now I want to add a second Mustang. Either a 03/04 Cobra or Mach 1.

Nice work on the paint.

 

[gamatt]

Thanks everybody :dblthumb2:

For the Mustang guys, it's pretty stock actually, MAC catback, Eibach springs, Steeda cold air kit, 3.73 gears, and a Kurgan Motorsports tune. Stock pulley!!!

I love the 03/04 Cobra. I was searching for one when the Shelby was announced. I decided to wait for it instead. Now I want to add a second Mustang. Either a 03/04 Cobra or Mach 1.

Nice work on the paint.

Prices are finally coming down on the 03/04's. I had a Mach1 for two years and this car, to me, is just worlds better. The power, 6spd, and IRS make it a blast.

I did thoroughly enjoy the Mach though:

And what the heck, here is my first Mustang, a '92 LX hatch

 

[KillaCam]

Nice ride! Which eibach springs? Pro kit or sportlines? That stance looks great.

 

[5.4 Shelby]

Thanks everybody :dblthumb2:

For the Mustang guys, it's pretty stock actually, MAC catback, Eibach springs, Steeda cold air kit, 3.73 gears, and a Kurgan Motorsports tune. Stock pulley!!!



Prices are finally coming down on the 03/04's. I had a Mach1 for two years and this car, to me, is just worlds better. The power, 6spd, and IRS make it a blast.

I did thoroughly enjoy the Mach though:

And what the heck, here is my first Mustang, a '92 LX hatch

I have the power in my Shelby. Of course I would love to have the more powerful Cobra, but, I have always liked the Machs. Esp the Azure Blue. I might even go a different route and buy a nice clean GT convertible.

My second Mustang was a 93 GT in the Reef Blue/Titanium which was similar to your LX, but, darker. My first was a 79 Cobra Turbo.

 

[gamatt]

Nice ride! Which eibach springs? Pro kit or sportlines? That stance looks great.

Well actually the previous owner had installed the wrong pro kit, the one for the 99/01 Cobra. It's a little low in the front but too high in the rear. So I kept the fronts and put in a set of cut stock springs in the rear. I know that sounds like a mess but it sits nice and rides great. I've had it on mountain roads and it cornered as good as any car I've driven.

 

[gamatt]

I have the power in my Shelby. Of course I would love to have the more powerful Cobra, but, I have always liked the Machs. Esp the Azure Blue. I might even go a different route and buy a nice clean GT convertible.

My second Mustang was a 93 GT in the Reef Blue/Titanium which was similar to your LX, but, darker. My first was a 79 Cobra Turbo.

A vert GT would be dirt cheap fun.

I love the reef blue, cool color on those cars.

 

[steeda]

Redfire is such a great color when properly polished.

 

[Pulpit]

gamatt is a friend of mine, and I have been trying to convince him to debadge the Cobra for a clean look. He says I can have his svt emblems when I pry them from his cold, dead hands!

The pictures look great! This is a super nice car that is meticulously kept...when he upgrades I am hoping for first dibs on this car...not sure what an upgrade from this would be though???

Great write up Matt, and drop by and we'll get some line and take those badges off!

 

[gamatt]

Redfire is such a great color when properly polished.

Thanks! It has a pearl effect to it in the sunlight. Very rewarding to work with.

gamatt is a friend of mine, and I have been trying to convince him to debadge the Cobra for a clean look. He says I can have his svt emblems when I pry them from his cold, dead hands!

The pictures look great! This is a super nice car that is meticulously kept...when he upgrades I am hoping for first dibs on this car...not sure what an upgrade from this would be though???

Great write up Matt, and drop by and we'll get some line and take those badges off!

The badges stay!!:xyxthumbs:

I plan on keeping this car for a long long time!

 

[gamatt]

Bump for some more pictures several weeks later.

 

[OhTwoGT]

That first picture is insane, love redfire metallic

 

[DoctorDoctor]

Wow, your car came out great! How long did it end up taking you?

 

[tampatopless]

Speaking as a Chevy guy, that is a somewhat, maybe halfway decent-looking car. (Actually, it looks really nice. Good job.)

 

[gamatt]

That first picture is insane, love redfire metallic

Yes, I love the color too. In certain light it has a pearl effect.

Wow, your car came out great! How long did it end up taking you?

Well it was a pretty standard full 2 step correction, clay, compound, polish and lsp. All told probably approached 15 hours over a couple of days.

Speaking as a Chevy guy, that is a somewhat, maybe halfway decent-looking car. (Actually, it looks really nice. Good job.)

Thanks! I'm a big Vette fan myself, father-in-law has 2 C5's and the mother-in-law just got a 2013 Camaro RS.

 

[Klasse Act]

Great work on the car, the color is spectacular! The addition of FR500 wheels on any Stang really set it off!

 

[Chris's FX4]

I love the "Terminator" Cobra's, and yours is indeed awesome. Great job.rops:

Yes, I love the color too. In certain light it has a pearl effect.

I've noticed this as well with the Redfire on my mom's Edge. In certain light, there is just something about it. Dr.Colorchip actually calls it Redfire Pearl Effect, even though Ford calls it Redfire Clearcoat Metallic. Either way, I love the color.