[TheAce]

WOW ! What a car ! Sometimes it pays to be The Ace !

2004 V with 11,000 original documented miles just "purchased" from my uncle. Much more like a gift...

Maggie , Comp Cams , Mallett stainless LTH and exhaust , KW V3's , Hotchkis Sways , 3:91 gear (yeah I know...but it rocks!) , B&M shifter - and 20" HRE 540R's along with OE tires/wheels.

Dyno'd @ 482/453 with the 20" HRE's..but I'm going back to (widened) stock. HRE's are 4 sale and only have 1,900 miles on the whole enchilada...

MAN this car pulls hard ! Not a stoplight hammer dropper , but from middle of 3rd on up it's a full blown freight train. Amazing car !

For the cost of a new Kia Rio (yep) I'm getting my mind blown everyday. SO GLAD TO BE HERE ! Thanks Uncle Bob !

 

[rand49er]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

Wait! Is this thread from '05 or '06?

Seriously, though, first thing you need to do is get some axles and an updated diff.

Oh, and we need pics, too.

 

[TheAce]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

Yeah ! Total time capsule ! All those mods have a documented 1,900 miles on them. My uncle bought it in '06 , did all those mods , drove the car1,900 miles and parked it. Hated it. Went into his collection , was started once a month and brought to op temp and always had a trickle charger but never moved.

It's at www.twinsturbo.com getting some interior work (my uncle's taste in interiors is absurd) putting it back to stock , widening the stock rear wheels and painting them , re-tuning it , re-aligning it etc.

SO...pictures till you can't stand it when it comes back. Then they want me to drive it (it's my DD!) to see what's rotten , what's leaking from sitting for 9+ years.

Got my eye out for a smokin deal on a Cobra 8.8 core to begin....

 

[AAIIIC]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

Welcome to the board!

Got my eye out for a smokin deal on a Cobra 8.8 core to begin....

You can probably find an even more smokin' deal if you pick up a Lincoln MkVIII diff. I got mine for $100. I was going to replace the diff itself (using a Truetrac instead of the Traction-Lok), so it didn't matter that the Mk VIII had a 28-spline instead of 31-spline. And I had to buy a Cobra pinion flange, which was $30.

 

[TheAce]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

You can probably find an even more smokin' deal if you pick up a Lincoln MkVIII diff. I got mine for $100. I was going to replace the diff itself (using a Truetrac instead of the Traction-Lok), so it didn't matter that the Mk VIII had a 28-spline instead of 31-spline. And I had to buy a Cobra pinion flange, which was $30.

O.k., you really got my attention on this one. Obviously I've been lurking long enough to know about Cobra 8.8's , aluminum , nodular iron options etc. , not to mention the 9" option.

What year Lincoln MarkVIII are acceptable donors? In addition to the pinion flange, what do you do about the 28 to 31 spline issue? Change the carrier/LSD to a 31 spline and run the stock V halfshafts? Is that what you said you did?

I'll assume the driveshaft needs altering (length) just like all the other swap options?

Thank you SO MUCH for pointing out this option!

 

[Hyboost]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

Bump I'm also interested in this mod.

 

[TheAce]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

["Change the carrier/LSD to a 31 spline and run the stock V halfshafts ? Is that what you said you did ?"]
[Moderator comment]Click on "Reply With Quote" and it will automatically insert a quote, so you don't have to do this ^^^^

Change the carrier/LSD to a 31 spline and run the stock V halfshafts? Is that what you said you did?

@Hyboost - still not sure about year-breaks on the Lincoln...but I found a grip of them used in the 150.00-200.00 range - easy to find.

My question above (28 spline Lincoln to 31 spline V axles) is stumping me. It's obvious that changing the Lincoln carrier to a 31 spline limited slip will get the diff to be a 31 spline diff- but will our stock 31 spline AXLES work ? Too long ? Too short ?

For sure our Driveshaft will be too long...needs shortening which isn't a big deal. AXLES and CV's are a big deal $$$$

 

[AAIIIC]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

What year Lincoln MarkVIII are acceptable donors? In addition to the pinion flange , what do you do about the 28 to 31 spline issue? Change the carrier/LSD to a 31 spline and run the stock V halfshafts? Is that what you said you did?

I'll assume the driveshaft needs altering (length) just like all the other swap options?

There was only 1 generation of Mark VIII ('93-98), and AFAIK they all used the same diff housing. Creative Steel's 8.8" swap kit is designed to work with a Cobra diff setup. The Mark VIII diff housing is the same as the Cobra diff housing, but the pinion flange is a different size, and the Mark VIII carrier is 28-spline instead of the Cobra's 31-spline. As I said, you can buy the Cobra pinion flange for about $30, so that's easy to switch out when the diff is being rebuilt. The 28-spline issue is being fixed by swapping in a 31-spline carrier (I would have changed out the carrier even if I bought a Cobra diff, as I wanted a better diff than the stock Traction-Lok). The CS kit includes your choice of axles and driveshaft, so check their site for the details.

I haven't actually done the swap yet - the diff is at a local shop to be rebuilt, and I need to order the kit from CS. I plan to go with their non-upgraded axles (I don't make enough power to be worried about the outer CVs) and to keep the stock driveshaft with CS's adapter.

 

[TheAce]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

Great info right there AAIIIC - thanks very much for the details. Unless the Cobra 8.8 already has your desired gear ratio when purchased...gotta think the MarkVIII is the way to go money-wise. I don't believe the Cobra came with a 3:73 (3:55?) making a ring and pinion necessary for either the 8.8 or the MarkVIII.

Lincoln core = $200.00
New R&P 3:73 - $225.00 w/ bearing kit.
New TrueTrac posi = $ 500.00 (far superior to the Trac-Lock)
Pinion flange = $30.00
Labor to set-up gears = $ 300.00

= $1225.00 - everything brand new. Sound about right ?

 

[AAIIIC]

Re: Brand New 2004 CTS V Today ! It's NEW !

Yeah, that's probably about right. I went with FRPP parts for everything (R&P, diff rebuild kit, pinion flange, stub axle bearing/seal kit), so I'm sure I could've saved some bucks here and there if I had gone with aftermarket parts.

 

[poncho89]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you still need a fabricated bracket/adapter to bolt the assembly into the chassis?

 

[TheAce]

["Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you still need a fabricated bracket/adapter to bolt the assembly into the chassis?"]

You're correct. Creative Steel makes the adapter (only one's who do?) and I "think" that adapter will set us back about $ 500.00 - adapter plate only.

 

[AAIIIC]

["Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't you still need a fabricated bracket/adapter to bolt the assembly into the chassis?"]

You're correct. Creative Steel makes the adapter (only one's who do?) and I "think" that adapter will set us back about $ 500.00 - adapter plate only.

Again, use the "Reply With Quote" feature, it will automatically insert quotes for you without having to cut and paste and bold anything.

 

[TheAce]

Again, use the "Reply With Quote" feature, it will automatically insert quotes for you without having to cut and paste and bold anything.

Hey ! It works !

 

[thebigjimsho]

Hey ! It works !

wut.

 

[Toreadorranger]

This thread gave me a chuckle, I didn't think there were any more low mileage cars left other than the one I just bought. 05 with 33k, Maggie, heads and cam. I thought mine had low miles, but 11k is ridiculous. Its nice to see that low mileage cars are still available. I lucked out and the previous owner had the Gforce 9" and 1000hp rear axles installed, but I have to agree my car has 3.90 gears as well, makes for a very fun ride.

 

[TheAce]

I lucked out and the previous owner had the Gforce 9" and 1000hp rear axles installed, but I have to agree my car has 3.90 gears as well, makes for a very fun ride.

Wow you DID luck out. I'm loving the extra grunt the 3:90 gears give on a roll race.... but I'm nervous about the additional stress on my stock diff. I'm on borrowed time and I know it, YOU on the other hand - no worries.