While all this was going on, the Rois moved back home to Canada from Florida, and Tim enlisted the aid of brother Mike in assembling and fitting body panels, and all the other little bodywork tidbits that result from compiling a car from a unibody shell. He then hooked up with Mike "Droopy" Papoff at Kustom Painting in London, Ontario, to lay on the Black Orange Pearl over Arctic White paint scheme, separated by airbrushed red and orange stripes. Tim left off the rear wing, added an '00 Cobra R-style cowl hood, and finished off with '03-style Cobra rims.
In all, the project took about two years. Officially written off for dead, the spirit of Tim and Stephanie's '96 Cobra now lives on in this reincarnated '97, with bits of '98 and '03 kindred SVT spirits thrown in for good measure. Through a lot of effort, two wrongs have finally been put right.
Tech specs
| ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN |
| Block | '03 Cobra iron |
| Bore | Stock |
| Stroke | Stock |
| Displacement | 281ci |
| Crank | Stock Cobra |
| Rods | Manley H-beam, forged |
| Pistons | CP custom, forged |
| Compression Ratio | 8.5:1 |
| Cams | Stock '98 Cobra |
| Heads | '98 Cobra, ported by owner |
| Intake | '96 Cobra, runners shortened, ported by owner |
| Throttle Body | '98 Cobra |
| Mass Air | SCT 90mm |
| Injectors | 42 lb/hr Bosch |
| Fuel Pump | Holley 255-lph in-tank and Walbro 255-lph inline |
| Headers | Stock '98 Cobra |
| Exhaust | UPR X-pipe, Flowmaster after-cat |
| Transmission | Stock T45 |
| Shifter | UPR Blue Thunder billet |
| Clutch | '03 Cobra |
| Flywheel | '03 Cobra |
| Driveshaft | FRPP aluminum |
| Rearend | 8.8, 4.10 gears, Auburn Pro diff, Superior 31-spline axles |
|
| ELECTRONICS |
| Engine Management | Stock, flash tuned by Superchips Custom Tuning |
| Ignition | Stock |
| Gauges | Auto Meter |
|
| SUSPENSION AND CHASSIS |
| FRONT SUSPENSION |
| K-Member | Stock |
| Control Arms | Stock |
| Springs | Eibach Sportline |
| Struts | Stock |
| Caster/Camber Plates | Stock |
| Brakes | Powerslot rotors, stock calipers, EBC pads |
| Wheels | '03 Cobra |
| Tires | 275/40R17 Firestone SZ50 |
| REAR SUSPENSION |
| Control Arms | UPR adjustable upper/stock lower |
| Springs | Eibach Sportline |
| Shocks | Stock |
| Brakes | Stock |
| Wheels | '03 Cobra |
| Tires | 275/40R17 Firestone SZ50 |
| Chassis Stiffening | n/a |