There’s something timeless about the SN95 Cobra. As the top dog of the mid-90s Mustang lineup, the ‘97 SVT Cobra came with one of the most powerful motors of its time – a naturally aspirated 4.6L DOHC V8 that could rev and sound like nothing else in the muscle cars of that era. It was Ford’s way of bringing back the good old brutal muscle cars from the past. Even today, it holds a special place in the hearts of true muscle car fans thanks to those clean lines, and strong 90s vibe.
CJ from Columbus, Ohio clearly gets it. But instead of just keeping his SN95 Cobra stock and “classic,” he decided to take things a whole lot further. What started as an already badass Mustang became a fully dialed-in street machine, sitting on air, slammed to perfection, and rocking a presence that demands a second (and third) look. With a mix of show-worthy style and real-world drivability, this build is all about passion, creativity, and making this 90s icon even more personal. Let’s dive into the details of this slammed ’97 Cobra and see what makes this car such a standout.
Key Mods
- Airlft Air Suspension
- C&L cold air intake with a massive 76mm MAF housing
- Losts of Carbon Fiber Everywhere
Bagged Cobra Build
Performance
When it comes to performance, CJ made sure this ’97 Cobra could back up its looks with some good muscles. The heart of the build is still the legendary 4.6L DOHC V8 (In my opinion one of the best naturally aspirated powerplants by the blue oval) but it’s breathing a lot easier now thanks to a C&L cold air intake with a massive 76mm MAF housing and a K&N filter, all black powder-coated for a stealthy look.
Add to that a set of underdrive pulleys, MSD coil packs and beefy 10.2mm VMS Racing plug wires, and you’ve got a smoother, more responsive rev range with quicker throttle feel.
To keep the electrical system intact, especially with the added audio gear, a PA Performance 200-amp alternator and a full Big 3 wire upgrade were installed, tied together with T-Spec battery terminals and a sealed X2 Power battery. Helping the car hook up off the line is a set of Ford Performance 3.73 gears, giving it that extra snap in acceleration.
And when it’s time to slow down, PowerStop drilled and slotted rotors with ceramic pads make sure stopping power is just as sharp as everything else. All in all CJ’s made a clean and functional performance setup – perfect for a street car that’s more than just a garage queen.
Suspension & Wheels
What I really like about this build is the suspension setup as you don’t see many of these bagged. Sitting on an AirLift 3P suspension, the car can drop low for show and raise up for a spirited run.
Reinforced torque boxes, subframe connectors, and a strut tower brace add serious rigidity to keep that SN95 chassis tight and planted. All that sits on a stunning set of black chrome Rovo Durban wheels – 18×9 up front, 18×10.5 in the rear wrapped in sticky Nitto Invos rubber.
Exterior
The attention to detail on the exterior is where this Cobra stand out in a subtle way. The blacked-out lights all around headlights, turn signals, taillights, and even the third brake light – give the car a mean, two-tone look that plays perfectly against the white paint.
Subtle carbon fiber accents are everywhere, from the real carbon S281 spoiler to the one-off carbon fiber side mirrors and cowl panel with a slick wiper delete.
The side skirts and rear diffuser, both custom from Balogh Body Workx, are flush-mounted for a clean, tucked finish. Even small touches like the vinyl-wrapped bumper letters and GT500-style fender badges add depth and character.
Interior
Inside the owner kept the same custom energy flowing with a tasteful mix of the original shapes and carbon fiber, which I definitely appreciate. Many parts were refinished with real carbon fiber from Carbon Driven and Dark Horse Carbon like gauge cluster, dash clock, door pulls, sills, and even the lower door panels.
A two-tone leather rear seat delete with raised “SVT” lettering keeps the back sleek and functional, while up front, a Power Acoustic touchscreen head unit and Rockford Fosgate speakers bring the sound system up to today’s standards.
The custom-built trunk floor with wood accents and a crystal white air tank ties it all together in a way that feels cohesive and premium. It’s part show car, part street cruiser, and 100% personal.
List of Mods
Performance
- Under drive pulley set
- C&L cold air intake with 76 mm MAF housing and K&N air filter all powder coated black
- MSD coil packs
- VMS Racing 10.2 mil plug wires
- PA performance 200 amp alternator
- Big 3 wire upgrade (4 gauge wires from alternator to battery, battery to fuse panel, ground from battery to motor, motor to frame)
- X2 power sealed battery
- T-spec V-12 battery terminals
- Ford performance 3.73 gears
- Power stop. Drilled and slotted brake rotors and ceramic pads
Suspension
- AirLift 3P suspension system
- Strut tower brace
- Sub frame connectors wielded in
- Upper and lower rear torque boxes reinforced
Wheels & Tires
- Black chrome Rovo Durban rims (Front: 18×9 Rear: 18×10.5)
- Nitto Invos Tiresv(Front: 255/30/18 Rear: 295/30/18)
Exterior
- Blacked out front turn signals with blacked out cobra style headlights
- Blacked out 3rd brake light, bumper markers, and taillights with a sequential taillight kit
- Custom cobra drawing overlay for the Ford trunk badge
- 03-04 “SVT” trunk badge with carbon fiber vinyl overlay
- Carbon fiber vinyl wrapped bottom of the bumper
- Vinyl Carbon fiber “Cobra” letters on back bumper
- Balogh body workx rear diffuser custom mounted to tuck flush with rear bumper
- Balogh body workx side skirts/side skirt extensions
- Special carbon fiber. S-281 real carbon fiber spoiler
- Custom made real carbon fiber side mirrors (1 of 1)
- Special Carbon Fiber. Real carbon fiber cowl panel with wiper delete
- GT500 Cobra front fender badges
- Front and rear calipers painted white
- Redline tuning gas shock hood supports
- GMC Envoy fog light conversion
- Hydro dipped carbon fiber air filter cover, fuse box cover, and radiator cover
Interior
- Carbon driven real carbon fiber elements including gauge cluster overlay, clock on the dash, 03-04 radio/AC bezel with shifter bezel, door pulls on door panels, center console lid, and door sills
- Dark Horse Carbon. Rear carbon fiber replacement for the factory fabric on the lower door panels
- Custom made rear seat delete covered with two-tone leather to match the interior (black and saddle) with raised letters “SVT” on the lower panel
- Custom made speaker box with 2 10” JL audio v3 subwoofers powered by a Rockford Fosgate amp P500x2
- Factory amp delete and rewired for Rockford Fosgate P1683 6×8” door and rear package tray speakers
- Power Acoustic double din touch screen head unit
- Custom built trunk floor with wood flooring for the Crystal white air tank, air compressor, and subwoofer box
Wrapping Up
Suspension easily takes the crown with a perfect 10/10 based on our build difficulty score thanks to the full AirLift 3P setup and reinforced chassis components.
The exterior follows closely at 7 points, led by a custom carbon theme, blackout lighting, and aggressive bodywork details. Performance scored a 5.5, with a solid intake and brake setup, while the interior hit 6 with tasteful carbon additions and a custom rear seat delete.
| Parts Category | Difficulty Rating* |
|---|---|
| Suspension Mods: | 10/10 |
| Performance Mods: | 10/10 |
| Exterior Mods: | 10/10 |
| Interior Mods: | 10/10 |
* Based on our build difficulty evaluation system ⓘ
CJ’s Cobra is a nice example of how to build a clean, SN95 Mustang without going over the top. Whie looking stock at the first dight it’s hiding many cool custom touches that will impress any 90s muscle car fan.
Watch the progress and find out more about this Ford Mustang Cobra project by visiting the Instagram profile of the owner: @bagged_svt_cj!
Stay tuned for more project reviews on Specs&Mods.com – Follow us on social media, and share this write-up if you enjoyed reading it!
Leave a Reply