My 2003 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra (aka ‘Terminated Cobra’) was saved from the crusher as just a shell with no engine, drivetrain, wiring, or interior. So it’s a blank canvas for modifications and fine-tuning to extract the maximum potential from this early-2000s icon. With nothing in the engine bay, we’re starting with something most people save for last, due to the cost and amount of time and tools needed: a K-member swap.

This Cobra suffers from the same thing that all others do: a poor weight balance and a bit still left to desire in the handling department. The 2003 to ’04 Cobras were said to have a front/rear weight balance of up to 58/42, with an 8-percent front bias – a staggering number when compared to many other vehicles built for both power and handling such as the Chevy Camaro, Corvette, and Dodge Viper.

The Cobra in question is my pet project, a ground-up rebuild of a 2003 Cobra. The goal is to go from a shell destined for the crusher to becoming one of the best-handling Cobras with stock-style suspension. As we are starting from scratch and the mission is simple, we will be upgrading wherever possible.

We had the standard black finish removed and powdercoated white to match the car.

Enter The Maximum Motorsports K-Member

Compared to the stock subframe, the gains of a Maximum Motorsports K-member are massive. It offers a weight savings of around 40 pounds, but that is just a side benefit. The real prize is the wheelbase change the Maximum Motorsports K Member offers. It shifts the wheelbase forward three-quarters of an inch with the use of the standard, non-offset control arms. For those looking to push the boundaries, Maximum Motorsports also has offset A-arms to add an additional three-quarters-of-an-inch of wheelbase, making it 1.5 inches longer than stock. This alone shifts the weight balance to the rear by around 1.5 percent and is a definite step in the right direction (more on this here).

Another important aspect of the K-member is that it has two sets of control arm mounting holes that allow you to adjust the roll center and camber curves for your vehicle’s ride height. Dialing in the camber curve is critical to maintain the largest tire contact patch as the weight transfers through the turn. The Ackerman steering is also changed from factory (and adjustable), which allows the inside and outside wheels to turn on different radii and optimize slip angle.

One other thing of note when it comes to suspension geometry, Maximum maintains the stock percentage of anti-dive. Through testing, Maximum has found that increases or decreasing anti-dive negatively affects the SN95’s ability to brake. Anti-dive refers to how weight transfers to the front of the car (and nose dives) under hard braking. 

We mentioned the use of standard, non-offset A-arms, but it should be noted that the Maximum Motorsports K-member does not allow for the use of stock control arms. You will need to purchase the Maximum Motorsports A-arms in either standard geometry or offset geometry. You will need to switch to a coilover front suspension setup, but that is included as part of the Maximum Motorsports K-member package. Unlike the 2-valve, the Cobra’s 4-valve mod motor will need an oil filter relocation kit to clear the new K-member setup.

Here you can see the different mounting holes for the lower A-arms (we went with the lower ones for now).

The installation was easy without an engine in place. It is best to have a friend on hand to help hold things in place as there is no easy way to lift the K member, start the bolts, and have the nutsert held in place by yourself

The instructions are well written, however, I would not just rely on pictures. The control arm installation is a pretty smooth process, but benefits from using a rubber mallet to help drive the bushings as well as to help maneuver the arm in place and align the holes.  

Having multiple jack stands to support the suspension and the car when doing this install is key. Of course, it’s a lot easier with no engine!

While the car isn’t driveable at this point in time, so we can’t give you any driving feedback, but it’s safe to say that, due to the extension and wheelbase, gain in caster, and less weight the new K-Member setup will make a noticeable improvement over a stock K-member. Also, the more open design will most certainly make the car easier to work on. Another thing to note is when installing the K-member, verify your 19mm socket fits down in the indentions where the bolt goes or else you will be running to the parts store for a thin-wall socket in the middle of the project. 

Note the K-member brace spacers that get sandwiched with flat washers per the directions.

As this car comes together slowly over the next year, I will add Maximum’s bushing kit to the rear along with some lead into the structure of the shell to close the gap on our ideal 50/50 weight balance.