2004 Mustang SVT Cobra Is a 1/4-Mile Addict, Flaunts Rare Mystichrome Paint

2004 marked the final year of production for the fourth-generation Mustang. Ford had introduced the model in 1993 but was now ready to move to the 2005 S-197. The Blue Oval sold over 215,000 units of its iconic Muscle Car in the year 2000, but things started moving on a downward slope from there.

There was a peak in 2003 with 153,000+ cars leaving the factory floor, but production of the SN-95 would end with just under 142,000 units being sold in the final year.

Even with those numbers, the Mustang was still a pretty special car to have. But if you wanted more than just "special", you had to pick out the right attributes for the pony car. The Terminator Cobra was at the top of the food chain, as it featured a supercharged 4.6-liter V8 with 390 hp and 390 lb-ft (530 Nm) of torque.

You could choose between a coupe and a convertible, and Ford managed to sell 13,776 units in total in 2003. But a 2004 model is going to be slightly more special than that with just 5,664 cars coming out of the factory that year.

Granted, the rarest version is going to be a convertible, but then again you wouldn't want to sacrifice chassis rigidity if you plan on racing the car right? The Blue Oval built 3,768 coupes, but we could narrow that list down some more.

The Mystichrome Cobra was meant to celebrate 40 years since the introduction of the Ford Mustang, and the special color-shifting formula certainly makes the car stand out from the crowd. The car we came across over on Streetside Classics is one of 515 Mystichrome Cobras in existence, but it doesn't stop there.

Judging by the tires on this thing and the rear parachute, you can instantly tell that this car was built for the drag strip. And when you're trying to go as fast as possible down the quarter-mile (402 meters), you'll need more than 390 hp if you plan on "living life 10 seconds at a time."

Engine displacement is now up to 5.4-liters, to begin with, and there are a bunch of supporting mods to increase performance figures. But the biggest one has to be the Precision 8685 Gen turbocharger. According to the company that makes these, it should be able to deliver up to 1,500 hp.

The seller of this Mystichrome Mustang hasn't provided a dyno sheet or any quarter-mile references. But we have tracked down an SVT Cobra with a smaller turbo that went below the 10-second mark with a trap speed of 142 mph (228 kph).

Also, the TH400 three-speed gearbox on this Tampa-located vehicle feeds into a 1,400-hp rated driveshaft. Judging by the parachute and Mickey Thompson tires, it might be safe to assume that this car can bring you into the 8-second club at the drag strip. With a price tag of $44,995, that almost sounds like a bargain.