Just dreaming at this point, but a couple years down the road I am going to build a cobra replica. I have a couple of projects ahead of it right now so I am just kicking things around. I am not concerned about being "correct" as to what type of engine should go into it, so don't limit your opinions to a 289 or 427.


What do you think the best all around engine / tranny combo would be for this beast? I am leaning towards a stroked windsor with FI and a centrifugal blower coupled with a manual 6 speed.

Opinons are appreciated, but I would like to hear your reasoning as well.

-Thanks in advance!

 

The purist in me would vote for a 289 with webers, but those webers would be uber expensive, as my son says. A 289/271 or 306 hp would be original.

A Ford 427/425 hp side oiler would be very expensive and it may be hard to live with, as it more of a pure race engine than anything else.

You probably won't like to hear this, but a Chevy SB 350 with a 400 crank, gives you tons of torque and great hp, depending on the other parts you choose. But it is a Chevy and if you want to stay original, which you say you don't care that much about, it maybe something to consider.

Small block external size, reasonable cost and weight (less weight better handling) with big block power without having to resort to a supercharger.


There were some drag Cobras , it's true, but first and foremost the AC Cobra was essentially a well balanced , high performance sports car. A Cobra with a blower doesn't do it for me, too far away from what Ol' Carroll had in mind.

But then, you're not me, you're not Carroll, it's your money and it's your dream car.

Another cheap combo, might be a Mustang 302/ 5 speed std., from a salvage yard. For more hp, a small, supercharger attached, would be unobtrusive, yet powerful.

However those stock, manual 5 spds. were right on the max torque of a std., non aspirated 302.

Maybe, you may want to to get a truck 5.4 V8, (3 valver especially), supercharge it and it might be close to the 470-480 hp that Ford gets out of the GT500, with the 5.4 and Eaton M122 Supercharger.

My next suggestion, is pretty nutball. I don't even know if it fits, but a Triton V10, rescued from a write off, F or E Series, and shoe horned into a Cobra. (Measure twice and cut once). Supercharge that and you will have a V10, that will make the Mopar guys with their Viper V10s , drop their jaws.

Another escapee from the salvage yard would be the modern Mustang 4.6/ 5/6 spd.

I think, if it were mine in no particular order, I would go for the 289/ 271 -306 hp first. Solid lifters, semi racy cam. a small, excitable engine, kind of true to the original Cobra ideal.

Chevy 383, but then I'm a Chevy guy.

Triton V10, but I'm not sure how you would fit it, and what tranny would work behind it. I don't think you want a manual trucj tranny, but you may want the new Ford , 5 speed, torque shift, AT.

The problem with the modern engines (ie; 4.6, 5.4 , 6.8) is that there are not many speed parts for them, and they have a limited choice of trannies and they have all that, complicated electronic engine management stuff, that flummoxes older guys like me, but may not be a problem for you.


As far as interesting problems go, you have a nice one.
Les

 

Disregard, see below

 

(Lots of snippage)
First you tell the poster to put in a Chevy and the you say "too far away from what Carroll had in mind". LOL. So what is it?? I think putting a chevy in a Cobra is like putting a Ford engine in a Corvette.

Putting a chevy in a Cobra might even make Smokey Yunick cringe, but that's just my opinion. I'd stay with the 289 Ford or FE big block. But's that's because I'm old school I guess.......

 

RB26DETT or a 2jz-gte.....you would be God in my book.

 

I would stick with a stroked Windsor also.....as cheap to build as a cheby lately and more true to the original concept.

You didn't say if you wanted to be a tad different but I've been re-introduced to my childhood favorite motor while building my faux BOSS........Clevelands.

A 4 bolt bottom end is not terribly rare (and not really necessary, but cool) and a set of CHI or AFD aluminum canted valves heads will give you more power per cubes than any small block while still staying Blue Oval.

If you think of *******izing it with little boy bow tie power....go modern with an LS2-6-7 motor.........waaay cooler than the old school stuff.

 

I once saw a Cobra kit car with a 5.0 out of a Mustang (may have been a 347 stroker) with a Paxton S/C and all the essential bolt-ons and everything else done up right. It was a solid build and very streetable, yet still running high low 11's at Houston Raceway Park.
Beautiful car, easy motor to find and work on, and easily make gobs of power and still be reliable.
After all, what fun is a project car like this if you have to tow it to the track, have a sag wagon follow you everywhere or AAA on speed dial?
Whatever you do, don't put a GM motor in it! There are plenty of Blue oval options that will outperform or at least match any Bowtie combo you could come up with. (For those doubters, I refer to my FIL's 1969 Mercury Cyclone 429 SCJ, making over 700 HP on all motor)
Whatever you decide, enjoy it, sounds like fun!!!

 

i saw go with a 390 or 428, rock solid bottom end and easy to get performance parts for but if you really want to shell out the $$$ get a genesis aluminum 427 i would be scared to go over half throttle in a light car like that with that kind of power on tap. but being scared has never stopped me before

 

DOHC 4v 5.4 (Twin turbo maybe??) would be an awesome project modern meets classic. I don't think it could get any more cool than that.

If you were looking for old school suggestions, I'd have to vote for a 302 all beefed up.

 

You will note that the Chevy was just one option, I suggested, amongst an absolute plethora of different Ford options, I suggested.

I mentioned the chevy option, as he said keeping the theme original, wasn't that important to him. BTW, I have read in some literature, that chevy V8s find themselves in a huge chunk of Cobra replicars.

We all know the Chevy V8 is one H, E, double hockey sticks of an engine, but one of the reasons I only mentioned one version of Chevy, is, in the end, like I said, I'm a purist, and therefore think the 289 is the best engine, for good performance, handling, etc., just like Shelby , hisself, had originally intended.

Smokey Yunick, on the other hand, probably would of stuffed the Cobra engine bay, full of Chevy, Rat motor.

I also indicated that I indicated that to me, the best choice for a Cobra was the 289, either in the 271 or 306 hp form.

A 428 would also be a good choice, as many Shelby Cobra 427s , actually used the 428. I had lots of experience with a 428, the 345 hp version, and can attest it is a worthy engine to stuff in the Cobra.

The late 60's 428/370 hp, would make the Cobra a lethal weapon.

Kruse, I don't think we are that much apart in our thinking, except maybe on agreeing that the Chevy SB V8, is the Man, when it comes to performance engines.

 

The answer to the question dpends upon what you want out of the car. Do you want it to behave more like the origional or do you want to impress everyone in the WalMart parking lot? I am sure there is temptation to cram as much hp. into it as possible- but IMO what made that car great was balance- not crazy hp #'s. Sure, you could make them, but that isn't what will seperate your car from anything else with high hp. numbers.

I think that if you are going to put the time, $ and care into such a project, you should try to come close to getting the magic formula of the original. That said, I am about as close to an original as I am to a Ferrari, so I am sure there are others who can better advise you how to get there.

I try to be neutral and informed and unbiased... but... ahem.... a GM engine in a Cobra?!?!? Aside from cheap hp., I have to ask "why"? Sure, I understand the virtues of the GM small block as well as anyone- but if you are going down that road, why not slip on down to your local Chey dealer and buy an '06 C6?

I say that if you are going through the trouble- make it right. And it seems to me, the original had the magic formula to be "right"- Replicate that drivetrain as closely as possible.

But like I said- I have never driven an original.

-Mike

 

LOL...........are you a politician???


Which "original" are you alluding to???

The spindly framed single leaf sprung front end 260, later 289; or the tube framed coil over 427 (428 for the street) monster???

Considering most of the replicas are based on the tube framed, big mouthed 427..........I guess an FE would be more "original".

 

My vote would have to go to a 302 roller. The key to me is the potential for good horsepower for relatively few dollars, it's light, and it's a Ford. Been looking at the Factory Five and Superformance "kits" myself. Well, one can dream, can't one?

 

I read that biased BS also in the history of the small block in R&T(?)

The author was taken to task in a letter the following month and back pedaled saying that's "what he saw"

Simply look up all the major repro. companies, ERA, Everett Morrison, Factory Five, Super Performance...etc....they all are set up for Fords.

 

I have thought about building one of these on occasion and I end up thinking a nice litte carbed 11:1 331 roller with a pair of 185 AFR heads would be a pretty nice setup