Well I finally pulled our 428SCJ out of the Falcon. It has been sitting since 1989. The heads and valves look great. I took the pan and windage tray off. The rods and pistons look like new. No ridge on the cylinders. It was running fine when I parked it in 1989, and has been in the garage since then. I will take a few pictures later, before I completely disassemble it. It has TRW 2303+30 pistons in it now, but I purchased a set of Ross racing pistons, that should be a better piston along with Total Seal rings. I know I should not build this engine now, since I am building the 428CJ for racing next year, but it is going to be hard not to do it because I love building FE engines. The main reason for tearing it down, is to replace the main and rod bearings, and look to see what else might need to be replaced. I need another car for this other engine.

 

Lloyd ! Another car ? dont you need a Hotrod truck ? LOL

 

We never had a race truck.
I had a 73 F250 and built a 9:1 428 engine for it. It was not fast, but it pulled our old 5th wheel very nicely. With the new diesel engines, they have more towing power (torque), and get better mpg.
I am not into building stock engines anymore. And if you want to go fast, we need lots of hp and lower weight vehicles. Our PSD weights over 6000 lbs. and the Falcon weighs 3000 lbs. I think the 73 F250 weighed over 4500 lbs. The Cobra kit that I have been looking at is 2500 lbs, with a FE in it.
So, this is a long winded answer to your question.
Nope,,, don't need a hot rod truck.
Horsepower needed to go 10.0 seconds in a quarter mile.


2500 lb. vehicle 600 hp
3000 lb. vehicle 720 hp
4500 lb. vehicle 1080 hp
6000 lb. vehicle 1420 hp

 

Are you going to mothball the SCJ? Or maybe use it in the Cobra if you get one? You sure have a nice selection of engines and parts!!

 

Thank you;
I probably will "mothball" the SCJ. The guy with the Cobra kit that is local, wants our 427 sideoiler, but he changed his mind on how much he was going to pay me for it, so that deal is not going forward. I have checked with Superformance on their Cobra kit, so I will use the 427 for it. I will need to sell at least one car, maybe two so I can get enough room in our shop to get the Cobra project in. I just took the 428scj crank and block to the machine shop, and they said that the crank just needs polishing, and the block just needs honing. The new Ross pistons are 4.156 od, and the block is 4.162 so by honing it will give us the needed .007 piston to cylinder wall clearance. I could still use the TRW pistons, but since we have the new Ross pistons, and they are 10.8 cr and they are good for 250 hp nitrous shot.
I wish I had come to this website a year ago, because I threw out at least six sets of cast 390 heads. I could have given them to some of the guys on this site that use them. Since I only race our FE engines, I only use CJ/SCJ heads, 427 heads and aftermarket aluminum heads. I also tossed all the iron intake manifolds, rods and 390 cranks, except for one.
I sure like Valvoline racing oil. After removing the valve covers, the top of the heads and spring area was spotless. The oil pan was clean with no metal particles. That says a lot for Valvoline oil. The rod and main bearings were very good, showing again that the oil and oil modifications did their job.
After 19 years, I could have just run the engine, but I wanted to know for sure. The only thing that I would have needed to replace was the valve springs, because of their age.
Of course the carb, and transmission need to be rebuilt after sitting for so long.

 

Keep us posted on the Cobra build. I realize this is a truck forum, but I figure if you are going to tow your cobra on a trailer pulled by an FE powered truck at any time in it's life then the thread will still be appropriate.

-Scouder

 

Ok.. Next year, we will be running the Falcon at the drags, and depending on if we sell one or two cars, we will start on the Cobra project. Right now, we just do not have the room for one more project. I hope that you get a chance to run your truck at sea level, to see what it will do. Superformance is in Reno Nevada, and they have a very fine Cobra Kit. I will be towing our Falcon to the drags with our PSD. I hope to build the Cobra for the street, so it should not see to much trailer time, but the Falcon will. I just placed our 240ZV8 and our 300ZXT on Craigslist, and got two hits tonight. One guy wanted to trade his 1996 Nissan 300zxtt , but I told him, we want to make room, so do not need any more cars.

 

Yea don't let him lowball you on the 427!! You know what they are worth!!

Superformance makes a VERY nice Cobra. They are now also the vendor for the new CSX cars. So in essence your somewhat buying a REAL Cobra. Don't forget the Kirkhams too!! They are a little more but have aluminum bodys. The body is hand made in Poland in the old Mig factory. Frames are either painted steel or polished stainless!! You can get the body in raw, brushed and polished finish. Pretty spiffy. Well good luck whatever you choose.

 

I have a friend with a Superformance car. Wow. It's powered by a 427ci Windsor making just over 600hp on pump gas. Stupid fast is the only way to describe it.

It's been a few years back when Super just started getting popular I really picked on apart at local Ford swapmeet in Columbus, Ohio. I was really impressed with the over fit/finish/quality of it. Big money, but if you want turnkey, it's the way to go.

 

Yes, that is what I found also. I am to old to fabricate or do a lot of metal work, so the Superformance is just right for me. They sell for $42,000 complete less engine and transmission. I have the engine and a top loader 4 spd trans. I think the only other thing I need to buy is the drive shaft. They have sales every once and awhile and sell their kits for $38,000. We looked at a 08 Shelby GT500 the other day, and they sell for $72,000 at our local Ford dealership.
So the Cobra is cheaper, and it will have a FE in it. I think the Shelby had 500 hp. and we can get over 600 hp out of the 427. The Shelby was HEAVY...The Cobra weighs 2500 lbs.