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Old 12-22-2010, 10:47 PM
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decooney decooney is offline
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Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Folsom, CA
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 623, 427 S/C Cobra. Ford FE 428 Cobra Jet, Ford Nascar TL 4speed - with a touch of raw; "less is more" theme
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Pat, Ex,

Sorry, I couldn't help myself to ask the question, and not to totally hijack the thread, but I'm always fascinated about the the different reasons people use this or that part and what they determine the pros/cons are. Since I don't track my car much or do heel/toe shifting these days, I guess I'm probably okay as-is.

On my last Cobra with FE, I had the heavier stock 55lb or so flywheel and it did idle smooth, snap-revved slower, and (yes) ran like a passenger car at idle, but holy smokes when that thing picked up and got rolling off the line with 3.08 rear axle ratio it came on like a freight train, and kept pulling like a freight train. The car had a bit less hp than my existing motor, but the former setup was like a slingshot out of the hole without blowing the tires off so easy. It actually felt faster on longer straight runs than my existing car which has more hp and a lighter flywheel today. However, if you got the tires to break loose with the heavier flywheel setup, watch out, it would keep the rpms up and just burn the tires all the way down the street, and keep going if I kept my foot in it. It was actually kind of ridiculous now that I think back on it.

With the midway 32lb steel flywheel I use today on the 2nd car, it does rev faster, and does idle a tad more radical, and with 3.31 it feels good all around but does not seem to have that same type slingshot feel out of the hole. In some instances I actually liked the behavior of the heavier flywheel and close ratio 4 speed for longer straight runs when banging through the gears; but only for that type of use. Otherwise, I still prefer 3.31 axle ratio with WR trans all around with a mid-weight flywheel.
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Last edited by decooney; 12-22-2010 at 10:54 PM..
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