[RICK LAKE]

Nice one Jim. Here we go with the motor debate again. It's what you favor in a cobra. There are a couple of crazy cobras oout there with V6 motor that will tear up most V8. Look up justa6, Pete will explain it.
Motors are what you can afford to blowup. Alot depends on what the car is going to be used for. A small block on most tracks will walk away from a BB FE motored car. Problem is traction and torque. Small block can make less torque in the lower end and match HP on the top end. REV limits are higher with a small block. Taking a windsor stroker to 7,500 or 7,800 rpms is alot easier than a FE.
If you are going racing, more and better speed parts for stroker windsor or even a cleveland motor than FE one. A tunnel port or cammer may be the exception to this rule. FE bottom end is heavy. rods are from 700 grams to over 1,000 with a poor bearing that is small and takes a heavy load. windsor rods are 75-200 grams lighter alone. cranks about 15-30 lbs different in weight. Blocks if iron are about 75 pounds different. The stroker kits for FE motors are now running BBC rods with better oiling and wider rod bearings. Down the road we may get away with 2.0" small block SC rods in FE motors. Some motors are running Honda rods at 1.88" and living well.
If this car is going to live on the street either motor is fine. Have seen a weslake-gurney headed small block with webers that is just super and runs great. For the big boys, Tunnelport, high riser, and the biggie, Cammer heads in a cobra are just super to look at. power wise about 635-640 for dual quad cammer. price tag about 38-45K. if money is no object, cammer will give you the best of both worlds. Sorry 429/460 motors even out in the 550 range IMO dont belong in cobras. That's just me. I have seen Hemi's, turbo V6 gm motors, SBC,BBC, even a Viper motor( Double Vemon ). You want power, this car bent wheel bars at Gate way and still ran in the 10's.
It's all about choice. Will tell you that if I was to do it over from a racing point of view, a stroker 396-408 would be my choice. The aftermarket block a 427- 454 windsor with cleveland heads. This about 1/3 the cost of an FE. If crazy, put a couple of turbos on an SB motor. 9.0 second and can't touch this. Remember big the motor, more weight to spin. More maintainance to do also and cost to repair is higher for an FE. Who's next??? Rick L. Ps the most important thing is to MATCH the parts for the motor to get max power and durability out of it. more power, less life of motor.