[400TT]

Ryder, congrats on the purchase.

The 302w will give you that classic old school sound. Which some guys can't live without. If you want to fit Masflo down the track, think about getting a USA Mustang HO engine as the conversion is far easier compared to doing it on an AU Falcon engine or later USA Explorer Engines.

Can't fault the guys recommending the Holden/Chev engines, they are the best out of the box option. If you priced up the cost of stroking engine with Masflo etc, I reckon you could fund an LS7 for similiar dollars. So Leroy17's suggestion certainly has merit. I just love the LS7's and we have many very happy customers with those engines fitted to our cars.

With the rear end ratio, just make sure you take into account your wheel diameter. There are plenty of good calculators on the net to work it out.

I think the best diff ratio for a street Cobra is 3.5 -> 3.7 depending on gearbox and wheel size.

Just watch those Skyline rears, most of the standard GTST have lower 4.3 ratio. GTR's & GTS's have 4.11 from memory. Do a google search here, but guys like Merv have swapped in taller diff ratios like 3.5 & 3.7. But these are not Skyline diffs, they are Sylvia etc.

With gearbox, if it was me, I would look at a TKO 600. Compare the price of a used T56 to a new TKO 600. TKO 600 is about 15kg+ lighter and I'm a big one to watch the finished weight. Also TKO 600 has a moveable shifter location and out of the box you can move the internal shifter to two positions without spending money on a new shifter. In my experience these two standard positions cater for Cobra's well. A T56 will require modification to move the shifter forward as they are always too far to the rear. The T56 will also be 2nd hand and you run the risk of it requiring recon. work if it has some k's on it. You can order the TKO 600 with taller 5th gear(.64) so it can have the same cruising rpm as the T56 in 6th.

The T5 has the best shift feel out of all these gearboxes in my opinion, but once you get into strokers you are pushing the friendship. And you want a durable drivetrain. That Skyline rear end will be bullet proof.

If you are patient and want to save some money, you regularly see the older 5 speed aftermarket Tremec's come up on ebay, like 3550 and older TKO's. They are not as strong as T56 & TKO 600 but will handly a stroker windsor in a street car fine. Shift quality is same as later TKO boxes.

Hope that helps.