Oh brother, another thread shot down the tubes before it really got started.
I'm a little surprised nobody has mentioned budget in this conversation. Not everyone who has or wants a Cobra (or any hotrod for that matter) has enough cash to plunk down for the latest and greatest motor regardless of their lust for one. I'm quite sure many people who would love an FE 427, 428 or whatever but are taken back by the $25K (?) price tag, or the additional weight, or the reputation or hearsay of likely failure, etc....
Others may be in over their heads just plunking down $7-12K for a crate engine in a small block. Personally, I'm kind of a cheap skate but I also love to build engines so I built my own 393 stroker and I really like how it runs and particularly how it sounds with the sidepipes. I think I have around $3500 in the whole engine and it runs in the area of 515 hp- more than enough for me at the moment.
Sound is another impetus for some buyers, but unless someone is really engine savvy I'm betting 90% or more of hot rodders and cobra owners couldn't tell the difference between a small block and a big block from the sound alone.
Personally, a built small block in the 351 Windsor family fits the bill for me. Quick response, relatively inexpensive and reliable to build and maintain, fits the engine compartment fairly easily, sufficient grunt and sound to make most bystanders stop and watch as you go by if my results are any indication. What's not to like?
Bob
PS- I'm a Chevy guy and I like the LS line a lot. Much like the earlier GM small blocks, they are easy to upgrade, lots of parts available for hot rodders, lots of them to choose from , etc..... but this is only the second SBF I've built and I really have enjoyed the process and the engine has responded fairly easily to my ham handed wrenching techniques.. not that I'm going to threaten Brent's business any time soon!
