Thread: 306 questions
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Old 02-28-2004, 01:16 AM
Pete Munroe Pete Munroe is offline
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Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: PVE, CA
Cobra Make, Engine: ERA 289 FIA #2027, 65' 289" PS wheels
Posts: 345
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Default more power...!

Scalps,

I just deleted a long diatribe that boiled down to this...if you have to ask...you don't need it.

I am sure Gordon builds great high RPM engines...for road racing, relatively high horsepower, lower torqe engines are good in a Cobra...light car, short wheelbase...high torque engines make a car excessively squirrley in anything but a straight line.

You want a street car, and get good mileage to boot...?

You said a 408 was overkill...I think a small 7500 rpm engine on the street is overkill..the 408 would be very powerfull without expensive hi rev parts, have tons of acceleration due to torque...and you are on the STREET going staight ahead...not road racing.

I do not have any figures on power of my engine...(would the fella with the desk top dyno run the numbers? I will post them...they are pretty much in an earlier post.)

Would love to get some time on a chassis dyno, but a good local that can compentently tune gets about 500/hour, or session? whatever, I would like it, don't need it.

I do NOT need more power...I should have a different cam/compression combo, but will live with what I have...would be easier to get a wilder cam, kill off some compression, pick up more power with more overlap and duration, but I do not need more power.

I have a friend with a ERA 427...427 block, a 428 crank about 454...has good heads, etc...he thinks he should be able to blast past me, but on the street from a rolling start it is hard to see...If I am a little quicker on the pedal, he still has to catch up...and by then we are both jail bait.

Most of what goes on on the street is very subjective...no hard numbers...but torque will snap your neck andyou feel like you are up on power...how you use high rpm on the street is beyond me.

I would build a quality bottom end, and a streetable top end...a year later swap out the cam and heads if you need more power...this is not a full body Galaxie, it is a 2400 lb Cobra.

I spend a LOT of time rowing my up and down the San Diego Freeway through LA at 15 mph...I have a very driveable no problem combo...see my last post for the specs...

Of course there are heads, cams, etc. for more power and RPM, but you are not on the track, ever, you say.

If you want, give me an e-mail and I will have you call me...I can tell you about the STROKER companies and all their BS...I found out the hard way...get a local builder you can see in a 1 hour drive max...the stroker company warranties are total BS.

You will find less is MORE in the Cobra...glad to give you more info get in touch, too much to relate here.

Pete
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ERA 289 #2027
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