Which cobra is better ???

[Rick 427 Cobra]

Lets not confuse this guy by saying being registered as a 65 etc is an advantage in XYZ state. He lives in CA and will be reregistering the car here. Once upon a time it would have been an advantage here, but times have changed. Calling a specially constructed car a "65 ford" is fraud in CA. Any body that has been on this board awhile knows the horrible stories. The AG and DMV are going after these cars and owners. It doesn't have to be an SB100 car, but MAKE SURE it is properly titled.

[RallySnake]

Gi8avett,

I would get the red one because it is RED! Seriously, they are both nice cars. I don't like the tires, though. I would haggle the price by pointing out that the cheap, low quality tires installed on this car are not rated for the speeds that it is capable of.

I would argue that the 382 stroker engine is the best possible Ford engine you could put in an SPF. Doug Reed and Dennis Olthoff won their class and took third place OVERALL in the One Lap of America with that engine in that car. (With much better tires, though). A 427 side oiler or 460 would be nice to show off sitting still in car shows. But when it comes to actual performance, on the road, the power and weight of the 382 is hard to beat.

Paul

[clayfoushee]

Rick,

You're right. In my original post, which as been requoted several times above, I said it was an advantage in the majority of states for resale purposes. I know about the SB-100 mess, and that all the numbers are gone for 2004. Obviously, if he intends to keep in CA and never sell it, that's a different story.

But, a 65 title is a major advantage right now in most of the other 49 states.

[The Dreamer]

I think some of you are missing a key point. Gi8avett didn't know what lashing valves were, so unless he/she wanted to learn these skills, 933 would be harder to care for. In addition, a solid cam typically (especially in a small block) means more aggressive cam. So, considerably more homework is needed to really tell which engine is more suitable. BTW, Gi8avett, solid or hydraulic cam/lifter doesn’t make the valves better or worse. There are a lot of factors involved, but if I was a betting man, I would go with the hydraulic cam (925) because of assumed better reliability and ease of maintenance.

[BANDIT 1]

Originally posted by RallySnake


Gi8avett,



I would argue that the 382 stroker engine is the best possible Ford engine you could put in an SPF. Doug Reed and Dennis Olthoff won their class and took third place OVERALL in the One Lap of America with that engine in that car. (With much better tires, though). A 427 side oiler or 460 would be nice to show off sitting still in car shows. But when it comes to actual performance, on the road, the power and weight of the 382 is hard to beat.

Paul

The small block "stroker" engine is better on the road course, however even Mr. Olthoff would say the 460 "stroker" powered Cobra would have left him in another zip code on the street. Saying a small block Cobra rules the street and the big block Cobra's rule the drag strip and the car shows is a small block Cobra owner's fantasy...

[uncltodd]

Bernie- forget the car...

How do I do "Meter Maids" and such?

UT

[RallySnake]

Bandit,

I thought I might ruffle a feather or two! If you want to talk Run and Gun drag race, then that terrible "C***y" word may have to be used!

Let me put it a different way. Do you think a new Cobra owner, with limited mechanical skills and unknown driving skills would be better off on the street with a 460? In a car designed for a small block?

Paul

[BANDIT 1]

Mr. Snake,

I was unaware the 427 S/C chassis was designed for a small block (or the Superformance chassis...). If the winner of Run And Gun was powered by a small block engine, I give my hat off to them. However, all that proves is a small block Cobra was the best that day.

[RallySnake]

Mr. Bandit,

The One Lap of America was a gruelling week-long rally event with 15 on-track speed tests against 88 highly-tuned sports cars of all makes (Including the highly-touted Skyline GTRs and Vipers). It included drag race events, too. Their 3rd place overall result is a racing feat of historical significance for our replica Cobras.

I've run a number of rallies which were more than 12 hours long and I can attest to the physical demands of driving a Cobra for that long. These guys did it with very little time for sleep for a WEEK!

In the 20 years of the modern "OneLap", no other Cobra team has finished anywhere near the top of the Vintage Class much less overall.

I stand by my statement that the 382 is the best possible Ford engine you can put in a Cobra for all-round use.

Paul