460ci 500 HP Cobra. "Streetable" or not?

[donraye]

I am new to this having just recently been bitten by the Cobra "must have one" snake. I have owned high performanc cars all my life and alway wanted a Cobra but am just now finally getting one after owning many Corvettes, Porsches, ZXs, etc.
I have found a beautiful Cobra that my wife and I both want to purchase but some of my friends say I shoud not because it has a 500 HP 460 big block in it. I keep being told that it is not a "street" car and that it will not be drivable under normal street conditions.
I only wnat to use the car for nice weekend days for short back-road trips to nearby towns for lunch and a nice drive, etc.
My question is: Is a Cabra with a 500 HP 460 big block a "streetable" car or is it for the drag strip or show use only? I know you guys will be able to answer this as you all own one. Please let me know if I would be making a poor choice buying a 460ci 500 HP Cobra just for weekend fun.
Thanks, Don

[Ron61]

Don,

There are a couple of things to consider. A guy here has a 512CI, 600+ horsepower engine in his and it is quite street able. It will depend a lot on how the engine was built. Either way, you will need to be careful for awhile as that much power and torque can cause you to lose it easily. If you can, get the owner to take you for a ride in it and see how it feels. Also look for any heating problems in traffic. Find out what the idle is and what RPM range the power and torque come in at.
Hope this helps a little.

Ron

[Silverback51]

First off, you should only post this in one forum.

I provided you with my input on the 429/460 engine forum.

[blykins]

500hp with a 460 BBF is very streetable. It doesn't take much in the form of cylinder heads, cams, intakes, etc. to get that much power from a 460. IMO, this would be a very good engine choice, and you'd be very happy with it. The only caveat is that if it was built with 12.5:1 compression or something in that range, where you'd have to run a race gas or a mixture.

Otherwise, go for it.

[BDHE]

Donraye;

They're streetable. My wife is comfortable driving ours (even with 566hp).

Bryon

[Frank Messina]

A 460 at that level hasn't even broke a sweat. I don't think any of us bought or built our cars for their mileage potential and many will scoff at the thought, but it's something to consider. The cost of gas is steadily climbing and you will be in the 10 - 12MPG range, maybe less. A 100 - 125 mile Sunday cruise could set you back $50 to rumble around at 50 - 65MPH. I'm liable to get yelled at for bringing this up, but at some point it's going to become an issue for some people. If money is no object then damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead. The 460 will give you a heck of a ride.

[bret a ewing]

Yes..........

[D-CEL]

Yes it can be and in my opinion MORE street-able than a 500hp itty-bitty motor (read small block)
As the displacement increases, the compression, cam and tuning requirements soften, making the motor easier to live with. It’s really about how you get to 500hp, not just the number.
It would be an interesting exercise to see what it would take to make 500hp in each of the common Cobra motor formats.
289/302
351
FE
385 SERIES
Compare cost, weight, torque and hp. Then install them in the same car and measure acceleration, handling, braking, street-ability and fuel requirements and efficiency.
I’ll be on the 385 series team!

D-cel

[terry251]

donraye,
Run away from this combination as fast as you can. It is universally understood that big block combinations are faster than the speed of light and can turn a wonderful days drive into a Red Cross blood drive at the twitch of your accelerator foot. At the least, a pathetic small block allows you to recover from driving mistakes; in some cases, you will have as much as 3/4 of a mile to recognize potential wheel spin and understeer. With a big block, you only have .0005 nanoseconds to make the same decisions. Also, don't forget all the road hugging weight big blocks enjoy!
Terry ;0

[greg schroeder]

It's probably in the mid 300s at the wheels. I don't think you'd have a problem at all. It would be fun and you might be looking for more power after a month or two if you've had some other quick sports cars in the past.

[Red S/C]

I have a 533 with considerably more than 500hp and it's streetable. You need real good tires and respect the power you'll be fine. I spent a lot of time on alignment and suspension which will pay big dividends.