482 vs. 427 fe What would you choose?

[garry viohl]

I want to build a aluminum side oiler and need some help picking parts

4.25 or 4.310 pistons
3.784 or 4.25 crank

I will be using aluminum flywheel
Hydraulic roller cam
6500 rpm max

Will be there much difference on how fast the engine ramps up and down between the two cranks?

[patrickt]

Either one will kill you in a heartbeat. But... you might consider "splitting the baby" as I did with the 4.125" SCAT stroker crank. With an aluminum flywheel it ramps up as fast as you probably would want. Getting 6500RPM from hydraulic lifters could be tricky, though. You might want to consider solids.

[CoupedUp]

Just let Keith Craft build it for you and you can't lose either way...

[Hexnut72]

What are you going to be using the car for? Are you going to race it or drive it on the street. Track days at a road course, drag strip, auto-x???

If you are mostly driving on the street I would get the big cubes and focus on a flat torque curve more than max hp at a higher RPM.

IMHO, a big cube engine with lots of power from down low is a lot more usable than a high winding engine with a "cammy" power curve. These cars are light and have short wheelbases... big power coming on like a light switch can be a little scary and not much fun especially if you have to spend any time in traffic.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by CoupedUp

Just let Keith Craft build it for you and you can't lose either way...

That will only ensure that the engine is built well; it will not guarantee that the engine that he builds is right for you. When you talk with your engine builder you must be brutally honest about what you plan to do with the car, and what your experience level is with strong cars. You might find that "less is more.":

[Jerry Clayton]

I would build it with a 352 crank to kill off some of the torque---most times all this HP and TQ in a Cobra is like some things in aviation---runway behind you, altitude above you----