Advice on 427 FE engine build

[WildBill1965]

OK heres what I have, 1968 SO out of my previus Cougar race car (SSG)original was 390 hp with 10.7 to 1 bumper pistons, hyd cam single 4. The block is C8AE-A and on the flywheel end has cast 66-427 in to it don't know what this means as the C8 on the other part of the block. I have the original high nogular iron crank and rotating mass. Would like to go to maybe 472 or some place around there, lots of ponies but streetable with some occasionable track. I have the Sidewinder intake also, but would intertain the idea of electrontic fuel injection. I have a 427 stroker in car now but always wanted this block in the Cobra just part of my history. I know there are several builders on the forum but need input on what they would use in their build with this block, and looking for a bilder with service beyond!

Bill

[blykins]

Lots of stroker crankshafts out there for the FE's now. One of the most common combinations for the 427 is to do a 4.250" stroke, which puts you at around 482ci.

The Sidewinder intake would be a nice dual plane intake to use for the street and you could even use an aftermarket EFI, throttle body style system on it.

If you don't have cylinder heads, a nicely ported set of Edelbrocks work great.

Your block setup with a Scat crank/rods, Diamond pistons, Edelbrock heads, and a hydraulic roller cam (if your block is drilled for it) would make a very powerful and streetable engine.

[RICK LAKE]

WildBill 1965 Bill I have not writen a book or make my living from building motors. Here's a couple of ideas
There are a number of FE buildups all over. Barry R. as a nice Book for buildups.
Jay Brown book also has some great info for building a motor.
I started with a 452 motor and have now a 482 animal that is easy on the street. I have my own built FI system that has been run in the car for 15 years. Only failure was me from welding a tab and not unhooking the battery.
My motor is in the real 500/600 club of power. Smaller number is HP.
Barry R. sells a great kit for the 482 in a 427 block. Drops right in with basic checks and assembly work. If you want to send a little more money a steel crank upgrade would be the only thing I would change IF I was turning more than 6,200 rpms max.
Bill from your years of racing, you know that matching the gear ratios in the trans and rearend will get the most out of any motor in the car by kieeping in the 2 power bands.
Not sure how special your block is but if it's the orginial for either car you have, It would get bagged and cosmolined and go into a nice warn corner of the house. Find a boat motor (427) and play with that.
The FI systems are not cheap but IMO are great for street cars and long trips or just cruising, ONCE the computor is setup right or Learns how the motor runs. Fi system does need extra things done unlike a carb with wiring, fuel pump, return fuel line to tank, even a larger supply line to injectors. Bottom line, over build the system.
I have one last motor to build for my car, a 498 with a 58mm TWM setup. Torque monster in the 650-670 torque range and 600 hp. This motor is too must for a cobra. Looking at an over drive trans to handle the power too. T56 with double OD. Thinking of running the car at 200 mph for a jacket. Will have the power, just not sure if the driver will have the B@!!s. Stock body with only windshield angle changed. Something in my bucket list. Good luck with build, you have my number if you want to talk. One thing I will say is this, Run oil pressure with an #80 spring in the motor and HVHP oil pump that is blue printed. 7-8 quart oil pan and over fill it 1 quart. Idle oil pressure a min of 30 psi. Dry sump is also an option. Rick L.

[Barry_R]

As noted there are plenty of bore/stroke options for the 427 these days. The 4.250 is decidedly the most popular, but a 4.125 is a good option if you want the motor to feel a bit "revvier". At 4.250 bore the 4.125 crank will get you 468 cubes.

The advantage of the 4.125 or 4.250 crank is the use of wider and smaller diameter BBC rod bearings along with the longer rods - makes for a shorter lighter piston.

For EFI we've done FEs with a variety of multiport systems. I personally would not bother with the throttle body stuff - all teh expense of EFI with the fuel distribution of a carb - worst of both worlds. Go multiport. We've done the multiport with teh Edelbrock Victor intake, the TWM "Weber lookalike" deal, and even with a converted dual plane. Lots of internet experts claim that a EFI dual plane ain't a good package - but mine made over 500 lbs torque at 2500 and 699 horspower at 6500 on 433 cubes.

For EFI controllers we've used the FAST EZ-EFI, which worked well but took some getting used to, as well as the much more sophisticated FAST xFI and Big Stuff 3 systems. The latter two provide full control of ignition and fuel parameters.

The hydraulic roller option is a good one - your block is drilled for lifter oiling. But it does limit you to 6200-6500 RPM at the most. Going to a solid has its own issues but has an RPM and peak power advantage.

[gsharapa]

I have an all aluminum 496 FE with solid roller and single plane intake/carb. Built by Keith Craft. He really knows these FEs and very competitive on pricing. I wanted a FE that would spin up fast and kill some of the tork down low like a small block but big block sound and power as these Cobras are so light to start with. His combination turned out fantastic and I'm extremely impressed with it considering I've always been a small block perf guy.

[blykins]

[quote=Barry_R;1161811 all teh expense of EFI with the fuel distribution of a carb - worst of both worlds.[/QUOTE]

No, not a TBI setup.....but an intake conversion with an injector per runner, using a throttle body and MAF.

I say that, but the new system from MSD looks pretty self-contained and easy to mess with. Maybe one of us should try one out, although it reminds me of the P/P Powerjection stuff.

[WildBill1965]

Just wandering if I would better off selling what I have, block still has standard bore with factory cross hatches, factory heads with thermactor plugs to maybe someone with a 68 GTE Cougar neading a motor and getting a aluminun block 482 or bigger? I do like the larger HP, don't need a lot of low end grunt as traction is always a problem anyway. Like the idea of solid lifters, not a problem adjusting and probaly alot better locks than was available back then! Thoughts?

[elmariachi]

If you build a 482, there will be no way to avoid the low-end grunt. If you want the ideal Cobra motor, build what you got with a set of stage 2 aluminum heads and shoot for 500-550 HP. That's enough to get you killed but not so much that they can't identify the body. If you sell the SO PM me, I need a spare.

Jim

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

If you build a 482, there will be no way to avoid the low-end grunt. If you want the ideal Cobra motor, build what you got with a set of stage 2 aluminum heads and shoot for 500-550 HP. That's enough to get you killed but not so much that they can't identify the body. If you sell the SO PM me, I need a spare.

Good advice. BTW, WildBill1965, I'm one of the few people around here that opted for the 4.125 SCAT Stroker for that "revvier" feel that Barry wrote about. Don't discount it -- it's a lot of fun, and as ElM. wrote, you really don't need over 500HP to have an absolute blast with a fast revver.

[WildBill1965]

I have 525 hp now, just looking to put in the FE like I always wanted and maybe the 427R into a 65/66 2+2! Been out of the loop on all the dynamics of the FE boring and stroking, just knew it was a power house at the drag strip back in the 68/70's. Looking at all options and machine work as my block has never been cut/decked or anything!

Bill

[gsharapa]

Althought not period correct except for the old style Paxton, going with some sort of power enhancer ie; Supercharger or Turbo seems the way to have a nice streetable car that has big horse power. It's amazing what the new Mustangs and Cameros can make in HP and without your foot in it they drive like the normal grocery getter. I think a low compression 427 FE with a big Paxton on it would be interesting. My 496 FE made 681 at the crank and it is very streetable even with 10:7:1 compression, but I do put some higher octaine fuel in it (a few gallons) in the summer to counter all the bad ethonal fuel out there.........Nothing wrong with HP as nice to have it but you do not need to use it to the max. Something to think about

[WildBill1965]

Gary, I like the numbers on your engine, compression is not extreme where you can't run pump gas. Is yours solid or hyd? What is rpm power band 6500? I agree with the HP thing as there is toooo much traffic to utilize it, but nice to have for track days!

Bill

[Keithc8]

Depending on the date code of your enigne it could be a good candidate for a GT-E Cougar. It sounds like you may only want to ue the block and some of the factory 427 blocks wre pretty thin on the cylinders. The heads would not be a much use to anyone but a restoration guy. You could advertise it on one of the Cougar sites.
There is really no need to go with a shorter stroke than the 4.250 unless you want to give up free power. We pretty much keep any conbination you would want or can get it real quick. The EFI is an option but remember that it is a little harder and more expensive after you get the engine and install in the car. You have to get special EFI pump, filters, return line, O2 sensors along with mounting the computer and running all of the wiring. I have on one of the engine that I did for mmy wifes car. The right stuff tuned right works great. There are units you could run on that side winder intake that is a throttle body with the injectors built into it. You would not have to drill on the intake or anything. If you go direct port injection you would not want use a dual plane but a single plane intake.
I even have a all aluminum 482C.I setting on the floor at has very conservative camshaft and runs on premium pump gas. It made about 585HP and over 600 ft/lbs of torque. 4340 steel crank with hydraulic roller carburetor to Moroso oil pan of the dyno. This enigne can be had for 16,900.00 which is about 1000.00 less than out normal price for the same enigne.

Thanks, Keith Craft

[WildBill1965]

Keith sounds like a good option 482ci may need to wait for the FI maybe! checked the Cougar Forums, I guess I will need to join to post a for sale. I have the engine tag that was on the intake bolt but don't know the codes: 427 68 10 8 8 359 J
Need to sell if I go with the aluminun block. I have the block with stock bore with factory cross hatch, crank, rods with pistons and the original cast iron heads and an extra set of heads with valves adjustable rockers with push rods two sets of Ford .015 steel shim head gaskets, sidewinder intake. Now what is it all worth?

Bill

[Keithc8]

We can traid for your engine and then go through it and try to find a buyer. I would like to have all the number on the engne and then talk with a Guagar GTA 427 owner. Not many made so finding on that needs the date code you have could be hard. If not sold to a cougar guy will probably have to sell to a Cobra guy or a early FE Mustang guy. Just let us know.

Thanks, Keith Craft

[WildBill1965]

Does any of the numbers from the engine tag from avove tell any of that? i will go to the basement and get any other info on block and post'

Bill

[WildBill1965]

Date code 68 3rd month acording to a Cougar guy!

B i l l

[Keithc8]

That would be March of 68. The block would have a 8C and then the day after that cast under where the oil filter remote bolts on to the block. It could be like 8C5 or 8C25. If you could find a guy with a April or later built 427 Cougar it might work for him but there would be very few built in that time period.
Let me know if we can help with somehting.

Thanks, Keith

[WildBill1965]

Talking to a guy in Texas, he is instered in the heads and maybe the hole engine if the price is right. Now what would the heads be worth? And the hole engine standard bore be worth? Then we can get down to business!

B i l l

[Keithc8]

I sent you a PM.

Thanks, Keith