Engine choice for Cobra

[thunderbolt]

Keith,

First Donna and I want to thank you for comming to our car show the first weekend in June "Cruisin The Ouacitas!". We appreciated you setting up your display and the cars you brought.

We have kinda decided to go with a Backdraft or Superformance Cobra. Our engine choice is where I need to ask your help on. I have a built 390FE 385HP engine sitting in my shop that Mark Kuban of Ft. Worth built 5 years ago, it has never been fired. My decision though for the Cobra, I like the advantages of your 408W and the 427sb special that you have right now. Then you have a 390FE package that sounds pretty good also. Would you be interested in the 390FE that I have as a trade towards either of the choices I have listed? The one thing I'm pretty solid on is one of your engines. I am wanting a nice streetable engine because we drive our cars to about 10-15 car shows a year with J.V. and the rest of the local car club. It needs to be around 450HP.

If I chose a SB I have to go with Brodix heads, wouldn't want J.V. to see those other guys heads!

I was just talking with J.V. last week he said he needed to come your way soon, so he said he would call me so I can come see your operation.

Thanks, Alan & Donna

[Rwillia4]

Alan,
you have a PM

[HOBIGBLOCK]

Keith-
I'm looking at either the Backdraft or Superformance Cobra. I'm leaning toward the Backdraft basically from a cost perspective. However, I'm unsure which is the better of the two. I plan to race the car on a track once in a while to see what it can and bring it to the quarter mile strip, as well as doing some street driving and car shows. With respect to the engine I know I want a big block there is no other. However, I was thinking of going with the F460 with about 550hp (and you get the most bang for your buck). Any thoughts on this? I know its a heavy block for this little car and there could be a weight distribution although I'm not that concerned. I am not expecting this car to handle like a Ferrari.

Lastly, I was dirving my car the other day and when I stopped at a light there was a 66 Box Nova with a big Block. It had a very strange thumping cam sound. The best way I can explain it had a very slow cam strock. The sound was from the engine not an exhaust sound. And when he got on the gas it took off like a bullet. I know this is very brief but what in you opinion would give a big block this sound.

[496fe]

This is kind of an awkward way of talking to Keith. Why don't you talk to him on the phone. His answers will probably be more candid, and therefore more valuable to you.