Ten years ago my motor made about 280 to the rear wheels.
Now it makes 402 rwhp. That should be about 500 flywheel.
I love it, fast for a 2315 lb car, with me and a tank of gas 2660 lbs.
I have several buddies with 427's and 428 strokers, 600 to 620 flywheel hp.
I have driven their cars. No over heating problems, no real differents in front end weight problems. Each car handles a little different but on the street, I can't tell a big differents.
I have seen a few Cobras with big block motor set 4 or 5" to the front of the car. They may have a handling problem but I have never driven them. I Don't know.
Gas mileage, I get 18, they get 12 - 14. Pennys differents.
I think a Cobra should have 500 to 600 flywheel hp. If you like to hamner it every now and then.
We have several buddies who have stock 302s in their Cobra and they enjoy them as must as the rest of us. Their cars look great, they cruise around, they win trophies at the shows, everyone takes pictures of them going down the hiway.
Max horsepower is not neccessary for most Cobra owners. But for some of us it is the Cobra.
Dwight
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life's goal should be; "to be smarter than inanimate objects"
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF2984 MK111, Roush 511 IR FE 8 Stack, Dynoed: [flywheel] 572HP at 6000 , 556# Torque at 4700, Bowler 4R70W Auto Transmision. Tires: Mickey T's S/R 26.0x10.0x15.0 F ,26.0x12.0x15.0 R Color, Bleck, because they told me it was Bleck, at the factory.
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You are one cool dude listening to the wife.
Quote:
Originally Posted by stimpy
I hear ya on the big vs small, in a man's world.
My wife WILL, however occasionally explain to me that BIG can have drawbacks.
Lets just say there are some things that Big won't get a chance to try, just because it's big.
Stay cool
Stimpy, its whatever rings your bell, Good Luck. tin-man
Yes, so major mods are required to fit it in a Kirkham. Plus, they're about $25,000-$40,000 for a complete original or new repro engine.
I don't think a cammer will fit in any of the Cobras very easily. It's better to have it built to receive it. Major changes to footbox and steering configurations. Plus, it might be easier to pull the engine than to change the plugs in place.
I don't think a cammer will fit in any of the Cobras very easily. It's better to have it built to receive it. Major changes to footbox and steering configurations. Plus, it might be easier to pull the engine than to change the plugs in place.
They sure are cool though.
Yes, I'll have to do footbox mods, change the header configuration and steering linkage, and I'm sure a bunch of other stuff, but I may do it someday...when I hit the Powerball.
The SOHC (or Hemi for you Mopar fans) is the ultimate.
Cobra Make, Engine: Superformance, Roush 402R and CSX 6029
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I have a small block SPF (Roush 402R i.e., 351W) and a big block Shelby (427 FE). The cars are different but both sound great and both are loads of fun. As for the engines, as someone previously pointed out in this thread, the average car show spectator often cannot tell which is which (SB or BB?) by sight or sound. On a couple of occasions, when I have told someone that I do have both a sb cobra and a bb cobra, and I start up the sb, they think it is the bb. As I said they do have a different sound but both sound awfully good to me.
Overpowered? No. I can put it to the floor gently and get a lot of accelaration not just wheel spin. My engine is aluminum with aluminum heads, I have never felt as if the car is nose heavy, it feels very balanced. My 88 Mustang GT plowed a lot at the limit in a corner and the Cobra does not. Somestimes it understeers and sometimes it oversteers (without the use of the gas pedal).
I think the too much engine is more a cam/intake/carb problem than cubic inches. if you have a race setup (huge lift/duration, huge carb, single plane intake), it may not run well on the street whether it is a 302 or a 550. . .. mine a little much for the street, if I were to do it again, I may "decam" it, but I would still have a big block. . . .love the torque...
those are my 2 cents worth, but what do I know. . . .
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF2984 MK111, Roush 511 IR FE 8 Stack, Dynoed: [flywheel] 572HP at 6000 , 556# Torque at 4700, Bowler 4R70W Auto Transmision. Tires: Mickey T's S/R 26.0x10.0x15.0 F ,26.0x12.0x15.0 R Color, Bleck, because they told me it was Bleck, at the factory.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FatBoy
When you can leave 2 black lines from the apex of one corner to the braking point of the next corner, then you have enough power.
Only kidding.
Paul
Paul, Interesting, so out of curiosity how long is the "block" i.e. street length and at what point would one start to apply the brakes assuming one had reached upwards of 130 MPH from a standing start? The assumption being not trashing your tires for the entire lenght of the event. Understand I am not trying to be a smart ass here, just curios since I am still waiting for my Cobra to be finished and I will see if I can replicate what you describe.
I know this one!!!!!
1st Cobra- Butler with 427HR 600HP
2 FFR Daytona Coupe 351 W 450 to 500
3 FFR Spec Racer 5.0
4 Autokraft Cobra 5.0 w carb
Current Kirkham with ful Iron 9.5 427 std bore- About what Mother Ford blt in 1966
The Kirkham with modest HP is the absolute funnest and easiest and best sounding one of them all. Weighs in at 2280Lbs with 30 gallons of gas. The Butler had way too much power for street driving, 5.0 AutoKraft was a *****, Spec racer sounded like a Mustang and looked too new. The good old 427 "Dump Truck " Motor is the one for me in essentailly factory crate motor set up.
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In spite of me previous tongue in cheek comment, I agree with you big-boss. My Kirkham has a 427 S/O with nothing too wild and I guess it makes around 480bhp, but I can use a good percentage of it without fear of instant carnage. It's docile and tractable around town or in traffic, but has enough get up and go to annialate pretty much anything else on the road.
The guys on this forum "get" the Cobra, there is lots of good advice in this thread.
If you are buying the Kirkham aluminum 427SC, it would be a crime to put a small block in it.
Too much power? put a block of wood under the "wow" pedal.
Nose heavy? Maybe if you are extracting the maximum performance on the track (you will never notice on the street IMO), but most of us are on the track for fun.
I have owned 3 Cobras, two SBFs, and one FE powered (my current SPF).
I love the Kirkhams, I might even trade my SPF for one. If you buy the aluminum 427SC, get the FE motor.
E
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2014 GT500 Blk/Blk
Cobra Make, Engine: SPF2984 MK111, Roush 511 IR FE 8 Stack, Dynoed: [flywheel] 572HP at 6000 , 556# Torque at 4700, Bowler 4R70W Auto Transmision. Tires: Mickey T's S/R 26.0x10.0x15.0 F ,26.0x12.0x15.0 R Color, Bleck, because they told me it was Bleck, at the factory.
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