What engine

[ender2664]

I am thinking I want a small block carbed motor and have been looking all over the internet for prices. But to tell you the truth I cannot really tell what is a "good" motor and what is a "cheap" motor. If someone can tell me a couple good bang for you buck engines and/or builders I would very much appreciate it.
I know this is a very broad question, but any input people have is very welcome.

[Grubby]

Pick a few reputable builders and call for suggestions and pricing.

A builder reasonably close is a good idea. It would be easier to resolve any unfortunate problems.

I'm sure several can suggest good small block builders.

John

[ender2664]

I do not know any engine builders and dont know which ones are good and which are not

[LMH]

Keith Craft. You can't go wrong and he has been around and involved with our hobby for a long time. His prices are very good too.
Larry

[ender2664]

Chevy and Ford Crate Engine Catalog from Phoenix Engines Call Toll Free 1-888-766-8044
anyone used these guys? Their prices seen to be to good to be true.
Any views on ATK or BluePrint?

[Dwight]

Keith Craft 408W it will make about 530 hp and a little more tq.
Very street able motor.
Very street able motor!

We have 3 or 4 of them in our group. It's all you need.

He uses the best parts. Dyno-ed so you know what it makes. You will need to tune the carb after you install it in the car.
We find they are jetted to rich on low end. He does not know what exhaust system and air cleaner you will use so they don't mess with the secondary jets.

Fuel mileage about 12 -13 range

Dwight

[ender2664]

530 seems like a lot of power for a car this light. Have any of you with that motor gone to a drag strip? What kind and size tires do you have to keep traction?

[GregAgrest]

I go with the others recommending Keith Craft. Good quality builder. I went with their 408 and couldn't be happier. Still streetable yet plenty of HP. Brent Lykins is another great builder. Can't go wrong with him either.

[Dimis]

Best try Lykins motorsport - Brent will not only build you the custom motor you never knew you wanted - he'll educated you along the way

[Dwight]

530 seems like a lot of power for a car this light. Have any of you with that motor gone to a drag strip? What kind and size tires do you have to keep traction?

you use the gas pedal to control the power

Mike Hodges has a KC 408 in his B&B with 8,000 miles on it. NEVER spun a tire. I like to spin a tire every time I drive mine but Mike drives like he has brain.
I run MT 26x12x15. Good in the rain and dry

I've used BFG G Force tires, good traction in the rain and dry until you spin them to many times and they get hard. I'm sure this is true for all tires. Except BFG TA Radials; they are hard from the factory!

Mike has G Force.

Tires are very important if you have over 300 hp to the rear wheels.

My list of important things on a Cobra
First; brakes
Second; tires
Third; hp / tq

If you cannot stop it, 200 hp will kill you

If the tires don't hold to the road in wet and dry conditions, it will kill you

JMHO

Dwight

[Fast289]

You need to know what you are using cobra for, street, drag or track?

Dwight is correct, brakes, tires and then engine are the factors and order you go.

I have a 347 Stroker that has 375 HP to the tires. My cobra weighs a hair over 2000 pounds, don't ask what it weighs when I am in it! I have Wilwoods that stop on a dime. I track my car with good old fashion Goodyear BillBoards. They stick great. I run my car on the street with goodyear GT II. I don't drive hard on the street.

Craft, Lykins and Levy all make sweet engines. Just ask lots of questions.

[kevins2]

Welcome. There are lots of threads on this topic and, as you continue to read, you'll learn that there isn't one answer to your question - it's all about what's right for you. Like most things in life, the question of more or less hp/torque is full of trade-offs. There are plenty of threads on tires also. This forum contains a wealth of information and a lot of very knowledgeable and helpful members. Have fun with the process! The best advice I can give you is don't expect to answer all your questions overnight - it will overwhelm you. Think things through logically, take your time and enjoy.

[Goopie 18]

I'd stay away from Roush. My Roush 427R needed a complete rebuild after 6000 easy miles. If I had to do it over again, I'd go with Keith Kraft or Lykins.

[ender2664]

Alot of these custom builders cost 10k or more for an engine, is there a reason i should drop 10k on them apose to getting an LS3 or 5.0 coyote with tranny for that same price?

[cycleguy55]

There is obviously a wide range of options, with a commensurate wide range of prices.

At the low end would be a SBF donor engine from a 1995 or earlier Mustang GT. You can pick these up used or from salvage yards and you'll have a very affordable engine and transmission - though condition could be an issue. Obviously these will be fuel injected, so if you want to go carburetor there are a number of changes to be made - as documented here: EFI to Carb conversion..... - Ford Mustang Forums

OTOH, you may want to leave the FI in place for cost reasons as well as the need to pass inspection, including emissions testing. I'm not in CA, so I'll let others weigh in on that issue(s). If you go with an injected engine you can always switch to carburetion later. This would also have the benefit of allowing you to get used to driving a light weight, short wheelbase car before you start playing with more power - though it won't have the lumpy idle and throaty sound some people associate with Cobras.

Stepping up to the next level you'll find mass-produced crate engines in varying displacements, from long blocks all the way to fully dressed. These are widely available from suppliers such as Summit Racing and Jeg's. I have no experience with these, I just see them in the catalogue. Here's an article from 2006 that talks about various crate engine options: http://www.mustangandfords.com/parts...-engine-guide/

Custom engines are available from a number of builders, as previously noted in the thread. These are going to be more expensive, as you've noted, but you do get what you pay for. The builder will work with you in terms of what you're looking for, what it's going in to, your intended use (e.g. street, drag racing, autocross, road course) best setup for your transmission and final drive ratio, etc.

As the old saying goes, "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by cycleguy55

As the old saying goes, "speed costs money, how fast do you want to go?"

Or, "Low Cost," "Reliable," "Powerful" -- but you can only have two of those at a time.

[kevins2]

Originally Posted by patrickt

Or, "Low Cost," "Reliable," "Powerful" -- but you can only have two of those at a time.

So, what was I saying earlier about trade-offs?

Picture Patrick's words as infinitely variable and when you mess with one, it affects the others. Since you're looking for specific examples, my engine dyno'd at 482 hp; 502 ft.lbs. torque at the flywheel. Now that I've got a few miles on it, I will have it tuned on a dyno this Spring. So, there are lots of guys here that have more power and some with less. With what I have, you can't just put the pedal down from a standstill or even a rolling start without smoking the tires. If I hit second gear even a little hard, the tires break loose again, so I better be paying attention and make sure I'm pointing in a straight direction - bad things can happen really fast when the tires break loose. Is it too much power? No, but I do have to use some discretion to stay out of trouble.