let me start by saying i'm a technology fiend. I have a 55 chev with lt-1, a 95 bronco with a built 351W, and just got rid of my z06 powered cadillac. I love fuel injection. Goal of this next project is a street legal driver but road race setup, good weight/HP ratio, big brakes, and low maintenance.
taking that into consideration, I'm working on building up a cobra on paper to do the real thing later on this year. I'm relatively certain I want the following
351W block (stroked or standard) with fuel injection-any better weight to power?
automatic transmission (not mandatory, but strongly prefer) possibly with overdrive
No clue on standard limited slip rear or IRS. Gear ratio somewhere between 3.02 and 3.73
Really what I want to see is the setup that will do a relatively good job of keeping traction during acceleration. I could build a 900/900 big block, but i'm thinking it would be like driving on ice.
Strong suggestion made by engine builder is the following: 351W stroked, aluminum heads etc. about a 450hp/450ftlb engine, 5 speed manual with 355 gear ratio.
I was thinking 5.0 stroked with turbo or supercharger with overdrive auto tran and 355 gears.
Anyone have any thoughts on how much is too much engine-wise? Does anyone know of a good looking fuel injection system other than stock? (I think stock ford fuel-injection is visually ugly) Thinking about the TWM setup with velocity stacks. Have seen vastly different opinions on gear ratios in cars this light, what makes sense?
Thanks to all
why dont you go 4.6 mod motor out of a 03 cobra (supercharged over 400hp at the crank and forged internals) or a n.a mach 1 with aluminum block and 325 at the crank (what I'm using) these motors breath like mad espicially under forced induction and wind out to 7500 rpm since you like the ZO6 motor it seems like the logical ford choice the only problem is $
Bobby
check out this 4.6 dohc with webber style fuel injection (forget the car look at the motor)
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Shelby-Unfinished-Cobra-Project-Unfinished-TTR-Cobra-Kit-w-4-6-DOHC-and-stack-inj_W0QQitemZ130118174668QQihZ003QQcategoryZ6465QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Depends on what you're looking to accomplish with the car. For example, each of the following would warrant a different answer to your question:
- Ability to merge onto the freeway with enough acceleration to avoid being a safety hazard to vehicles around you.
- Track racing
- Drag racing
- Bragging rights
On the street, 300 hp at the wheels will give you a 0-60 under 4 seconds. 400 hp with the right gearing will get you in the 11's on a drag strip. All depends on what you're looking for.
If you want fuel injection but you don't like the ugly factory systems, take a look at the Mass Flow EFI setup.
I remember or at least I think I remember, reading a thread on FFCobra about what's too much HP. What rings a bell was that about 450-475 was about the usable limit in cars like ours. I could be wrong on the numbers but that's what I remember reading.
Of course, bragging-rights are a different story!
Larry
Being a Cobra rookie, I was not initially concerned about being "correct" at the start. The more I looked at pictures, I sure liked the look of the Trigo wheels with 15" tires, so that is what started the "correct" decisions for me. When I found I could buy a brand new side oiler crate motor, I knew I did want to say, "I wish I had ...." Since it would be built with all new parts anyways, the difference in cost between 450 HP and 600+HP was next to nothing, so what was a man supposed to do! By the time I put a small air cleaner on, and choke it a bit more with the side pipes, I honestly don't think it's too much, scary yes, but not too much. I did opt for the aluminum block, a five speed gear box, and Yoko Avids, (which btw stick quite well), so correctness only went so far with me anyways. ;)
Brad
Its a personal choice. I like the outside to look as correct as possible. Personally it takes something away from the car when I see a guy pop his hood and I see a modern mustang motor in there. They are great motors, but it screams "kitcar" to me. I want mine to scream replica. I went with the 351w but went for the big block look with the valve covers and also stuck the mass flo system in which I love. There is something to be said about not having to tinker with it and fuel economy :) You just need to realize that you are building this car for you, so do the things you like.
Dan.
I will add one more thing. There really is no such thing as too much power. It boils down to experience driving fast cars, although accidents happen all the time. What people need to realize is that the throttle is not an on and off switch ;D
I was talking with a very nice guy at BBK on this exact topic. I'll post an excerpt from his email here. Just one guys opinion, but he's seen way more small and big blocks than I ever will. After all of this, I've decided to go with a 331 or 347 normally aspirated with AFR heads. 330-350 RWHP range. RWTQ will be about 380. After this, if I still want more, I'll add a supercharger, but I'm not expecting to.
start quote:
A friend of mine built a FFR spec racer and bought a Keith Craft 427 aluminum Genesis block, then had that stroked to 472. He went all out on the car. The total price on the build was nearly $80,000 including paint and suspension tuning.
The car puts down 550 RWHP and the torque is equally insane.
Sounds awesome right?
Well the truth is that he can only use the engine to a small portion of it's potential because it makes too much power (yes there is such a thing). We have to pussyfoot around in the car.
After having the same conversation that I'm having with you, he decided that having that much motor in the car isn't nearly as much fun as having something more like a 331 that he can use to it's fullest capabilities.
He's had the car for 5 years and has never (not even on a race track) been able to open the throttle fully and hold it down to the floor until it was time to shift. The front end gets too light (handling suffers), and the tires spin too much (robs you of the raw acceleration that you want). Even with the IRS and race tires. Just too much.
Driving that car is like handling a gun, you have to make sure that it's pointed exactly where you want it to go before you pull the trigger.
Bryan Rogers
R&D Department
BBK Performance