Best Cobra engine?

[CarsByCarl]

Originally Posted by ByronRACE

-Most cobra guys prefer "right" over "cheap". If you're spending $40,000+ for a roller (sans engine and trans), you don't care much about saving $1000 on the engine.

If you wanted to build just one engine and capture most peoples imagination, and want to do it budget oriented...I think I'd consider a 545 with a cast crank and reasonable h-beam rods, hypers, and hydraulic flat cam. That said, offer a deluxe version with forged crank, forged pistons, and hydraulic roller cam and I think you'll find most cobra guys will spring for the better parts. 545 stops all the arguments about which displacement is better. Compare dyno graphs.

I think you make some very good points here. The 545 with a hyd roller would be a nice engine. Just off the top of my head, I think my pricepoint would have to be around $6K. Still more cost effective than the FMS crate, but more cubes and more durable.

My logic with the 429 was based on Ford's soon to be released 514FT "cobra" crate engine. It's thier basic 514 shortblock with SCJ heads, a Torker II intake, and the same flat tappet cam they use in the 460 crate engine. I hear that they haven't finished testing it yet, so there aren't any power figures that have been published but I estimate 575lb/ft and and 505hp. A little more torque and less hp than the 460 crate engine, with a lower rpm band. Pricing is supposed to be around $7000.00 I'm not really seeing Ford's logic with that new engine.