Big Block Chevy

[betzjr66]

Do you guys know any members of Club Cobra that run Chevy 454's? I am wanting to build a Cobray from Cobras n Vettes and would like to run the big Chevy engine instead of the 350 chevy. Thanks for any info. P.S. I'm sure I will be hated on, but I am not worried about re-sale, just cheap horsepower and ease of installation in the kit that I am building. Take it easy on me!

[Jerry Clayton]

Well , to answer your question, yes. Actually there are a lot of big and small block powered replicas of all makes---One particular one is Everette-Morrison kit with C4 vette suspension and of course the kit you are referring to---

However, there exists a mine is more original than yours mindset developed along Ford engines/ non-Ford engines, then further divided by small/big block. fuel injected/ carbed. single four barrel/ dual quads and then the perky butts, different wheel bases, dash layouts, quick jacks/ bumpers, etc, etc

Good luck, and remember to build what ever you want---if you happen to have a good bbc and suspension, use it , they are quality parts and probably 80/20 will be better than some of the poorly made knock off components out there

Jerry

[Karl Bebout]

My 496 Chevy is a .060 over bored with a 1/4" stroker 454 in an old NAF body. Its 596#s torque at 3600 RPM make for a wonderfully streetable combo and has pulled the car to a best of 10.74 in the quarter mile. Its only 10 1/2 compression with Edlebrock aluminum heads makes running pump gas no problem. I know that I could have built a Ford engine to give me the same performance but I thought I'd find something else to spend the additional $8-$10K on that it would have cost me.
Jeff is the first guy to admit that his Cobray is not trying to be anywhere near an original set up. It is an exceptionally comfortable, great handling and braking rendition that will provide tons of fun. It won't appear "too big" to 95%of the population unless its parked next to a 90" wheelbase Cobra.
You've stated that you are aware of the flack you'll receive for not going with a more traditional kit and drive train, and there'll be plenty of it, but it'll be pretty hard to hear when most of it will be coming from 'way behind you.

[RACER X #99]

I am really amazed at all the Cobra owners that have to build their car to be 100%correct when the car is actually 100%fake.

It's you car, build what you want.

BTW the BBC will probably kick the crap out of 99% of the Ford powered fakes

[CarsByCarl]

I'm curious about about your perception of "cheaper horsepower". A BBF can be built or bought for a lot less than most people think these days. How much do you plan to spend on a BBC and how much power will it make? $10/HP is not uncommon with a big block Ford.

[WildBill3]

It sounds like fun man more power to ya

[Rick Parker]

I believe the early Arntz cars were set up for Chevys. I recall a tongue at the rear of the hood to allow access to the distributor. The 351 Windsor really didn't receive much attention until the mid 80's, not much development until then, even though many of the 289/302 parts will interchange. Larger heads have been the key to its success.

[RodKnock]

I've got a 540 BBC crate engine in my Corvette that has the "typical" Dart block, billet crank and rods, AFR fully CNC'ed heads, Crower hydraulic roller cam, Crower stainless steel roller rockers, Edelbrock RPM Air Gap that was extrude honed ($450), Holley 950 HP, Canton oil pan and all sorts of high dollar goodies (including a new MSD 6AL for about 1/2 the cost of an equivalent high dollar BBF. You can buy a brand new top-of-the-line ZZ572 BBC from Chevrolet for about $12,000, maybe less now.

[Tom Wells]

for about 1/2 the cost of an equivalent high dollar BBF

and that would be about how much in American dollars ?

Not to pull your chain too much - it's all imaginary unless you can be more specific!

Tom

[mr bruce]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Egcyu...elated&search=

[mr bruce]

http://www.crateenginedepot.com/ZZ57...793-P16C0.aspx

[ItBites]

Shafiroff will deliver 695 dyno'd HP and 665 ft-lb tq from a 540 BBC carb to pan, including distributor and wires for $10385, delivery included ($8995base +$995carb option + 395dist option). All new pump-gas friendly components, not a rebuild, fully assembled and tuned on the dyno. Also 2 yr warranty...

Show me the 2 yr warrantied BBF or SBF with all new components carb to pan, including distributor and wires that runs pump gas and sells for less with delivery included in the priced and makes more power and torque...

[RACER X #99]

The General has always made their High performance stuff available to the general population. Ford likes to cater to the high rollers with their limited production cars which usually wind up in museums or at car shows. I have seen hundreds of Zo6's at Open track events. I have seen one Ford GT.
Sorry Ford fans but the General knows how to do it better.

[NROTOXIN]

Originally Posted by betzjr66

Do you guys know any members of Club Cobra that run Chevy 454's? I am wanting to build a Cobray from Cobras n Vettes and would like to run the big Chevy engine instead of the 350 chevy. Thanks for any info. P.S. I'm sure I will be hated on, but I am not worried about re-sale, just cheap horsepower and ease of installation in the kit that I am building. Take it easy on me!

You can try posting this with the BOWTIE SNAKES in this forum for obvious reasons.

curtis

[rattlesnakepete]

I am not a purest. I think a small block ford makes sense in a cobra because the SBF is almost as economical to get reliable HP out of as a mouse motor. This being especially true for the 302 -5.0 motors.The resale of a cobra with a small block ford would also likely be easier then with a small block chevy.

But if I were ever so inclined to have a big block in my cobra the rat motor would be my only consideration. Having wrenched on all brands the BBC is the king of large cubic inch horsepower. This second fact being especially true when considering reliability and cost per hp.

Of course this all comes from a guy that cut his teeth on buicks and E-body Mopars. Anything is cheaper to work on....


Never met a V8 I could not learn to like in some manner.

[betzjr66]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this post, I am getting a lot of good info. As far as BBC VS BBF cost, I can get a 496 Chevy stroker less carb and intake manifold that makes 571 hp. for about 4,500 shipped from E-bay. Almost all of the crate engines that I see for fords are at least twice the money. I bought a long block 306 for my blown 5.0 mustang at spent 4,500 dollars for it, and I picked the engine up myself. I was a blower motor but it only made about 380 h.p. n/a.

[Stentor]

Originally Posted by ItBites

Shafiroff will deliver 695 dyno'd HP and 665 ft-lb tq from a 540 BBC carb to pan, including distributor and wires for $10385, delivery included ($8995base +$995carb option + 395dist option). All new pump-gas friendly components, not a rebuild, fully assembled and tuned on the dyno. Also 2 yr warranty...

Show me the 2 yr warrantied BBF or SBF with all new components carb to pan, including distributor and wires that runs pump gas and sells for less with delivery included in the priced and makes more power and torque...

A bored and stroked Ford 460-based motor can provide a lot of HP and TQ for the dollar (much more bang for the buck than an FE).

From Keith Craft's website....

514 crate engine (runs on pump gas)
700hp/650 ft pounds of torque
Fully machined production block, Scat or Eagle 4.150 cast steel crank, Scat or Eagle H beam rods, JE forged pistons, Federal Mogul bearings, Comp Cams hyd roller camshaft, Double roller timing set, Canton oil pan, Melling HV oil pump, BHJ damper, Crane hyd roller lifters, Comp Cams pushrods, Scorpion roller rockers, Edelbrock stage 2 heads, Edelbrock Victor intake, Edelbrock water pump, Ford Racing valve covers, balanced, blueprinted & assembled. Includes carburetor, water pump, distributor with polymer gear, Ford Racing or Moroso plug wires, Keith Craft logo'd valve covers & gaskets. ..........$9,675

[Jerry Clayton]

Cast crank vs steel crank is a biggie---all the ford packages are cast cranks---all the Chev packages are forged steel--most all parts these days are aftermarket and not Ford or GM produced parts so the this kind or that kind really doesn't make the difference that it maybe used to. Remember the crankshaft doesn't know what it says on the valve cover---

If you use the Chev package engine-T56 trans---you can have a bell housing clutch package with a reliable hydraulic t-o brg that actually works reliably----the only area of a chev packabe that might concern you is firewall clearance for the distributor--In case of a BBC vs BBF the BBC is a little narrower in the top where the header / steering shaft can be a problem.

The guys down under are putting mostly LS1 packages in there cars, most from GTO I believe

Which ever package you do , look for ways to run lighter as the weight DIFFERENCE can be as high as 10 percent of your total car weight-

Jerry

[TerrysSPF]

It would be interesting to see the weight difference between the Shafiroff 540 BBC and KC's 514 BBF.

Anybody have a clue?

[Jerry Clayton]

I don;t know off hand what the weight difference is between the two engines, I was referring to make which ever one you use as light as possible----

I have driven several different combos, and the aluminum headed small block cars were the most well behaved pleasent drivers, but who wants to be either pleasent or well behaved!!!! Really, the big block cars were just a little heavy in the nose, some of which could be fixed with the right choice of parts---however it is cheaper in the long run to do it right once instead of changing components later---

Ever since I ran an all aluminum engine back in 1972, I'll take the lightest weight possible, even sacrifising some total horse power

Jerry