There's no reason to have a side oiler block, other than being able to say you have a side oiler block. That is, unless you plan to run your car at LeMans for 12 or 24hrs straight. And even then,
oil system improvements and better parts tecnology have improved these motors vastly over the past 40 years.
Sal,
I couldn't agree more. However, when folks on the street see your Cobra, I'll bet the first three things asked, in order, are:
1- Is it real? I can't imagine how tiring it must get to keep answering this question. Then again, I can't wait to find out!
2- Is it a 427 under the hood? Assuming the question is yes,
3- Is it a sideoiler? Granted it's not a feature needed anymore, and granted the vast majority of people asking this question have no idea what a sideolier even is, but having to explain one less thing to the casual observer is worth it to me, amongst other reasons.
Many of us, myself eventually included, buy these cars to fulfill childhood dreams, and to fulfill promises we made to ourselves. As a child, looking at the poster on the wall year after year, my Cobra was always blue with white stripes, and had a 427 sideoiler in it. You can be sure that when my day finally comes, my Cobra will be blue with white stripes, and have a 427FE sideoiler in it. Logic and reason will have nothing to do wiith it. I made a promise to that 13 year old boy in me too many years ago, and I'm going to fulfill it. No logic, no reason, just passion. It's time.