What if Chevrolet had said yes to Shelby and built the Cobra ?

[Marvin]

JWD
The Caddy line was shut down long ago, that part of plant is idle.

marvin

[Excaliber]

The 215 cid alloy engine may have been a consideration at some point. But Shelby always liked Olds, and wanted to use that engine, from the 50's, before the alloy V8. He would have been thinking about this "project" from at least as early as 1959, before the alloy 215 was even available.

I don't think the 215 would have produced enough horse power even with good development. Peppy though it was, just to small to get-r-done. The Ford 221 was quickly abandoned when the 260-289 variants came around.

[HealeyRick]

Here's a big block Olds Healey first done in 1957:





Here's the whole story:

http://modifiedhealeys.org/Photos/84...k/Schnerk1.htm

[Marvin]

I have a TR-6 I quit driving several years ago, have thought about a 289 transplant but may be tight fit.

[Jac Mac]

Originally Posted by YerDugliness

Jac, would that engine have had any relationship to the Buick 215 CID aluminum engine? I had a '62 Buick "Special" with that engine in it, it was pretty peppy, and I saw a lot of component cars using them in the past.

Cheers!

Doug

Hi Doug,
Yes, basicly the same engine from the heads down, although Olds reqd a Flat Top piston to work with its larger combustion chamber, Buick was dished with shallow chamber. Rocker gear was different for each engine so if you wanted say the Olds heads on a Buick/Rover you needed the pushrods/rockers/ springs/ valves as well. Olds valves were on cyl centerline & larger, Buick offset from cyl centerline & consequently smaller, bore size on 3500cc was 3.5" so valve sizes were tiny by 'normal' 4" standards. Short stroke around 2.8" meant they loved a rev up! You can now buy large bore blocks & heads with healthy flow numbers to match from the UK that take them out over 5000cc, that will make any 302 based Ford work hard for its keep. There is a guy ( Carl Hansen ) out here in NZ with a TVR Tuscan that has one & made it his mission to attack sports car lap records on each track & has done so, see's off most Trans Am Saloons, eg Riley & Scott type chassis cars..

[Jac Mac]

Originally Posted by Marvin

I have a TR-6 I quit driving several years ago, have thought about a 289 transplant but may be tight fit.

Ive a mate in the USA who just sold a Kellison bodied TR ? chassis with SBC, car might still be on the 'Fantasy Junction' sale site. If the SBC fit OK the 289 should be good to go, hope the pics are still up, might be of use to you.

Afterthought If you want it done, send it out here to NZ & Ill do the convert, you could race it in a couple of meets out here or have a drive around NZ holiday when you pick it up.... we still accept US $$$$ in NZ

[Excaliber]

I had a bunch of sports car's over the years, and just recently sold my A.H. 3000 after 15 years or so of ownership. TR-6, check. MGA, MGB, Jaguar, Bug Sprite, but my favorite was the GT-6, 2,000 cc. That engine eventually found it's way into my Triumph Spitfire 1500, with a bubble in the hood for clearance.

Getting a Cobra was nothing more than the continual pursuit of more power in an English sports car.

[Marvin]

Jac Mac

Wish I could take you up on that, but I have let time slip away.

Getting too old to get that far from home.

I am enjoying my Superformance MK III w/428CJ but that TR sure was fun and needs to go again, maybe.

[CHANMADD]

This is a Chevy in a Cobra .......406 small block 6" rods roller everything from 500 rpm to 8k rpm and about 600 hp ........Alloy heads

[john chesnut]

The Chevy small block never weighed anywhere close to 700lbs.

[Excaliber]

Let's take a closer look at those weights. One of the big problems in nailing down engine weight is that often you don't now what, if any, accessories are included. Various sources list various weights through the years.

GM L98 small block was 600, compared to a Ford small block at 450 pounds.

GM big block came in around 680, compared to the Ford big block at 625.

Oldsmobile 371 cid was 760 (a real porker).

In other words, those late 50's and early 60's motors, small or big block, were quite heavy. Ford was one of the early manufacturers that set out to specifically address the engine weight issue. The result was the new "light weight" small block.

As I recall, the old AC 6 cylinder engine replaced by the 289 were nearly the same weight?

Of course in either case, GM or Ford, additional steps would have been taken to further reduce the weight. Like alloy heads and intake, for either the GM or the FE. I'm not sure alloy heads were EVER available for the 289 however?

[Bernica]

Originally Posted by jwd

Interesting. The new Caddy and the Corvette are built in the same plant using the same platform. There is no reason to have them compete because they are for two totally different markets.

Isn't the new Caddy CT S-V just a Vette in sheep's clothing?