Bare CSX's?

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

More thanks for your car's resume and your great build progression. Very refreshing to see serious tech on here.
I think you and Morris have achieved the most success for road racing Cobras with the difference being yours is in more of a conventional configuration. You both agree on many points like starting with a KMP, stiffness, power required and lightness.
Just to pick your brain, an all aluminum, 9.5 deck small block (of 358 to 427 ") would weigh in around 470 pounds. Why such a modest power figure (650) when with Cup technology (na), you could achieve 730-800HP and a conservative 9000RPM top?
It's great reading your experiences and views.

I would use the short deck block and final weight would be around 380 pounds according to my engine guys. Engine acceleration rates would be unreal, think old trans-am cars with better heads Ti rods etc. HP could get close to 700 which would be way more than adequate at 1900 LBs. My car has so much torque now that we tried to kill some of it to help traction by going really big on the cam 292 @.050 N and 296@ .050 X
The small block would do that and still have a big top end and lots of flexibility with that rpm range. I stuck with the FE because it is an original car if it weren't, I would have gone the small block route. At one time I was looking at a DFX Cosworth Turbo engine but again the originality thing got to me so I did not do it, had a hell of a deal on one and it was under 400 lbs complete.