How can I improve this Cobra?

[Silverback51]

What is your plan for the car?

Change just for the sake of change is not a good plan, and you probably will not be happy with the result.

If it's quick/fast enough, then leave it alone. If not, determine what HP range you want and then figure out the plan to achieve it. And it may be more than just the engine. Other components may require upgrades also.

It sounds to me that you are unsure what you want.

[elmariachi]

Changing cams alone is an RV and pickup truck thing; these engines deserve more consideration that just that. Given that you don't have build specs and dyno sheets I would go run it on a chassis dyno so you know what you really have. Your mildly-prepped 428 could be 400HP at the flywheel and considerably less at the rear wheels. I would then find an FE builder to talk to offline and discuss options based on how you want the car to behave when you push the pedal. As others have said you can put some money into it and get more power without breaking the bank or abandoning its purity.

Post up some pics of your ERA, directions here:

Tips on Picture Uploads and Image Sizes

[REAL 1]

If you want a change go with dual quads and lower the rear gear ratio. Start with that. It may satisfy you desire for a little more. Go from there.

[Tommy]

ERA427,
I fully understand the urge to play with your toy. I feel the same way about my Cobra. But, I'm going to suggest that you work on improving your understanding of your car before you start changing the car itself. In particular, I suggest you do two things. First, take a performance driving course. This will help you better understand the chassis, suspension, brakes and handling aspect of your car. Second, buy and get familiar with an engine simulation software package such as Desktop Dyno. This will let you build a computer model of your engine and see the calculated effects of various modifications. More importantly, it will introduce you to some basic tradeoffs that engine builders must make. For example, many of the changes you may consider will simply move the peak torque up or down the engine's RPM range. This means you must choose between higher torque at low RPM where it feels good on public streets, or at high RPM where it produces bigger HP numbers, but is useless for much other than high speed runs at Bonneville. .. After you've learned more about your particular car's strengths and weaknesses, you can decide what changes to make without consulting a bunch of us faceless forum folks. Good luck.

[xb-60]

Another good book is "THE GREAT FE INTAKE COMPARO"
The Great FE Intake Comparo
which covers comparisons of intake manifolds (including PI), single and multiple carbs, exhausts, solid and hydraulic lifters as well as other stuff.
Cheers,
Glen

[decooney]

As others have stated, maybe spend even more of your time learning and appreciating what you have now before you change it.

Something tells me you have a 3:54 gear ratio in that jag rear, not 3:45. If you truly have a TKO 5 speed, and its the older model trans, you already have a low 1st gear ratio. Its a light weight car, if it runs great and sounds great to you now - keeping it in tip top running shape might just be the ticket for now, and for some time to come. Good luck.

[razerwire]

Looking at my trigos the valve stem is in the spoke area, however My halibrand mags have the valve stem in the rim area. Halibrand say cobra2 on them front and rear side. I have 3 sets of halibrand spinners and they all have halibrand on face of all three ears. Back side of ears, one has 6061, one has H326A, and looks like alcoa. Hope that helps to identify what you have. Why not go to 8 stack fuel injection, have twm on shelby and going to put on Bennett car because it works so well on shelby. Pulling engine soon on Bennett car to refresh and will have Rex at Engines by Rex in Sacramento change out sidewinder intake and install twm intake. I have been real happy with twm, idles at 800 rpm and can short shift to keep noise down if need to and engine will pull with no cough from low rpms.

[CHANMADD]

It seems that the fellow who built it put a lot of thought, not to mention hard work, to end up with what sounds like a great car!! .........Thank him, drove it and enjoy it. It really sucks when they break......

[RICK LAKE]

ERA427 Bud you have a hell of a nice looking car. It looks perfect. You have a nice motor with about 400-425 HP at the crank and 350-370 ft of torque. The car will run high 11.0"s in the 1/4 mile. You can run with most cars on the street. It has good drivibility. And you want to mess this up??
I will start with the one question all people need to be trueful about, what are you going to do with the car, autocross, roadrace, 1/4 mile, car shows??
How are you driving skills?? Been to a couple of schools or learn by trail and crash. You have a nice balanced car. Now you want to add 100hp. Welcome to killer world. every year you read on CC about someone getting killed or a major accident in their cobra. 16 years with #428 3 spins, one hood fire and no damage other than under wear and nerves. Been very lucky. I started with a 452 motor and a blower. 9.2 compression. car comes on boost and we are all over the place. Ran car for 6 years without the blower. Run 12.5 in 1/4 mile easy to drive and safe also. I got the power bug again. Stroked motor to482. It's a great kit for an FE block. 10.2 compression, some work on the heads and my own FI system a assemblied. HP 540 at 5,900 rpm. torque 605 at 4,800 rpm. over 400 ft of torque from 1,700 rpm on up. Changed tires to Mich Pilots with 335's 17" on rears. I can smoke these tires at 2,500 rpm. Lose control and spin the car. The only thing I have in my car over your's is power steering.
If you want to build more power for the car, there are 2 ways,
Buy and build a windsor motor, it's about 20-30% cheaper to build and weight is about 100 pounds lighter. Does not look correct but there's your power. Take the motor out of the car and bag it, fill and spray with oil and move to a corner of the garage. Save for a day when you break the new motor. Next Tranny, what one are you running? If it's not a TKO 600, blueprinted top loader, Richmond super 5 speed, Jerico, Tex/rex, It will not live long behind a more powerful motor of something in the 550/ 500 hp/torque numbers. 3.54 gears with a small block are nice, with a big block depending on the power range are also nice. Cross over into the 500 club and they become a new problem. Also, a jag rearend is only rated for 450 HP and torque. Hard abuse and you will need to improve this part of the car also. New carrier, 30 spline stub shafts, Watt's linkage for the outter hubs to stop car from having tire walk or bouncing, about 2,000.00 for this upgrade or going to out board brakes from ERA. If you don't abuse the car, the stock setup will hold for a while.
Last thing your reflexs slow down after you pass 40. this car has no limit. It has no ABS, Power Steering, Traction control, or air bags. Again uping the HP in this car makes it a killer. Been there, been lucky. Leave the car alone and ENJOY what you have and how good the car looks and handles. ERA builds a great car that looks and drives great. It's your car, do as you wish. If you are looking to keep an FE under the hood, buy a storker kit for a 390 FE block and go to 445. No body will know if you side bolt the motor and caps. Cheaper to build than a 427 motor. The power is all in the heads, intake and camshaft. 1 side note, if you are looking for power, change the side pipes to race pipes. This should be go for another 20-30 hp. You will need ear plugs to drive. Going to work. Rick L.

[trularin]

Add a cup holder.

[Fullchat289]

Originally Posted by ERA Chas

If you're just looking for 'make work' to keep your hands busy and wallet empty-just leave it and drive it. The normal maintenance and trouble-shooting will be enough to keep you busy.

^ This.

Get the car up on stands, take the wheels off, see how it's put together. Understand it, learn it, feel it, breath it, absorb it, look at cobra-related publications and books, go to SAAC events or local shows, in general, just become totally one with the car to gain your baseline. From there, you will be familiar enough with the car's "short comings" if any and devise an improvement plan.......and if budget permits, Avon tires. (sometimes the best answers are the least verbose)

Most importantly, enjoy the journey!

- Allen.

[ERA427]

Thanks to all for the input. And don't worry, I respect the car and I have a healthy respect for the dangers of high power to weight ratios from some close calls on my motorcycle.

What do I plan to use the Cobra for? I'm not going to lie. I can simply stare at it in my garage for hours, or take it to the ice cream stand with a smile on face the whole way, occasionally making some noise. I drive it to work. And... that's about it, and I'm okay with that. Having this car at all has been a major checkmark on my bucket list as I turn 40 this year. I'm admittedly not as serious as many of you (yet) but it doesn't diminish how much I love the car.

I have no specific plans to do anything to the car, mostly because it's already exactly what I want it to be. Part of my issue is that I wanted to build onr, but I bought used instead for cost reason. And while I am grateful that it was built so well, I can't help but to want to get more involved and do more to it than drive it and keep it clean. But I'm not complaining. And although I think I have a healthy respect for it, I am planning on a driving school this spring.

Thanks for the feedback. As my expertise increases, and if/when things break, I will consider if modifications are a wise undertaking and will surely consult these forums for advice.

[xb-60]

Good point from Allen about the Avons. Part of the Cobra owning experience (and OK I don't have one yet) is the "hey look at me" thing, and for those that will look closer and see the Avons, they will think that this guy knows his stuff. They are by the sound of it really good tyres, and if you're driving a car with a power-to-weight ratio that challenges the tyres significantly, great tyres seem like an excellent idea to me.
Cheers,
Glen

[REAL 1]

Originally Posted by RICK LAKE

ERA427 Bud you have a hell of a nice looking car. It looks perfect. You have a nice motor with about 400-425 HP at the crank and 350-370 ft of torque. The car will run high 11.0"s in the 1/4 mile. You can run with most cars on the street. It has good drivibility. And you want to mess this up??
I will start with the one question all people need to be trueful about, what are you going to do with the car, autocross, roadrace, 1/4 mile, car shows??
How are you driving skills?? Been to a couple of schools or learn by trail and crash. You have a nice balanced car. Now you want to add 100hp. Welcome to killer world. every year you read on CC about someone getting killed or a major accident in their cobra. 16 years with #428 3 spins, one hood fire and no damage other than under wear and nerves. Been very lucky. I started with a 452 motor and a blower. 9.2 compression. car comes on boost and we are all over the place. Ran car for 6 years without the blower. Run 12.5 in 1/4 mile easy to drive and safe also. I got the power bug again. Stroked motor to482. It's a great kit for an FE block. 10.2 compression, some work on the heads and my own FI system a assemblied. HP 540 at 5,900 rpm. torque 605 at 4,800 rpm. over 400 ft of torque from 1,700 rpm on up. Changed tires to Mich Pilots with 335's 17" on rears. I can smoke these tires at 2,500 rpm. Lose control and spin the car. The only thing I have in my car over your's is power steering.
If you want to build more power for the car, there are 2 ways,
Buy and build a windsor motor, it's about 20-30% cheaper to build and weight is about 100 pounds lighter. Does not look correct but there's your power. Take the motor out of the car and bag it, fill and spray with oil and move to a corner of the garage. Save for a day when you break the new motor. Next Tranny, what one are you running? If it's not a TKO 600, blueprinted top loader, Richmond super 5 speed, Jerico, Tex/rex, It will not live long behind a more powerful motor of something in the 550/ 500 hp/torque numbers. 3.54 gears with a small block are nice, with a big block depending on the power range are also nice. Cross over into the 500 club and they become a new problem. Also, a jag rearend is only rated for 450 HP and torque. Hard abuse and you will need to improve this part of the car also. New carrier, 30 spline stub shafts, Watt's linkage for the outter hubs to stop car from having tire walk or bouncing, about 2,000.00 for this upgrade or going to out board brakes from ERA. If you don't abuse the car, the stock setup will hold for a while.
Last thing your reflexs slow down after you pass 40. this car has no limit. It has no ABS, Power Steering, Traction control, or air bags. Again uping the HP in this car makes it a killer. Been there, been lucky. Leave the car alone and ENJOY what you have and how good the car looks and handles. ERA builds a great car that looks and drives great. It's your car, do as you wish. If you are looking to keep an FE under the hood, buy a storker kit for a 390 FE block and go to 445. No body will know if you side bolt the motor and caps. Cheaper to build than a 427 motor. The power is all in the heads, intake and camshaft. 1 side note, if you are looking for power, change the side pipes to race pipes. This should be go for another 20-30 hp. You will need ear plugs to drive. Going to work. Rick L.

+1. Wise words.

Remember, the original Cobras were putting out 425 to 475hp. You are right there. Why do you need more.?

[Steve Cassani]

Here are two sentences, taken out of context from your initial post:

"I have a 1995 ERA."

"I've owned it for one year."

You have a car that was completed in terms the original owner saw fit his idea of how a replica should work. Perhaps what drives your interest in making the car better is less a dissatisfaction to be remedied by mechanical change and more a matter of putting your signature on the car. The difficulty you face arises from a heartfelt desire to feel something you've done makes a difference, yet anything you might do results in a barely indiscernable shift in control when you take on a challenging corner you already know well or the change manifests a nuanced tone when you hit the throttle just so. Your passenger will not hear the difference you hear. He does not know the car. So until you are no longer a passenger in a car someone else built, the need to acknowledge yourself as an author contributing late to an already well-written tale will demand satisfaction.

Another poster suggests taking time to immerse yourself in the car, its history, its mechanics. This is sound advice, better I think than jumping whole heartedly into costly changes that likley will leave you wondering whether they reveal something you knew could be better each time you drove the familiar corner. Put the car on jack stands. Quiet the lights in the garage. Then, shop light in hand, creep from corner to corner, front to rear, side to side. See the mechanics as the builder saw them and I mean here not the original owner. I am inviting you to see the car as the builder at ERA saw it come together. Why is this piece here? What does it do? Why this fastener and not a lock nut? How does this assembly differ from that of the cars that created the history your car commemorates? Is the connection over time weak or clear?

Pursued in detail you will come to own the car in your own right. Then you will be able to articulate changes that speak better to the past, because that is the aspect you wish the car to present. You may find you want the car to better advantage you of technologies Bob Negstad could not have known fifty years ago. Surely he would have applied them had he been working today. Take another year to work your way through this sort of problem and you will be in a position to decide the ride you want. The third year will be more fun than you've known and as you've told us, it's already darn good.