FE ONLY OR 514ci. CRATE IN YOUR,....COBRA ?

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Ace23

We are all driving fake Cobras so who cares about resale value. If I was starting from scratch I would go with a 385 series and I would save my money until I could afford to do it right.

Who cares about resale? I do.

For not much more money, and you'll need different parts for the 385 too, which adds to the final price, you could get a budget 390/428 build. That's the way I'd go. I'd argue, resale over HP. If I'm on a budget, I'd opt for the FE with less HP than the 385 with more HP.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

Who cares about resale? I do.

For not much more money, and you'll need different parts for the 385 too, which adds to the final price, you could get a budget 390/428 build. That's the way I'd go. I'd argue, resale over HP. If I'm on a budget, I'd opt for the FE with less HP than the 385 with more HP.

I don't take issue with anythjng your saying. Personally I have yet to have the thought of resale ever enter my mind when driving my car.....the only thing I think about is wow this is a blast and man I sure would like some more power. If you have a nice well taken care of car what's the worse you could hit on resale...10-15k. There is always someone wanting a high hp car and as time goes on the people who grew up when the FE meant something are going to be gone. Hell by that time comes around we may all have worthless undesirable kit cars worth nothing! Put the power in it you want and let it rip .

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Ace23

I don't take issue with anythjng your saying. Personally I have yet to have the thought of resale ever enter my mind when driving my car.....the only thing I think about is wow this is a blast and man I sure would like some more power. If you have a nice well taken care of car what's the worse you could hit on resale...10-15k. There is always someone wanting a high hp car and as time goes on the people who grew up when the FE meant something are going to be gone. Hell by that time comes around we may all have worthless undesirable kit cars worth nothing! Put the power in it you want and let it rip .

You also have to consider how quickly you could sell your Cobra. As an example, I looked at Cobra with a 460 and decided to walk away. I knew I was going to have to invest $10,000-$20,000 in the future just to get it to where I liked it. And I'd be stuck storing and selling the 460. It's just easier to sell a 427 Cobra with an FE.

A 289 Slabside would be a blast to drive too. I'd like more power too, but the cost/benefit ratio of a Cammer makes no sense to me.

[Luce]

Originally Posted by RodKnock

You also have to consider how quickly you could sell your Cobra. As an example, I looked at Cobra with a 460 and decided to walk away. I knew I was going to have to invest $10,000-$20,000 in the future just to get it to where I liked it. And I'd be stuck storing and selling the 460. It's just easier to sell a 427 Cobra with an FE.

A 289 Slabside would be a blast to drive too. I'd like more power too, but the cost/benefit ratio of a Cammer makes no sense to me.

Having a FE in a Kirkham will make a big difference on resale, but for us guys with the quieter and more solid sounding interior and 3.5 extra inches of legroom, it doesn't make that big of a difference.

You can't get 500 Cu In plus out of a windsor, but you can get a large looking 427-460 out of a 351 block putting out an easy 550 HP plus and save a few thousand dollars.

[Ace23]

The more I read the comments in this thread the more inclined I am to say that there is no right or wrong engine for your car. If your working with a builder then set a budget and build for nostalgia or power. You are the one that has to drive it so if your looking for power a mild FE is going to irritate as would a big hp 385 series if you wanted period correctness. I will get my flame suit on but a stroker EFI LS7 would be just as awesome....those things make crazy power

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Ace23

The more I read the comments in this thread the more inclined I am to say that there is no right or wrong engine for your car. If your working with a builder then set a budget and build for nostalgia or power. You are the one that has to drive it so if your looking for power a mild FE is going to irritate as would a big hp 385 series if you wanted period correctness. I will get my flame suit on but a stroker EFI LS7 would be just as awesome....those things make crazy power

Actually, IMO, once you're contemplating some engine other than an FE for your 427 Cobra, then I think the LS series of engines from Chevy make an excellent platform from which to choose. There's no particular magic for me of the SBF's or 385's in 427 Cobra replicas. Essentially, once you steer away from a significant piece of 427 Cobra authenticity in the FE engine, then appearance, HP/tq, parts availability and choices, maintenance and reliability would be more crucial to me. And the LS engines have all that and more.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by Ace23

The more I read the comments in this thread the more inclined I am to say that there is no right or wrong engine for your car. If your working with a builder then set a budget and build for nostalgia or power. You are the one that has to drive it so if your looking for power a mild FE is going to irritate as would a big hp 385 series if you wanted period correctness. I will get my flame suit on but a stroker EFI LS7 would be just as awesome....those things make crazy power

An LS7!? Only some kind of ahole would put an LS7 in a Cobra bodied car.

[Rich A]

Originally Posted by scottj

An LS7!? Only some kind of ahole would put an LS7 in a Cobra bodied car.

Or an ahole that doesn't want a slow ass FE or 514 in one.

[Ace23]

Originally Posted by scottj

An LS7!? Only some kind of ahole would put an LS7 in a Cobra bodied car.

Scott,
You are a smart guy. You know that if you had to pick a single motor platform that had pushrods and let you have the old school cam sound then an LS7 is about as legit as it comes. Full factory OEM controls and fuel injection....those LS7's are insane when built up and then you can get the benefit of their OEM electronics. Think how sweet it would be if ford had gone this way instead of the coyote. I guess it could be debatable about throwing one in a cobra but not for me.