BIG BLOCK vs. small block engine

[Carroll DeWeese]

Fasttoyz: Earlier you asked what I am building and when. My complete and completed SPF rolling body was just shown at the 2003 Detroit AutoRama this past weekend. From there it was taken over to Total Performance so that John Vermeerch can install a custom built 351W Sportman stroked to 408 with about 500 hp and torque and able to run on 90 octane gas. John's shop is the shop that answers the technical hotline for Ford Racing. I am using a TKO II road race transmission.

I want a car that looks authentic, is daily driveable, and is capable of use on open track and time trial events. I do not intend to race it, but I want to ocassionally let it do what it was designed to do -- run fast. My car will be full race equipped: fuel cell, full seat belts, dual roll bars, full race safety wiring on parts, 295 back tires, etc. I also have a hardtop. My car is highly visible: yellow body with green racing stripes.

If I wanted more race performance I would go with 17 inch wheels, but the 15 inch are easier on the body for street driving and look more authentic.

One additional thing that you should consider is to budget going to high performance driving school. My wife gave me the present of going to the Bondurant Grand Prix Road Racing School at the end of April. The Cobra is a race car that is street legal. She said that I need to know how to drive it and not let it drive me. Good advice. I have talked to lots of Cobra owners and they all agree that the Cobra requires more driving skill that most other high performance cars.

After I decided to get a Cobra, I joined the Great Lakes Cobra Club. I got the membership list and called and talked to many of the Club members. The club members were very helpful. I took rides and drove all kinds of Cobras. I made choices through experience, not just talking and reading. No matter what you hear on this site or elsewhere, there is no substitute for the experience of driving and riding in the cars.

I decided to not try and build the car myself but to go with SPF. Too many of the "kit" owners that I talked with had been building their Cobra for years and were still in process. I wanted a car that I could drive sooner rather than later. My car has about every option available from SPF. I wanted the features and the build quality of SPF and it fit my budget.

No matter what you do or choose, someone will think what they have is better. That is why you have to know yourself and build or get a car that fits your needs. Then is does not matter what others think. You have what is best for you.