Engine size

[JCS]

I will be getting my Backdraft replica in late June. I am having trouble deciding between a 351 with 400HP and one that is bored & stroked to 427 and puts out 500HP. Can anyone tell me if 400HP is enough and is 500HP too much?

[Cracker]

Different responses to your question will soon follow. If it were me and the sole purpose of the car was street use with occasional track days/strips - I'd stick with a milder build - 400 hp is more than enough for 95% of Cobra drivers. Enjoy! I had a 2001 M5 with 400 hp and the car was FAST and wieghed 4K pounds. You do the math - how much will your Cobra weight?

[avanti-176]

I think the concensus of opinion will be that...

400 hp is enough....

and 500 hp is NOT enough!!!

hopefully you now understand the mentality required for being a Cobra owner.

Have a good one,
Dan

[Edley Rondinone]

At the start, 400 HP is plenty. After you have a few thousand miles on the hot seat, you MAY want more power. On one hand, it may be better getting a lower horsepower number, and wanting to get more in the future, than to get TOO MUCH at the beginning, not feel comfortable with that power, and not enjoying the Cobra experience. Cracker and Avanti-176 both have valid points.

What kind of a driver are you, and what do you want the car to do?

[Clois Harlan]

Some of the F A S T E S T Cobra's I race against are small blocks (they usually win with around 400hp). Particularly the 393 stroker. If I had it to do over again I would definitly go with a small block stroker.

You will be able to spin your wheels whatever you go with.

Some things you may want to consider are:

1. How much freeway time will you have and at what speed do you intend to travel. (rear gear selection and RPM maintenance)

2. Drag race or road race (completly different set ups)

3. How important is fuel economy

4. Higher hp usually requires higher octane fuel (100+ octane) and makes frequent pleasure trips expensive @ $3.35 gal

I may not be exactly right on all of this but most of the points are in the ball park.

Clois

[JCS]

I will be mostly be using the car for driving around town.

I have been driving high performance car all of my life.

Every car that I have owned I floored it and wanted more, of course none of them had the power to weight ratio of a cobra!

I don't thinks 500 HP would scare me, I just was wondering if all of that power would make it to the road, or if you jumped on it at say 40 mph, would the tires break loose?

[Ron61]

JCS,

I have had several high performance cars with both big blocks and small blocks and in the Cobra replica, what I have is way over powered for 98% of the time now. I used to race and the less horsepower cars still beat me. In my car, 1st and 2nd gear are useless even with the locker. If I come out of a corner and really stand on it the thing will swap ends in a heartbeat. I still enjoy high performance driving schools and would recommend that you might look into going to one if there is one close enough as a Cobra drives differently from any other car. I wish my engine had around 375 - 400 horse.

Ron

[RallySnake]

JCS,

I think Ron hit the nail on the head. my 356 makes between 375 and 400 horses. It needs premium gas, so a 20 gallon fillup is about $40. I can afford to drive it a lot and it's reliable enough to go a long way. Last year I drove to the Texas Cobra Club meet in Austin and a bunch of rallies including a 16 hour, 1,000 mile event. It will cruise at 70 and get 21 mpg. I also drive it 25 miles to work on the worst freeway in the world (the 405) quite often.

I often think about building a bigger motor, just for the added fun factor. Then, I think about how much work it is to pull the Jag rear end out of the car to fix it after that 500 pounds/feet of torque hits it a few times. Then, I think about filling that tank twice a week, instead of once. Then, I think of finding gas stations every 175 miles, instead of 250 miles on a rally. Then, I think of all the cars that have beat me on the road (none). Then, I start thinking about other ways to actually improve the car.

Paul

[JCS]

Guys,

Thanks for all of your input. I'll probably stay with the 400HP 351. My dealer is putting a T5 in and says it can handle the power. He says a Tremec will cost me $1,800.00 more and doesn't shift as nice.

Any comments on this?

[DAVID GAGNARD]

JCS;

I do not have a Cobra,drive a 65 Fastback GT-350 (clone),351-W,350 hp,5sp,3.00 rear gear..... This car was built to be a street car,a few years later I started drag racing at the strip,had fun,enjoyed it a lot,did fairly well,now I road race,actually open track,working on my competition license,been to a few weekend driving schools,enjoy it more than drag racing.... Still drive my car to work (250 miles daily) at least twice a month,get 22 mpg on the highway,idles at 180 degrees in traffic all day long.....Love it would not change a thing,except for maybe a little lower rear gear.....

This past weekend I was in Nashville for the 40th Mustang Anniversary,ran the open track friday and saturday,had a ball,ran great times..... With this fully street legal car with a full interior and weighing in around 3100 pounds I ran laps of 1:23/1:24 all day with a best of 1:22...... They had a Vintage race (actually 3 races) for the 65/66 GT-350's,real race cars,not anywhere street legal,most weighed in at 2400 to 2600 pounds,the slowest of the field was turning laps in the 1:17 to 1:18 range!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was 4 to 5 seconds off that time in a fully equipped street legal and street driven car,I could not believe it........

Point is you do not need killer hp to be fast,good set-up,handling and tires will get you further than a lot of unusable hp.....A number of years ago I drove a "bone stock" FFR,302cu. in.,250 hp, and this car suprised the hell out of me as to how quick it was and how quick it reacted.....Go drive an FFR spec racer and you will see what I mean.....

All the advice is right on from people who have been there,done that................

On the tranny subject,I recommend the Tremec,seen too many Mustangs blow up T-5's with 300 to 375 hp.,I think the Tremecs are a lot less than your quote,I think they can be had for around 1200 to 1300 right now,my Tremec has over 21,000 miles on it with about 50 passes on the drag strip and at least 250 miles on the road courses,no problems,has always shifted perfectly,have only changed the oil in it once,last year,probably should do it yearly......It is worth the extra money over the T-5 to me,especailly if you blow up just one T-5.........

David