What is the best FORD engine per dollar

[Tom Kirkham]

Turbo 2.3 L SVO Mustang

On $$$/HP just turn up the boost.

Of course nothing beats N2O

[lovehamr]

Originally Posted by DR 385

Ahh! here again "FE"-TARDISM rears it's full of itself, swollen, ugly head.

Um, .........................Did it have a little purple helmet?











I know, I know, that was off sides wasn't it?

Steve

[jtart2]

Although he is insulting, I think Dr 385 is funny. I have a 385 series engine as well and I get sick of hearing guys say things like "it doesn't look right in a Cobra", or "I don't give it a second look", or "FE's are nicer engines to look at".
Could someone explain to me what makes an engine "pretty"? I wanted the most HP/TQ for the least money, with parts that are easy to find and not too expensive.

We build replicas they way we want. It's a personal decision, and just because I didn't put an FE in mine (which I easily could have) doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it....now a Chevy engine in a Cobra...that's IS wrong

[DR 385]

(Wow, 4841 views, for a dead post, hmmm, maybe some people are enjoying this.. Ok sit back, he it comes...)

The Dr is in....

And there it is....

Excalibur,

Thank you for validating my opening comments, A true "FE"TARD is incapable of restraining the Tourette component of his condition:
"FE'S ARE THE BEST!" SEE, SEE! HE EVEN SAID IT HIMSELF!! HA..HA,HAHA!"

It's possible the excessive sunshine is magnifying the symptoms of your condition. You might want to try a relocating to a climate that has less, possibly Seattle. A side benefit (for the rest of us) is that city's high suicide rate. Make some friends, sip some decaf, and talk about how much better it will be for you on the other side...

Mr. Schroeder,

I do applaud your attempt to elicit factual data from the afflicted.
I too will be interested in the response.
For reference sake, I went to Keith Crafts website to find actual weight data.

Initially I laughed when I saw that they have a section for big blocks and a separate section for FE's (lol, Im not making that up)

http://www.keithcraft.com/ourengines2.html

As our ultimate performance sage, Excalibur has stated,(yes Ex im being sarcastic and condescending) more than "500 hp is a waste" I looked to stay near that number for comparison.

He lists a 390FE making 525HP/550FTLBS for $11899.00

He also has an all Alum (Shelby block) 482 that makes 580hp and 600ft/lbs. at $18999.00!!!

He has a Windsor based 408/410 Street/Performance engine that he lists for $9575.00

Then there is the station wagon, truck, school bus, limo" engine
Unfortunately, Actual big blocks (385 series) don’t go that low in hp in Mr. Craft's world. So I used the least powerful version he lists.
514 Street Crate makes 700hp and 650ft/lbs that goes for
$10599.00

So let's do the math together... Go slow for the "FE"tards, they get lost easily.

IRON 390 FE= $22.66 per hp
Alum 482 FE= $32.76 per hp
IRON 408 W = $17.41 per hp
IRON 514 385= $15.14 per hp

Hmmmm, there are those irritating facts again

"You want me on that wall, You need me on that wall"

[Silverback51]

Originally Posted by DR 385

It's possible the excessive sunshine is magnifying the symptoms of your condition. You might want to try a relocating to a climate that has less, possibly Seattle. A side benefit (for the rest of us) is that city's high suicide rate. Make some friends, sip some decaf, and talk about how much better it will be for you on the other side...

What a BAS-TARD.

For once I have to agree with you. If there is a city with less sunshine than Seattle in the good old USA, I have not been there, and I have traveled a lot.

Suicide could damn near be a team sport in this festering crap hole.

[greg schroeder]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Master Mongoose7 speaks truth.


The experience with my ERA tell's me it's extremely difficult to hook up much over 500 horse, I don't care what it cost you!

I was running the Goodyear Bill boards, a reasonably good traction tire that works well on the street or the track. My soild roller cam high compression side oiler was making over 600 horse, turned 11.90 ET on the drag strip. Was HELL to drive on the street. Rebuilt, reduced compression, smaller cam, smaller carbs, street friendly, run's on pump gas, DOUBLED the mpg. I estimate, actually Gessford Machine's George Anderson estimated, I gave up about a 150 horse power. Back to the track: 11.99 and a loss of about 3 mph trap speed. I was blown away! Unless you plan on running slicks and are seriously into the drag strip there is little point in going beyond 500 horse.

I'll take a Windsor based motor myself for a REASONABLE budget. I think the over all package (weight, size, potential mpg) is superior to a 385 series motor. Having the money, I'd go for a "de-tuned" SOHC 'cause they look so cool, but 700 horse is a waste of time.

What was your trap speed?

[Excaliber]

Who was that masked Dr guy?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Who was that masked Dr guy?

Turk, in disguise.

[Got the Bug]

Dr. Kervorkian signing in to kill this thread.

[RodKnock]

I just hope the DR stays away from the Porsche forums. He might advocate installing a cheaper 4 cylinder into a 911.

[67FEfastback]

No one answer for this.

Power to weight ratio and value I'd have to say the 351W based variants come out on top.

Power, you are going to get more out of a 385 series engine, heavier though

If you want to remain true to the vehicle's heritage, then 260/289 block, or it's stroked cousins.
or the FE.

From a strict fan point of view, I don't care for the look of a cobra with a 385 series or 351W variant. I don't even give them a second glance at car shows.
It's like seeing a classic pontiac GTO with a 502 BBC in it. It might be fast, but who cares?

Personally I like the look of a 289 with webbers or an FE.

[DR 385]

Good evening Gentlemen,

To clarify my position:
The title of the post does not ask:
"What engine is the oddest looking?"
"What engine is the most archaic?"
"What engine is the most likely to suffer a unexplainable catastrophic failure?"
In no way does it ask:
"What ford engine do YOU feel a Cobra should have?"
To this I would happily sit back and watch the afflicted spew forth the gospel as their clouded brains perceive it.

However, the post simply asks:

"What is the best FORD engine per dollar"

There are many answers to this question, none including FE, SOHC, BOSS.
While great to see, none of these fit the per dollar requirement.
As any potential power level these motors could achieve, could be achieved for LESS MONEY with a Windsor or 385 series BB.

When a newbie asks a serious question he deserves fact, not opinion.
Unfortunately the Cobra owners that are filled with "FE"ces feel it's necessary to interject.

So I will include the counter point to these untruths when I see them.
I will not attack FE threads, for the sake of the fight, there are many I could, but that’s not my intent.

Come on now guys, this is an internet Forum, don’t take it so seriously, just adding a little humor to the counterpoint.

Rodknock & Excalibur (still laughing about that) Please shorten your rope and repeat the treatment....


DR (not turk) 385

[olddog]

Without a HP target it is simple, a used running engine that you can buy cheap. Most likely a 4 banger would come out on top.

But I think you meant building an engine worthy to go into a Cobra. A 460 is going to be hard to beat. With a little work and few parts it is not hard to get 400+ hp out of a factory engine. A little port work, cam, intake, and carb should get you there. If you start with a decent engine you could get there for about $500, with a little swap meet shopping. With that said, I doubt I would go with a 385 series in a Cobra. They are very big. I have seen them and road in one that blew my mind, but I have to believe it would be difficult to work on.

[RodKnock]

DR 385, shorten what rope and receive what treatment? Me no understand. I'm just a simple guy.

As for the best FORD engine per dollar, your dollar is different than my dollar. In fact, everyone's dollar(s) is/are different. When I was looking in the resale market a couple years back, I wanted only an FE in my 427 Cobra, not a 460 nor a Windsor. If I came across Cobra with a 460, then I would not have parted with my dollar(s) for that Cobra. So the best FORD engine per dollar for me, and me alone, is the FE with all it's quirks, issues, expense, etc.

Remember, the question was not best FORD engine based only on the HP, but best FORD engine per dollar.

[Excaliber]

Well I will repeat this part:

If your running more than 500 horse, your going to need some serious tires or some kind of traction control on your COBRA. They don't transfer weight like many other cars do, which creates a traction problem. If you don't address that you simply can't put the power to the ground. Doesn't matter what engine your running.

67FEfastback makes a good point, at a car show I'll glance at a Windsor or a 385 series engine, but there really nothing to linger over. Just another motor, nothing to see here folks, move along. Small block Chevy, oh puhlease, I might not even glance at one, there everywhere and reguire zero imagination and a moderate budget.

Hemi, in whatever, well now theres something different, better take a look. Old Cadillac or Oldsmobile engine in something like a Rat Rod? Excellent choice, GOTTA check that out!

You can't ask an engine related question here on Club Cobra without getting opinions across the board, no matter WHAT the original question was. To think otherwise is clearly the ASSumption of a newbie!

Trap speed was 121, went down to 118. VERY tall gearing, shift into second at 65 mph, 2.0 0-60 ft time which didn't change (traction limited even with the tall gears, big or small motor). I'd shift into fourth just short of the line, hardly optimum gearing for a "drag race" setup.

700 horse is a "waste of time" as in ET at the drap strip, with street tires, loads of fun and very impressive other wise. A good number!

[WildBill3]

Is drags the only stats were talking here roadcorse follies favor a smallblock in most cases I have seen.Morris not included ;-)

[Excaliber]

We have a LOT of "cruise in's" here in Hawaii. Guess how many FE's you might see at any given car show or cruise in (if I'm not there, it's likely zero)? Now how many Windsors or 385's will you see? GM small blocks?

I rest my case, class dismissed.

Are you suggesting Mr. Schroeder expects to hook up 700 horse with street tires? HA HA HA HA and pigs fly!

Drag race calculators assume a near perfect world. Max rpm in high gear at the line for instance, good traction, reaction time, minimum drive train parasitic losses (IRS takes more power than a live axle), etc. Most street driven vehicles, including my ERA aren't "perfectly" set up for drag racing, so the data IS going to be flawed. Strange, I would have expected a Dr. to understand that fundamental flaw with drag race calculators...

500 horse for an FE is easy, you could do that with STOCK components that were readily available in the 60's!

By the way, some drag race calculators will show a 0-60ft time based on ET. 11.90 = 1.6 seconds, in my case. In fact, my 0-60 time was 2.0 seconds, with BOTH engines. I could be running 700 horse, that won't change the real world hole shot because it's TRACTION related.

[67FEfastback]

interesting discussion. It depends what you want.
If you are building a car, build it the way that you want to.

From a strictly car enthusiast fan perspective
The 289 is a pretty engine
The FE is one of the prettiest looking engines out there.
Maybe the hemi, and boss 429 are a little nicer
Flat head fords etc.

385 is nothing to write home about
neither is a gusseted up windsor. I've even seen adaptors to put FE valve covers on a windsor WTF??

boss 302 or 351C are way nicer looking engines. Despite that fact, personally i would not put a boss 302 or 351C in a cobra or coupe either.

If I did a 351W stroker, I'd do my best to make it appear like an orginal 289.
That's just me.

[Excaliber]

You know when I shift into second, at 65 mph mind you, I STILL have to be careful not to break 'em loose to bad. I really nailed 2nd gear one time and the car dang near got away from me when it started to go sideways from wheel spin! Never had that problem with the reduced horse power motor though, kind of miss it...

[Excaliber]

Silverback, you know it's always difficult talking about the finer points of one replica vs another without stepping on somebodys toes. I recognize a Kirkham or CSX is a cut above my ERA, for instance, but I still love my car (no matter what engine it might have under the hood).