Hello from TX

Lethal Fang · #1 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010, 04:20 PM

Hello, everyone.

I'm currently going to school at Texas Tech University for Petroleum Engineering. I've had it set in my mind for years now that when I graduate and get a good paying job, I'll buy a Cobra kit (w/ donor car) for my dad for either Father's Day or sometime around the Holiday season.

There will be some rules laid down before he can accept the gift, though. lol. I have to be able to choose and build the motor myself (based on what I think he can handle, and what I would like it to sound like) and I get to help throughout the build process. Everything else, he can pick. Wheels/tires/paint color/etc.

I know this is his dream car, and he used to be into buliding hotrods before he and my mom decided to make a big family.

We are definitely a Ford family, and I think if I could just get him his dream car, it would open up that old hot rodder inside of him and give him something to be happy to go to the shop to work on (besides just working around the house or doing things for other people all the time).

Also, if you all have any suggestions as to what motor I should go with (budget in mind of course, no $25,000+ FE's or anything, haha).

I'm thinking a 347 with a big cam (small LSA), and high-compression (using a race-gas mix?), AFR heads, with all the dressings would suit him nicely. If it were mine I would take the 351 stroker route, but I think the 347 would be enough, if not a little dangerous for him. Any ideas/input on this motor set-up or an alternative would be helpful.

Thanks, and I look forward to getting to know you while building my knowledge in the heart of the Cobra family.

SoTxButler · #2 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010, 04:35 PM

Check out Keith Craft and get his stroked 390 FE (445 inches)....ready to run, 500HP and 500+ torque.

You get a great engine, the right look for a cobra. Plenty of power. $8,995.00

Lethal Fang · #3 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010, 04:55 PM

Thanks Russ. I'll visit the site and check out some of their stuff.

My only problem with that is I would like to BUILD the engine myself, as I have never done it before, and it would be a great learning process for me.

I plan on building a Sprint cars and throwing money at engine builders after this. So this is my chance to learn a little about putting one together.

392cobra · #4 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010, 05:13 PM

Welcome aboard. There is a lot of help here for the asking.

fwiw - My son goes to Tech too. Electrical Engineering.
Hope you enjoy Tech as much as he does.

Seagull81 · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010, 08:40 PM

Welcome to the forum!

Lethal Fang · #6 (**permalink**) 06-13-2010, 10:37 PM

392, thanks. I really do enjoy going to Tech. I would probably enjoy it more if I ran into that girl in your avatar at a party.

Thanks, Seagull.

LuvDaBlues · #7 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 05:02 AM

Mr. Fang......

Drop the compression and use pump gas. You can't get 110 when you're on a cruise and VP 110 is $7.25 when discounted anyway. There are plenty of guys on this forum who have monster engines with huge numbers and all they use is 93 octane at Exxon. The only thing it will do is smell good and make you look rich. If you're setting your dad up, don't spend your own inheritance.

By the way, is TT heading to the PAC 12?

Edit: I see your avitar is and nice late model Mustang. Are you going to man up and travel to Tulsa this weekend. A whole bunch of Cobra replicas will be there from around the country. Great place to see different hardware.

Lethal Fang · #8 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 03:03 PM

You know that whole compression thing is probably a good idea the more I think about it. I just figured keeping a few barrels in the shop back home would suffice for weekend cruising, but if he wants to take it any further than the local car show it would have to be on a trailer. So that's probably no good.

Hell, I don't know what's going one with the Big 12 these days. I've heard different stuff, but haven't been keeping up with it well. I don't know who's great idea it was to split it up anyway. Oh well, we'll see I guess.

As far as the Tulsa trip, it's not happenin. I'm currently in Utah working for an oil company for a summer internship. I would LOVE to go to a cobra meet sometime before I make big dollar commitments to FFR or donor cars. It would be nice to see one sometime this fall/next spring in Texas.

How do you like that 6.4 in that 250? I plan on buying an '08 as a hauler.

Seagull81 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 05:09 PM

Fang,
If you want to see Cobras in Texas, the Dallas clubs is very active or you could come to San Marcos the last weekend in March for the Texas Cobra Club Meet. We have had 100 Cobras for the last several years of many makes. Here is the site for this past year.
http://www.texascobrameet.com/2010/index.html
Good luck with your search,
Steve

LuvDaBlues · #10 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lethal Fang

How do you like that 6.4 in that 250? I plan on buying an '08 as a hauler.

I'm new to the pickup truck ownership. I have a horrible habit of trying to out smart "the system" in 2007 when I bought a F150 to tow the cobra around to long distant events. Everyone told me to get a F250.

Then I ventured into racing, bought the Mustang and started carrying 1/2 my garage with me. Really worked the 150 on long trips. So when my daughter totaled her car, I handed the 150 down and bought the 250............... oh my! Never drove a diesel. What a dream! I went with a '09 to avoid the 6.0 liter because of some problems I researched. Tows like a champ so far. From Dallas, already towed to College Station (TX)(+4), Tulsa (OK)(+3), Denton (TX)(+5), Hastings (NE)(+1), Charlotte (NC)(+1), and now heading to Elkhart Lake (WI). So far, so great!

zrayr · #11 (**permalink**) 06-14-2010, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lethal Fang

"............ and high-compression (using a race-gas mix?).............."

stick with something easy to fuel. The quality of fuel is still going downhill. Still plenty of good choices like the example above.

Z.