How do I build a 600 HP 428cj?

[Dominik]

600Hp may not be out of line if you really know what 600Hp (and the torque that comes with it) means. Hell, early 70s Can-Am Big Blocks rarely had that.

Most people who own a "600Hp" car and drive my 550Hp think I have 800Hp...
Many a client want a 514cui, because 460 is not enough, having "seen it all", but suddenly want a weaker cam in their 460.

Have you ever driven a car with 600hp and 550lbft, I mean: Did it have that much and did you DRIVE it???

My mate's 428cui features 500Hp and 450lbft. Does 10.6 e.t. on sliks with an otherwise track set-up.

Now: Your turn :-)

Dominik

[Great Asp]

Originally Posted by Dominik

600Hp may not be out of line if you really know what 600Hp (and the torque that comes with it) means. Hell, early 70s Can-Am Big Blocks rarely had that.

Most people who own a "600Hp" car and drive my 550Hp think I have 800Hp...
Many a client want a 514cui, because 460 is not enough, having "seen it all", but suddenly want a weaker cam in their 460.

Have you ever driven a car with 600hp and 550lbft, I mean: Did it have that much and did you DRIVE it???

My mate's 428cui features 500Hp and 450lbft. Does 10.6 e.t. on sliks with an otherwise track set-up.

Now: Your turn :-)

Dominik

Part of the problem is the current crop of high horsepower cars offered from the Big 3. You can buy a Z06 with 505, or the ZR1 with 650 stock. Power adders like a 3.4 whipple on a GT500 nets huge numbers, most would have more than most Cobras at the flywheel.

You go to a car show with 400 hp and people go "oh, that's nice".

I've had 550 hp, and 550ft lbs at the flywheel in a SPF, and now building a 634 hp with 666 ft lbs FE in a SPF. If it's too much I'll put a block of wood under the "wow" pedal. But if I was recommending a first time buyer the amount of horsepower, it would be 400 at the flywheel. Most people have never driven a car like that, or a car like that with a 90" wheelbase.

E

[Dominik]

Yes, of course. I didn't consider the recent Hp-war.

Dom

[Dwight]

Keith Craft 428/461 FE 601 hp and 619 tq

Great street motor for a Cobra

Mike has 8000 miles on it and loves it.


Dwight

[Great Asp]

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Monster! Very nice!

E

[Dwight]

Mike Lainhart had Keith Craft to install a stroker kit in his 427 s.o. this summer.
Mike now has a 487 c.i. side oiler with 618 hp & 638 tq Monster. All on 93 oct. gas.
I installed the motor and I have driven the Cobra 150 plus miles to break it in. Also checking for any other problems. This thing is a Monster. I love it. Idle about 1000 rpm, will turn to 7,000 without missing a beat. Coach is the one that spun it to 7000, I've kept it under 6000. And we have not pushed the pedal to the floor, yet. We'll wait till he has 500 miles on it. Smooth on the road, cruise at 1900 rpms. Easy to crank when cold. Takes about 5 minutes of run time for it to settle down and run very smooth. It rained all week so next week I'll take it to get the front and rear end aligned.

It's going to make Mike a great Christmas present.

I can highly recommend Keith Craft. Great people to do business with. Call him and tell him what you want to do with the motor/car. High horsepower race motor don't do well on the street.

Dwight

[Great Asp]

Already did call Keith!



E

[Cobra #3170]

Originally Posted by Dominik

600Hp may not be out of line if you really know what 600Hp (and the torque that comes with it) means. Hell, early 70s Can-Am Big Blocks rarely had that.

Most people who own a "600Hp" car and drive my 550Hp think I have 800Hp...
Many a client want a 514cui, because 460 is not enough, having "seen it all", but suddenly want a weaker cam in their 460.

Have you ever driven a car with 600hp and 550lbft, I mean: Did it have that much and did you DRIVE it???

My mate's 428cui features 500Hp and 450lbft. Does 10.6 e.t. on sliks with an otherwise track set-up.

Now: Your turn :-)


Dominik

I could not agree more, first of all the FE engine design (cylinder heads and manifold) are certainly not in a league with all the new small block heads/ manifolds and just don't produce big HP numbers because of their flow numbers, valve placement, valve angles and combustion chamber design. Translation, it is hard to get big numbers from a street FE.

I have had various FE engines with flywheel horsepower of 480, 530, 585, 702, 734, and 806 in my Cobra.

The 585 Hp engine would brake traction in fourth gear with fully warmed soft compound 12" wide road race slicks @ 5500 RPM with a 3.31 rear end ratio when too much throttle was applied. Any time you have over 500 HP in a Cobra you had better have damn quick hands or you will have a big problem.

An (HONEST) 450 horsepower engine with 480-500 Lb/Ft in a Cobra is more power than any Cobra on street tires can use 95% of the time. If you have soft compound 335 rears you could probably go up to 550 or so, but then drivability or crashability can become a problem.

Modern cars with big horsepower have much more sophisticated chassis designs, greater weight, and longer wheel bases with electronic counter measures (with some exceptions) so they do not pose the mortality threat of a 90" Cobra. If you look at the statistics on Vipers, Ford GT's and Z06's you will see a high rate of low mileage crashes so they are not immune, even though some weigh 1000 lbs more than a Cobra.