His ad is still active. %/

Kevin,

This is a very difficult question to answer. Every car and every engine build is different when it comes to Cobras. All my FE cars were ERA, and each of them had their own distinct personality. The SBF was in a Superformance. I love/loved ALL of those cars and their respective motors. They were all up the task of scaring the **** out of me and I could not drive any of them even near their limits.

A friend of mine has an ERA with a 351W and his is set up more for high RPM power. That's the only car I probably didn't like to drive as much. It works for him, as he races it. The FEs all have good grunt down low for the street. My experience has taught me that a racing type motor with all kinds of power at 5000 RPM isn't very useful to me, and isn't as fun to drive on the street. I want my power to come on down low in the 2K-3K RPM range as that is where I primarily use it. The FE does this very well, when built for this purpose. All intakes, cams, carb set ups, etc contribute to this driveability so talk with your engine builder about your realistic usage for your car and you won't have to wish you had done something different. I believe most people OVER build their Cobra engines these days and end up not being able to enjoy them as the power range ultimately isn't very friendly/usable to them.

I'd have to say that right now my favorite engine all around is in my ERA 472 car. It's very street friendly, can get 12+ MPG, even with the dual carbs and a 4 speed. It can come alive and kick your ass at will. It's nothing exotic or fancy...just a mild 427 with old school cast iron ported heads and a mild cam. To me, it's just perfect. It looks great, and I get to tell people it's a Ford 427 FE when they ask.

http://customshowboards.com/era472/PA090096bweb.jpg

sound clip: http://customshowboards.com/era472/ERA472enginemix.mp3

I also really enjoyed the KC 482 FE - built from a Pond aluminum block and Dove aluminum heads. It was still streetable at all RPM, but just barely. It sounded like nothing else on the planet to me. Great sounding beast, and a different approach to the experience. Also, very expensive. Both are equally enjoyable to me, but as my experience grows, my tastes seem to change to a less is more approach.

Adding to Troy's comments - an FE is an FE is an FE - it's all pretty much the same architecture. Method of oiling, side-bolted mains, don't have any bearing on an engine's personality or behavior unless you are building a motor for extremes - like turning 8000 rpms in SCCA or drag strip events - which most people won't want to live with on the street. Any motor built in the 445 - 460 size class (390/445. 428/445/460, 427/454) is going to pretty much sound the same and perform the same given the same cam, compression, intake, exhaust, carburetion, timing set up and quality of build. Their will be subtle differences based on crank stroke and piston bore between them - but you would probably need an engine dyno to distinguish them IMO.

I guess you could offer the seller some kind of assurance that you are a no-hassle cash buyer should the other deal fall through. Kind of like being pre-approved when shopping for a house or car.;)

I'll add one little caveat, and that is that some original 427 blocks are getting mighty thin around the cylinders. Having an FE that still has some meat around it, and no sleeves, is nice for a couple of reasons. Keep that in the back of your mind.

He's waiting for the check to clear.

Well, what about the other engine that I posted from a seller here on CC ?
It's the 427 center oiler for $3,500 OBO.

According to my books, it's definitely a C/O (C5AE-A) with press-in freeze plugs vs screw-in (not sure if that was standard). The crank as a C4AE-H is a steel cross drilled crank. I would do a lot of checking and research first.

Thanks bud, as I know nothing about Ford part numbers.

For now, it's that one vs a new block. The BBM is very nice. I read a post that Barry chimed into and he really likes it so far.

I'll have to look up the two others, I don't recall the prices.

A friend of mine Dave, has a aluminum 482, and he said buy the iron and save the difference of $1,200 for other parts. Only good thing , is he can say,...it's aluminum. And that's it. lol Actually, that could help a lot.

Iron block- $3,600
Alum. block- $4,800
Combo- $4,950

Buy a new block or new build from a good builder. A new block with all machining is likely going to be the same cost or less than a vintage 427 and you are taking a risk with the seller and the product on used iron.

Little to risk with Brent or other top builders. He will quote a price and you will get what you expect.

It looks like you are trying to save pennys at the risk of dollars.

John

Yup. Totally agree with Grubby on this. Do it right and do it once. Those lumps are no fun to pull out of these cars.:eek:

I agree, especially since the NOS block is gone.

Internet sellers are scary, you can never really trust them, as I trusted Dennis and look what happened. He would quote scripture every time we spoke and his website was all,...Let there be God, let there be light, pray for others as they do for you,...etc....

I'm a Christian so I believed and trusted him. :mad:

Ok, we can forget the Shelby engine and heads etc, their way,....too expensive. Same for Roush.


LET'S GO SHOPPING !

If you guys want to have fun, let's look at blocks and heads on Barry's, Craft and Brent's websites, and compare bottom end packages and prices.

Please feel free with other builders that you trust !

LET'S GO SHOPPING !

Survival Motorsports-

Survival Motorsports Home Page

Craft Performance Engines-

Craft Performance Engines

Lykins Motorsports-

Lykins Motorsports, LLC

Robert Pond Motorsports-

427 Ford FE Type Engine, Pond Racing

Prestige Motorsports-

Prestige Motorsports: Custom Engines, Performance Shop, Paint and Body, Concord NC

FE Power (Jay Brown)

I don't recall the builder that's on the Ford FE sight ?
Sounds like he's another great one that has a small shop and no real website.

A center oiler block isn't the best choice for a solid roller application because the lifter passages are not drilled. This forces you into a non-oiling lifter. Again, not a deal breaker, but certainly doesn't lend to longevity.

If you're looking for period-correctness, the BBM block looks pretty close, but it's not an original side oiler block. It's a new one. You get into the same deal as the "continuation CSX" cars.

I've used most of the aftermarket blocks. They are all nice.

I would urge against aluminum; I'm just not a fan. Yeah, they're lighter, but that's about the only pro in my opinion. You pay more for them, there's a lot more prep and babysitting during the machining process, and they take a little more "care" on the part of the customer.

I agree Brent, you're wise man. ;)

One guy I know wish's he hadn't gone with the aluminum engine. He's had some problems with it, but after several years, he has them fixed.

I had no idea the passages are not drilled in the center oiler !
That's some extra machining adding to the build.

I would like a mechanical roller, but the little gains you get and sound, may,....not be worth it. I don't mind lashing valves, and even though company's like Isky have bushing's rather than needles, it still concerns me that with street driving, they'll come apart someday. How do you feel about that and do you have an experience with associated issues with a solid roller on the street ect ?

They've come along with rollers on the street since my old days with a roller 468ci in my Pro-Street Camaro. (man, that makes me feel old) :eek:

There's nothing wrong with a Hydro roller, it's just that the solid sounds and feels awesome and can gain more HP/TQ, but really not enough to feel it in your pants. It's not possible, but if I could get a engine to sound like a sprint car motor, that would be the ultimate ! :cool: (not having weight on the crank with no flywheel, clutch etc)

No body's interested ? :confused:

Come on guys......none of you would like to shop FE motors for a Cobra ?

Kevin,

Be patient and shop.

I found a good deal on a Roush FE with a Shelby block on this forum. The owner made me a very fair deal. It got me into a Shelby blocked FE for much less than I expect. It is going in the next build.

The next ERA will be going into the que in the next several weeks.

John

What sort of budget do you have for the engine alone? Can you go 10k, 12k, 15k... That's the first step.

Me,...Be patient and shop. :LOL:

No, actually I'm trying.

10k is my max right now. First will be the block alone or short block if it has the parts I want. I don't really need,...a steel crank over a cast, but it would be good assurance to have the steel.

I have my 1/4 scale RC sprint car on ebay and I need to get busy and sell some of my full size sprint car parts. First will be a pair of Chevy small block304 stainless headers. Any pre-1987 heads.

I was just researching the Scatt 482ci rotating assembly's for cost's on different company's websites. Maybe I can find a sale ?

How do you like your 428FE/447ci ?
Give me some details.

Iron 428 block, honed, decked, and cleaned up .025 to 4.155, SCAT 4.125 crank, Wiseco pistons with Edelbrock heads matched to a Blue Thunder dual plane intake for a 10.6 CR. Erson roller rockers with a solid, flat tappet cam of "old school" specs -- 245/245 .525 at .050 with 114 LSA, installed with the intake center line at 109. A simple Holley 3310 vac secondary 750, slightly tweaked with an adjustable vac secondary canister so I don't have to monkey with the secondary spring. MSD ignition throughout, Canton road race pan, Centerforce aluminum flywheel. Over the last decade I've only had to do rather minor maintenance on it. The original balancer separated, so I replaced it with a nice new Romac balancer. The valves hold their lash, so you really don't even need to set them much. The carb is a breeze to adjust, and simply requires a bit of tweaking based on ambient temperature and humidity to have it running "perfectly." On the dyno, with side pipes attached, it's under 500HP. Each year I tend to drive it slower and slower. I wouldn't change anything on the build, and it looks, sounds, and smells as it should. You're not going to be able to build it for ten grand though, but blykins could probably clone it for $15k -- but he snickers at my cam.;)