Engine choices FE or 427 Windsor

[CompFi]

I have been following this thread with keen interest. But hesitant to offer my opinion, given that so many others here know these engines far better than me.

But one thing for consideration here. Resale value. The market typically favors the FE. Markets fluctuate of course but that trend seems rather consistent.

Not that I would encourage your buddy to build his car for the next owner. But if he remains undecided, then the FE might be the way to go for its resale value down the road.

[patrickt]

<sigh>... if you stuff a SBF in a 427 style car everyone on the planet will be disappointed when they look in the engine compartment, including you. The nice thing about FEs is that they all look alike in a Cobra, including side oilers. Put a stroked and bored iron block 390 in there and you will be much happier. And any experienced FE builder can get you more horsepower out of that mill than you will ever need or use.

[PDUB]

Originally Posted by patrickt

<sigh>... if you stuff a SBF in a 427 style car everyone on the planet will be disappointed when they look in the engine compartment, including you. The nice thing about FEs is that they all look alike in a Cobra, including side oilers. Put a stroked and bored iron block 390 in there and you will be much happier. And any experienced FE builder can get you more horsepower out of that mill than you will ever need or use.

For a budget 427, Patrick is spot-on! On top of that, Blair won the 2019 Engine Masters Challenge with a 390FE!! You can find out the info on the interweb...

[Mark IV]

Originally Posted by CompFi

I have been following this thread with keen interest. But hesitant to offer my opinion, given that so many others here know these engines far better than me.

But one thing for consideration here. Resale value. The market typically favors the FE. Markets fluctuate of course but that trend seems rather consistent.

Not that I would encourage your buddy to build his car for the next owner. But if he remains undecided, then the FE might be the way to go for its resale value down the road.

Yes, an FE will sell for more, but it originally cost more. Many see to ignore that point. There are some bragging rights with an FE, but as none of these cars are 1960's AC Thames Ditton built cars that is a warm fuzzy for the owner and a negotiating point for a potential purchaser.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by CompFi

Not that I would encourage your buddy to build his car for the next owner. But if he remains undecided, then the FE might be the way to go for its resale value down the road.

If you are buying a new Cobra replica for it's resale value down the road, you shouldn't buy it at all.




Bill S.

[1985 CCX]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

If you are buying a new Cobra replica for it's resale value down the road, you shouldn't buy it at all.




Bill S.

Bill and all,

Its a point to try and protect the cash outlay and another NOT to look to gain.
No gain in this operation, just clean power and reliability. With EFI the originality is moot, its smiles looked for but he is not looking to LS1 or Hemi the car as that rolls back to "Yuck"....

Looking for clean, reliable, support and smiles at this juncture. My friend looking to drive vs tinker and drive.

[mrmustang]

Originally Posted by 1985 CCX

Bill and all,

Its a point to try and protect the cash outlay and another NOT to look to gain.
No gain in this operation, just clean power and reliability. With EFI the originality is moot, its smiles looked for but he is not looking to LS1 or Hemi the car as that rolls back to "Yuck"....

Looking for clean, reliable, support and smiles at this juncture. My friend looking to drive vs tinker and drive.

In that case I highly recommend a Ford crate engine, specifically M-6007-X2347DR




Plenty of HP and Torque, plus it will run on whatever pump fuel is available over the road.


Bill S.

[eschaider]

Originally Posted by mrmustang

In that case I highly recommend a Ford crate engine, specifically M-6007-X2347DR




Plenty of HP and Torque, plus it will run on whatever pump fuel is available over the road.


Bill S.

OP,

Bill's recommendation is not only a real smart way to go, it is spot on!

As others have already commented, these cars are reproductions, replicas, not even clones, unless you buy a Kirkham and even those still have differences. A good replica will, for the most part, be;

• Visually indistinguishable from an original, to a casual observer,
• Very likely to outperform the original because of technological improvements in the last half-century,
• A better driving experience than a brand new Cobra 60 years ago, for the same reason.

Don't piss away hard-earned money on meaningless attributes that only a dilettante would pay attention to. In the end he will not buy your car when you sell it! Period correct madness only pisses away bushel baskets of money on $hit that doesn’t matter to anyone who has the money to buy the car. Most importantly, it doesn’t make the car any better to drive — which is what should be important to you as the buyer, owner, and builder!

BTW, as a closing thought, these cars are not investments! Don’t get sucked down that rabbit hole. They are play toys that you have enough money to buy, build, and enjoy.

[patrickt]

... and we all joke from time to time about FEs marking their territory, requiring constant attention, etc. but the truth is that FEs are incredibly durable and hard to break. If you ask blykins "can you build me a stroked and bored FE that will go 100,000 miles and make over 400HP every step of the way?" he's likely to say "I could build that in my sleep."