Which block to chose ?

[MrBuffet]

No rust on this forum -- I pop outside to put some more wood on the BBQ pit and come back to 8 replies!!! -- that is what I call a real community.

anyways -- the advice on getting the facts from the DMV is sound advice so I'll give them a call in the morning, and it sounds like I need to give Keith and the other builders some calls as well to get some more input from them.

Likewise it sounds like 427 SO or 427 TO for that matter is a bit overkill, as the 428 runs just as well for street application, and several of you argue quite convincingly that considering the weight of the FF kit, a 351 may very well be more than enough.

That said, a 351 does not get anywhere close to looking like a FE block no matter how much I dress it up, but it does sound like the 390's could get close -- my question though is how close?

once again thanks for your input -- it is much appriciated

MrBuffet

[convincor]

Originally Posted by MrBuffet

That said, a 351 does not get anywhere close to looking like a FE block no matter how much I dress it up, but it does sound like the 390's could get close -- my question though is how close?

MrBuffet

If my conscious would allow, when people ask if it's a 427 I could just say yes and they'd never know the difference..

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by convincor

If my conscious would allow, when people ask if it's a 427 I could just say yes and they'd never know the difference..

That's ok. I've gotten to the point where if I'm at a show, or something, and someone who clearly has no idea what they're looking at asks me "Is that a 427?" I just say "Yes." It's easier than explaining that's "it's a 428 bored and stroked to a 447, but looks just like one of the 427s, but not the 427 that was originally in the Cobras, but you could only tell from looking at the underside of the driver's side of the block, but you can't get under the car to see that because it only has five inches of clearance........"

[convincor]

That's it. From now on the answer is YES!

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by convincor

That's it. From now on the answer is YES!

I also have gotten to the point when someone, again who really doesn't know what they're looking at, asks "Is that real?" I now answer "The engine is; just about everything else I had made for me." That answer has worked better than any other response yet. About half the time they follow up with "Even the body?" to which I answer, "Yes, I had that made for me in Connecticut." To most of the folks that's as good as saying "Yes, this is the car that beat Ferrari and it is 100% untouched over the last 40 years." The people that really know FEs, or who really know Cobra replicas, have been few and far between. Although at the last car show a guy came up to me who had actually met with Peter about building an ERA car for him -- I spent quite a while with him going over different points of the build, letting him sit in the car, even started it up for him. That has only happened once since I've owned the car. BTW, when I'm at a car show I put a cardboard placard on the windshield that identifies the car as an ERA, the engine as an original iron 428FE, and other stuff... but you can't expect people to actually read that.

[elmariachi]

Originally Posted by patrickt

I also have gotten to the point when someone, again who really doesn't know what they're looking at, asks "Is that real?" I now answer "The engine is; just about everything else I had made for me."

Being fairly new at this, I am shocked by how many people actually ask that question. So I have taken to saying "the engine is real, the car is a replica."

Now I know how my wife feels when people say "Are those real?" But hers are. Really.

Sorry for the thread-hijack Bob. We are a narrow-minded bunch here.

[DAVID GAGNARD]

The high command (the wife) has finally succumbed to the constant nagging from my daughter, myself and grandpa (in that order) to allow us to undertake a 3-generation family build of a FF MKIII Roadster for street use (target: low to mid 400's HP, and about 450 torque, no drag, and only very seldom track usage).

As others and Barry R. have said, the 390 is the way to go, you can build a nice looking 390 to meet and exceeds your hp/tq. requirements for the price of a 427 block!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You can also build a nice small block, stroked or otherwise and add the pentroof FE looking valve covers and 99.99346712% of the people looking at it in a Cobra would think it is an FE motor!!!!!!!!!!!!!

David

[KevinW]

Originally Posted by elmariachi

Now I know how my wife feels when people say "Are those real?" But hers are. Really.

Sorry for the thread-hijack Bob. We are a narrow-minded bunch here.

I just met a girl a few weeks ago, and asked her the same question. She looked a bit offended. But I really wasnt sure (and I had to know the answer).

anyway, i liked Barry's post on a 427??? crank in a 390 FE. Being pretty ignorant of engine details, can anyone tell me, bragging rights apart:

are there any issues with this? special pistons needed??
Does it need a particular cam?
how does this handle compared to say a 390 overbored to, say, 406?
Im guessing it improves the torque considerably as well as hp?
what is the upgrade cost compared to an FE390/406?
Finally, and I hate to mention it, (but at >$8 a gallon in the UK, its important)
how much would it drop the mpg going from 406 to 427?
- realise this is dependent on the juice pedal, but using say similar driving style, %-age wise.

any comments appreciated, particularly if you have one of these specs.

cheers,
Kevin