Vote 428 or aluminum 427FE??

[Excaliber]

Ronbo, that's easy, because an older block has soul. Hog wash an older block is any more risky than a new block. Either new or old, if it aint checked out and finished properly it will bite you. I've seen the pictures of a Shelby block with a rod sticking out the side. New anything offers no gaurantee it will always be perfect, there is risk, no matter how you cut it.

If I couldn't find a decent side oiler block, I'd go Genesis, keep's the cost down and either way is an excellent choice from a ROI point of view. Shelby block? Eh, nice call, but I don't think it will return enough in re-sale to warrant the additional expense. Now if your buying it because YOU want to have one, thats cool.

428 is not an option unless your really strapped for cash, then what the heck, consider a 390!

[RodKnock]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

If I couldn't find a decent side oiler block, I'd go Genesis, keep's the cost down and either way is an excellent choice from a ROI point of view. Shelby block? Eh, nice call, but I don't think it will return enough in re-sale to warrant the additional expense. Now if your buying it because YOU want to have one, thats cool.

IF you can find a decent side-oiler block....That's a BIG IF. Let's say you find one. You're talking about $5G's, maybe more. KC has a few lying around the shop, but it will cost you.

Personally, I would rather have modern machining and (aluminum) metals.

In terms of ME being a future buyer, a Cobra with cast iron block would need to be properly discounted for the fact that I would need to tear it out of there to replace it with aluminum.

[RestoCreations]

I think you that voted for aluminum are right. Why build a 427 cobra with a 428, regardless of how many actually came with a 427.

Anyway, if i am going aluminum, im going with a Shelby block. I know it will end up costing another 1500 in the end, but I want the CS on the front of the block. I already have the CS aluminum waterpump and timing cover.

Thanks for talking some sense into me. I hope the offer still stands on the 428fe. I thought it was worth a little bit more than 800 since it is a standard bore block, but times have changed.

[Ronbo]

Originally Posted by Excaliber

Ronbo, that's easy, because an older block has soul. Hog wash an older block is any more risky than a new block. Either new or old, if it aint checked out and finished properly it will bite you. I've seen the pictures of a Shelby block with a rod sticking out the side. New anything offers no gaurantee it will always be perfect, there is risk, no matter how you cut it.

If I couldn't find a decent side oiler block, I'd go Genesis, keep's the cost down and either way is an excellent choice from a ROI point of view. Shelby block? Eh, nice call, but I don't think it will return enough in re-sale to warrant the additional expense. Now if your buying it because YOU want to have one, thats cool.

428 is not an option unless your really strapped for cash, then what the heck, consider a 390!

And the failure was because of the block??? (kinda matters) Let's ignore all the threads here alone of problems with the old blocks that occur even after sonic tests and the like, no, you know of one block...

Yes, improper assembly is an additional risk, just like a 40 yr. old block is an additional risk. The 427 started life needing special attention at the plant because of how close the bore was to the limits the FE's bore spacing would allow. I've heard estimates that up to 1/3 of the blocks were found to be unusable either before or after machining. Add 40 yrs worth of water jacket corrosion, stress cracks, ect...

You'll need that extra soul, right on the bottom of your shoes.

Build a 600+HP date correct 427 and let's see how long it holds together. There's a reason no one does this, it's a bad idea.

Cast iron is not some magic material that is immune to metal fatigue, not to mention the refinements to address problem areas that the FE had it's fair share of.

You can't re-create what it was like 40 yrs ago because it's not 40 yrs ago and why would you? Today's recreations are faster, handle better, lighter. Everything a Cobra was about is alive and well and has nothing to do with the year the engine block is. (or the heads, pistons, crank, ect)

I'm going to go out on a limb (not really) and say that I think the cars today are better than they've ever been. (even heard of a guy paying $1 million for a very non-original replica recently)