Best Engine

Butch The Snake · #1 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 10:55 AM

I am buying a new SP Cobra and was wondering what was the best engine to put in the Cobra..

Butch

Goober · #2 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 11:34 AM

Buy as much horsepower as you an afford. Either BB or SB works great. These SP can take as much HP as you can throw at them.
Best driving ones I have been in run from 430HP to 600HP
Get a roller engine with MSD and you will only have to change oil and do a small amount of maintenence. My last cobra had solids, dual point, ect and I got tired of working on it. Build it to drive and enjoy.
Hope this helps
Mark

jrussell · #3 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 01:41 PM

Easy answer......
What ever is on the other end of my key!!

There is no "right answer", it boils down to what you want, what sounds the "best" to you, and your own mechanical skills.
When I ordered my car 5 years ago, for me that was the 460 and still is! The 351 strokers were just coming out and did not have any history but times have sure changed!
My suggestion is beg, borrow, ride or drive in as many different combinations as you can and pick the one that best pushes your button. That will be the "best" one for you, and that is really all that matters anyway!
Good hunting........
John Russell
SPF#586

BANDIT 1 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 03:55 PM

460 "STROKER" BIG BLOCK!

Lowell W · #5 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 04:12 PM

The big blocks look really awesome in there, but the engine compartment sure is tight around 'em. How and how much do you plan to drive the car? Is gas mileage any consideration? One of the great things about SPF's is that they're "right" with either a BB or SB, or an FE, for that matter. You might want to ask Eric at Performance Engineering (513) 738-5001, right behind Dynamic Motorsports, for his opinions, as he's built and installed a lot of motors in SPF's.

BANDIT 1 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 04:31 PM

BIG BLOCK= FASTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!

SMALL BLOCK= SLOWWWWWWWWWWW!

Butch The Snake · #7 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 07:28 PM

Thanks Guy's

I sure wasn't going to a small block, BIG block is the way for me.....I currently own a 2001 Viper, we are building a new motor for it the car..... we are shooting for somewhere around 900 rwhp for the car......our fastest e.t. in the Viper with the current motor is a 10.42 e.t @ 134.5 m.p.h with a 1.55 60ft time.....we are trying to run into the low 9's possibly into the high 8's with the new motor........

Butch

01 Viper GTS 10.42 e.t @ 134.5 M.P.H. (615 r.w.t.q 740 r.w.t.q.)
02 360 Modena
03 Porsche GT-3 Super Cup Car
93.5 Turbo Supra (615 r.w.h.p. 600 r.w.t.q.)
04 Cadillac Lade
03 BMW 760 Li
04 Audi S4

Chuck Nickloy · #8 (**permalink**) 03-09-2004, 09:53 PM

Bandit,

You need to come by the shop

Chuck

bobl · #9 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 12:20 AM

Bandit!!!

Regarding the last post by Nickloy..... ITS A TRAP!!

He's going to strap you into a 281 cubic inch car and introduce you to a whole new world as far as acceleration goes.... Brother, it's like NOTHING you've ever been in - so trust me when I tell you its a trap. The ride can be fun... or rather exhilerating... or breathtaking... or downright terrifying. Just depends on how far into the boost curve he decides to stick it.

Someone previously commented on one of these threads that it was like a "bat outta hell". That was the fun ride. I'm a former naval aviator so no stranger to G-forces or acceleration here. As a passenger, I greyed out in the car during a 3rd gear moon shot launch...and that's no mullarky. And I'm the second person thats had that happened to them in this particular car.

2200 lb car. 281 cubic inches. HP "in excess of 500". Torque " in excess of 500". Redline "in excess of 8,000". All that's nice....but its the rapidity of the windup due to the short stroke that's the key....

You really do need to come by the shop. Tuition generally is a cruel mistress. In this case - it's free.

Bob

Mike Simard · #10 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 06:53 AM

Butch, if your only concern is straight line drag stuff, you may want the 460 (385) type of motor. You can get saimese bore blocks and get 600 cu. in. You can get even more displacement than the FE's

RACER X #99 · #11 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 07:11 AM

older poll

Racers engine poll

BANDIT 1 · #12 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 07:23 AM

I have been in a Cobra replica with a 871 blown 600+ cubic inch big block running on alcohol and while I know Mr. Nickloy's car is fast, this car would do wheelie's you couldn't imagine. When my 557c.i. blown Cobra is done, Mr. Nickloy can show me how fast his car is at the local drag strip...

BANDIT 1 · #13 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Simard

Butch, if your only concern is straight line drag stuff, you may want the 460 (385) type of motor. You can get saimese bore blocks and get 600 cu. in. You can get even more displacement than the FE's

I never realized that a big block engined Cobra can't turn. People on this forum say...

Big Block....drag strip
small block...road course

Most "newbie's" are asking about what is "king of the street", That answer is BIG BLOCK.

Every owner of a small block powered car has asked me (after they lost the race...) "what do you have under the hood?", I always say "no stinkin' small block, that's for sure!"

sierramadre45 · #14 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 08:03 AM

In my opinion, the Ford Crate 392 stroker is the best engine value for the money. I had it in my first Superformance and it delivered great performance with virtually no problems. Don't let anyone kid you, with 430 bhp, it is plenty fast.

In my current Superformance I have a 428 FE. I like it a little better than my small block because it looks more period-correct and has the dual quad carb set up. It also is a stump puller out of the hole.

RACER X #99 · #15 (**permalink**) 03-10-2004, 08:06 AM

I think I actually agree somewhat with the Bandit on this one. We all know that 90% of Cobra owners are either street cruiser with occasional trips to the drag strip or car show guys. Nothing wrong with either way you like your hobby. Or course the BB gets the vote for drag racing or show engines.

But......... Drag racing is only an afterthought as far as why the original Cobras were conceived in the first place. As exciting and thrilling that drag racing might be, a lot of time is spent just waiting to run. Most amature drag racers after experiencing the excitement of a real roadcourse will soon give up the wait in the pits till it's time to run action of the drag strip for the all day long experience of real roadrace track time. I can think of plenty of drag racers who laughed at the road racers with their little engines until they gave it a try. Most have now changed to road racers and some have even kept their BB's. at least untill they build the proper small engine.

I think most will agree,
BB show, shine, drag race.
sb road race.

Cranky

Silk · #16 (**permalink**) 03-12-2004, 08:51 AM

Butch,

Nice toys you got there!

Butch The Snake · #17 (**permalink**) 03-12-2004, 10:59 AM

Thanks Gary

Count us in with the BIG BLOCK motors, me and my buddy are getting 2 of the SPF Cobras with the 460 motors......we plan on pitting a Blower on mine....that should be interesting.....

Butch