Engine Choice

[eschaider]

Go to page 47 of Ford's 2007 Performance Parts catalog and you can buy a complete 03/04 Terminator crate motor that will come complete from the injectors to the pan including the wiring harness. Add a Whipple and you have 600+ HP 580 lbs ft of torque and all 580 lbs ft of the torque comes in at 2000 rpm. The engine starts reliably runs like the devil and gets over 20 mpg on the highway with a TKO 5 speed.

There are no naturally aspirated engines big or small block that produce that kind of torque untill you get over 4000 rpm. This thing has astounding throttle response and vehicle response at low speed because of the torque available at low speed.

If you swap cams for one of the aftermarket blower grinds or Fords 12mm lift unit you get the classic rumpty rump idle. By the way your assembled aluminum motor is just under 400 lbs and the cast iron block will add 70lbs.

Viually the engine is stunning. It fills up the engine bay like a 427 SOHC. In the end your choice will most probably have less to do with engine capabilities and more to do with personal preference. Almost anything you put in the engine bay will produce impressive performance.

In all the hub-bub pay attention to reliability, these cars are more fun to drive than repair. You got a great looking car, get an engine that you like and compliments your choice of car.

Ed


(edit) Ernie's comments about fuel are real. You don't need the detonation and pinging and you don't want to back off the timing to get it to run but like a toothless tiger. You will discover there is nothing macho about looking for a station with 103 octane as a storm front is approaching and you want to get out of Dodge before the rain.