Would you buy a cobra with a Chevy 350?

CobraEd · #1 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwd

Yet you own a FAKE Cobra

The folks in Australia don't seen to care much about the engine being a traditional Ford from what I have read here over the years.

.

xb-60 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CobraEd

The folks in Australia don't seen to care much about the engine being a traditional Ford from what I have read here over the years.

I must be one of the few that do then. But that's OK.

Back to the original post - would you buy a cobra with a Chevy 350 and fiberglass cracks that need repair if it was cheap?

I don’t care about the cracks – root cause analysis and corrective action will nail that.
Chevy engine? That’s the fun part of the question! Didn’t CS approach the Chevy boys when he was looking for ‘motivation’ for what became the Cobra, and didn’t they just laugh at him? And then what happened?

Isn’t that little bit of history good enough reason even now to avoid a cheapie with an SBC?

crASH · #3 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 05:38 PM

Would I buy one with a Chevy engine? I'll first offer this disclaimer: I don't own a Cobra, YET... but by way of example I did use to own a Harley. And what made that Harley a HOG was that 80 cubed slammin' V-Twin thunder-maker between your legs (the engine, that is). Even when it was a new 1985 American-made monster, the entire front end was (purportedly) made by Mitsubishi.... GASP

So that big H-D engine is what made that scooter a HOG.

But a Cobra...did it not have it's humble beginnings as an AC Ace in the mid 50's with it's equally British six-banger engine under the "bonnet"? Do I have my Cobra lore correct?? So, is it the engine that makes a Cobra a Cobra or...what...? How is this car truly defined?

jwd · #4 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xb-60

Chevy engine? That’s the fun part of the question! Didn’t CS approach the Chevy boys when he was looking for ‘motivation’ for what became the Cobra, and didn’t they just laugh at him? And then what happened?

Isn’t that little bit of history good enough reason even now to avoid a cheapie with an SBC?

Yup. Chevrolet just laughed because they already had the Corvette. What a bunch of azzholes. Shelby made approx. 1000 Ford powered Cobras and Chevrolet ONLY made 1.5 MILLION Corvettes and still going strong. That sure was a stupid decision.

Oh, and by the way, over 90% of pre-1950 Fords are now powered by Chevy. Go to any Good-Guys event and Ford powered Fords are very rare. I wonder why?

lovehamr · #5 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwd

Oh, and by the way, over 90% of pre-1950 Fords are now powered by Chevy. Go to any Good-Guys event and Ford powered Fords are very rare. I wonder why?

And 90% of statistics quoted on line are made up on the spot by chebby lovers with Ford motors in THEIR cars. Oh forgot, they live in glass houses to!

jwd · #6 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovehamr

And 90% of statistics quoted on line are made up on the spot by chebby lovers with Ford motors in THEIR cars. Oh forgot, they live in glass houses to!

The nice thing about a Cobra with a 428 is that when you're tired of getting your azz beat by Chevy's, you'll always have something to keep your boat from drifting away.

lovehamr · #7 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwd

The nice thing about a Cobra with a 428 is that when you're tired of getting your azz beat by Chevy's, you'll always have something to keep your boat from drifting away.

I suppose that a possibility (remote though it is) but it won't get beat by a 351.

RodKnock · #8 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwd

The nice thing about a Cobra with a 428 is that when you're tired of getting your azz beat by Chevy's, you'll always have something to keep your boat from drifting away.

FWIW, the 1968 1/2 Ford Mustang with a 428 Cobra Jet didn't do too bad:

http://www.mustangmonthly.com/featur...iew/index.html

I can't believe that I'm defending Patrick's boat anchor.

patrickt · #9 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodKnock

I can't believe that I'm defending Patrick's boat anchor.

Me either. But, much obliged.

SP01715 · #10 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jwd

Yup. Chevrolet just laughed because they already had the Corvette. What a bunch of azzholes. Shelby made approx. 1000 Ford powered Cobras and Chevrolet ONLY made 1.5 MILLION Corvettes and still going strong. That sure was a stupid decision.

Oh, and by the way, over 90% of pre-1950 Fords are now powered by Chevy. Go to any Good-Guys event and Ford powered Fords are very rare. I wonder why?

The hot rod guys that throw a SBC in their replica 23T are a little different crowd though. They kind of pride themselves on throwing different parts together to build their cars. Kind of an apples to oranges comparison IMO.

mreid · #11 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 10:40 AM

I heard that on December 20, 2012, all Cobras with Chevy engines will spontaneously combust. Just sayin'...

Thor maine · #12 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 05:29 PM

I guess I am all dark side, I would not buy it if it had a ford motor !! When you breakdown with a '67 sideoiler in east BF,try and get parts to fix it.HA HA HA. Now if you breakdown with a BBC (and I said if) you can get parts everywhere, they still make basically the same moter as the 65 mkV block. And you make more hp per cubic inch, Shelby new it he went to GM first, he wanted to use GM but they did not want the cobra to cut in on the sales of the vette. So if you are a ford guy ,thats cool. But if you are a chevy guy that's cool too. just get out and enjoy!!

Dimis · #13 (**permalink**) 03-23-2011, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CobraEd

The folks in Australia don't seen to care much about the engine being a traditional Ford from what I have read here over the years.

.

I think 'we' care... (NB: I am speaking on behalf off all

)
But not much we could do about it... the ford 5.4 cast block is no match for an alloy LS series Chevy... So it made sense to go to the darkside.

Now with the Ford 5.0L Coyote I think we will see more Aussie Cobras return from the darkside, back to ford power.

Personally, Im still thinking LS7 in a Kirkham...

Small light and **** loads more power than I'd ever need.

...and I could answer YES! - It is a real 427 Kirkham Cobra!!!

rodneym · #14 (**permalink**) 03-24-2011, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dimis

Personally, Im still thinking LS7 in a Kirkham...

Small light and **** loads more power than I'd ever need.

...and I could answer YES! - It is a real 427 Kirkham Cobra!!!

Interesting point. Don't see many Kirkhams or Shelbys with Chevy motors. Aside from the 'purist' argument, COST is a major factor. Like on those pre 50's Fords. Chevys are cheap. Cheap for a reason. Not saying bad, but cheap.

And, the Cobra couldn't have happened with any company other than Ford. Doesn't take an automotive historian to know that.

Aaaaaand...Ford power found its way into more than just the Cobra. Like the Tiger, Pantera, Lotus, Cosworth, Lola. Each of those Ford powered iterations, with the exception of the Pantera, have more racing history than the Corvette, at least 'where' it mattered, like that place called...the rest of the world.

Chevys are cool, too. My friends grandma had a SS Chevelle. My Chevette had a footwell cooling (technically a hole made by rust). And every other Vette in SoCal is driven by a 70 year old woman on her 3rd husband, 2nd facelift, and that 'oh so cool' red leather jacket with all the embroidery.

Before anyone gets their 'Bowtie' in a difficult knot that a monkey could undo, just realize I was laying on kinda thick. But not so thick that you Chevy lovers couldn't understand.