450 hp buildup

[rug]

Hello,

I'm Carl, and I am in the process of deciding what engine I want to put in my AC Cobra replica. I have been looking at the chevy 350 for a while (don't flame me please!), because of the wide availability of part. I'd like to do a fuelinjected engine, so the 5.0 is looking good too. After reading some forums the 350 seems to need some work done to the bottom end to hold up for higher power levels.

The parts for the 5.0 looks to be a little higher, but after reading an article at http://www.mustang50magazine.com I saw some 450 hp recomendations. These were heads, 1.7 rockers, intake, fuel and a supercharger. This sound just about right to me. Atleast to start out I would like not going in to the bottom end too much. Will this be reliable? I haven't been on many mustang forums until now so maybe this is a dumb question I'm looking for 400-450 reliable horsepower as this is probably enough in a 2400 lbs car to make me smile... for a while

I have history with Ford though.. Used to own a mustang SVO and a Thunderbird Turbocoupe a few years ago

Carl W.

 

[Cobra351]

If you are looking for 400 or so horsepower at the flywheel, you could do a 331, 347, or a 351W. Fairly mild cam and outta the box Aluminum heads would probably put you there.

 

[powershift351]

Hello,

I'm Carl, and I am in the process of deciding what engine I want to put in my AC Cobra replica. I have been looking at the chevy 350 for a while (don't flame me please!), because of the wide availability of part. I'd like to do a fuelinjected engine, so the 5.0 is looking good too. After reading some forums the 350 seems to need some work done to the bottom end to hold up for higher power levels.

The parts for the 5.0 looks to be a little higher, but after reading an article at http://www.mustang50magazine.com I saw some 450 hp recomendations. These were heads, 1.7 rockers, intake, fuel and a supercharger. This sound just about right to me. Atleast to start out I would like not going in to the bottom end too much. Will this be reliable? I haven't been on many mustang forums until now so maybe this is a dumb question I'm looking for 400-450 reliable horsepower as this is probably enough in a 2400 lbs car to make me smile... for a while

I have history with Ford though.. Used to own a mustang SVO and a Thunderbird Turbocoupe a few years ago

Carl W.

Sounds like you need a 351w, perfect for your setup. For one, if you order the one out of Ford Catologue, it runs 8.5:1 compression. Perfect for the reliable power you want w/supercharger. Second, the Torque output is awesome. Third with a good fuel injection system on it, it is extremely reliable. Hope this helps. I have a 351w and so maybe I am biased, but I have never had a problem with it. Oh yeah, Fourth, it wont break your bank.

 

[SuperStang83]

How could you think about putting a Chevy motor in there and not getting flamed?!? I would say that with H/C/I and a blower you would have great power and reliability out of a 302! I have a 351w in my 93 Stang, but don't think you would want the extra weight on the front of your car. I say the best idea is to stroke and blow a 302 to a 331!! That would be great for power, reliability and wieght! And it won't kill the bank!

Jakob

 

[rug]

I left out some information.. I live in sweden and we have some restrictions on what you can build. There is a horsepower to weight ratio (1.5kW/10 kg). This is equal to about 220 hp or so for the 2400 lbs car I want to build. The way they check is not by dyno, but by the engine casting number. So, I would have to start with an engine with a castingnumber matching around 200 hp. This is another reason I am looking at the Fuel injected 302 and supercharging it. That way it will go through the inspection

351W sound nice, but I think that wouldn't pass the inspection...

Carl

 

[PRO50SC]

How could you think about putting a Chevy motor in there and not getting flamed?!? I would say that with H/C/I and a blower you would have great power and reliability out of a 302! I have a 351w in my 93 Stang, but don't think you would want the extra weight on the front of your car. I say the best idea is to stroke and blow a 302 to a 331!! That would be great for power, reliability and wieght! And it won't kill the bank!

Jakob

Yeah, what that guy said

 

[IMissMy93Fox]

A 331 seems like the best option to me. You'll ge a little more torque without the extra weight. You could go bigger with a 342/347 stroker but I had some oil consumption problems with my 342.

 

[Ranchero5.0]

Just follow my sig... 390 dyno'd at the back tires and daily driven commuter car. Mild emissions cam, good heads and support and a 5psi blower on top of a 306 gets good gas mileage 20+ MPG. In a 3400lb car it's went 11.70's at 118 in the quarter mile and makes a 30 mile round trip to work a blast.

Jamie

 

[houstonstangguy]

as mentioned above. my 331 makes a little over 400 at the fly. basically all off the shelf parts other than the porting of my intake. if you stroke and blow then you will be way over the 400-450 mark. you would probably be happy with just a stroker like mine. I wonder what it would do in a 2400lb car!!! lol

good luck

 

[bluevenom867]

If their really tight on rules find an old 302 with a 2 barrel and use that because it makes like 180hp. What about a Cleveland? they can make 400+ hp with fairly little (and cheap) work. The only problem is it's a pain to find parts for. Or,just a strong built 302 with a bomb load of N2O. I don't like the supercharger but that's because I'm worried they will break my motor.

 

[SmockDoiley]

Cleveland? Please!! For you the perfect engine would be a 331 in a roller 302 block. Its stock power was about 200 so that will pass your test. The 331 is a great revver thats very reliable, and makes good torque over a 302. It also wont burn the oil and stress the cylinder walls like a 347 will. For heads I would run AFR 185s because they match those 302 strokers wonderfully and the 331s extra cubes have the umph to power those heads. For the cam, I would recommend the X-303 because it has the same duration as the Ecam but good lift at 542/542. This cam is extremely reliable and very cheap, and the idle is nothing at all so itll run at 600 rpms. A dual pattern cam really isnt needed because the AFRs flow so well on the exhaust side. I wouldnt recommend the supercharger at this point because it doesnt really fit the Cobra's nature and you'll see way more power than what you are looking for. You can easily make 350+ at the wheels with this combo without the S/C so imagine if you had it. I'm making 516 at the wheels with a S/C'd stroker and its carbureted. Its a nightmare to get it to hook. 516 at the wheels calculates out to 10.5s for me in the quarter and I weigh 600 more pounds than you so you can see its not needed for you since your more into the canyon carving. Too much power is not a good thing in those sports cars. AFR 185 headed 331 is perfect for you with either the Xcam or a custom cam that will maximize power without sacrificing street manners. Use an all MSD ignition for ease of install and great spark, and any aftermarket intake and youll have one hell of a reliable car thatll get over 20 mpg.

 

[rug]

thanks SmockDoiley for a good reply.

So far I am thinking I will use the stock bottom end of a low milage 302 and put the Trickflow kit (with intake, rockers, cam etc) on it. This way I will have pretty good parts, and room to grow. Ones I get bored I can rebuild the bottom, maybe stroke it, and put som good parts in there for future growth. I don't want to go all nuts on the motor starting out since I could easily blow most of my budget there

Thanks guys... for setting me straight on what motor to use

Carl

 

[bluevenom867]

Sorry,i don't know what I was thinking! Cleveland...Haha! The 302 sounds like a good setup and it sould be reliable. Of course I wanted to put in a 514 with twin turbo's in my mustang when I first got it.