'95 Cobra engine done. I need your ideas for a swap.

Fords4ME

New Member

Jun 9, 2003

69

0

0

Appomattox, Backwoods VA

Nov 17, 2008

#1

• Nov 17, 2008

• #1

Well the stock 5.0 in my Cobra finally decided to fight back. The engine and trans are out and in an oil bag for a restoration about 40 years from now.

The normal possibilities would be:

5.0 crate engine with a single turbo kit
347 stroker
400+ cube stroker
'03-'04 Cobra engine swap

I'm not going to use anything from the old engine including computer so its a clean slate. It will have a 5 or 6 speed manual and I would like EFI in some form. I'd like to have 500-600 rwhp. Budget is around $10,000 not including labor.

What'd you do?

 

earleys94gt

Active Member

Aug 31, 2003

1,223

16

49

Ashley, Ohio

Nov 17, 2008

#2

• Nov 17, 2008

• #2

If it were me, I'd do the 5.0 single turbo.

It's almost the best of both worlds, low end torque and high end power.

You might even want to do a 331 with a turbo, just for a little extra.

A 400+ cubic inch stroker would be nice, but the turbo will make up for any 'lacking' power the small block may have.

Just do some research and do it right the first time.

 

Yellow302

Member

Mar 2, 2003

789

2

19

NJ

Nov 17, 2008

#3

• Nov 17, 2008

• #3

if your going to do a trans, computer, harness, and engine... plus possible blower.. for 10k.... I highly doubt it can be done using all new parts. esp for 500-600rwhp

I could see squeezing the engine blower/turbo computer setup for 10k but not with the trans. I would def go with a 6 spd though

if you get some things used then maybe you can do it for 10k

 

final5-0

Mustang Master

Apr 6, 2003

6,817

12

79

DFW Texas

Nov 17, 2008

#4

• Nov 17, 2008

• #4

Your goal is a bit high for the OEM block if you stick with the rule of
thumb that 450 is pushing it

If you could be happy with 400 or a bit higher
then
You could go a lot more down that $10K road with the OEM block

An all motor 347 stroker (OEM block) would be nice

A blower or turbo on a fresh OEM block would be nice
as long as
You don't push things past that 450 mark

Going into a better, stronger block, $$$$$ :Word:

I guess I'm keeping an eye on that $10K price

Paying for trans, and other supporting stuff for that amount of power

I think $10K might be a little light for that objective

Grady

 

Labora

Founding Member

Jun 11, 2000

1,854

26

69

Dallas, Texas

Nov 18, 2008

#5

• Nov 18, 2008

• #5

408, decent size single turbo, and a t56. My 2 cents....

 

R

Rookie71

Member

Jul 25, 2006

28

7

19

Nov 18, 2008

#6

• Nov 18, 2008

• #6

As above. I'd go with a early '69-74 351W block based 408W and a small amount of boost. I think your goals and budget are a little at odds unless you want to make the hp with a small shot of nitrous.

I built a dart based 427W stroker, and I am around $10k into just the motor and swap parts. No transmission or power adder has been factored in yet.

 

2

2002BLGT

Well-Known Member

Dec 18, 2003

2,945

4

59

Bedford VA

Nov 18, 2008

#7

• Nov 18, 2008

• #7

Fords4ME said:

Well the stock 5.0 in my Cobra finally decided to fight back. The engine and trans are out and in an oil bag for a restoration about 40 years from now.

The normal possibilities would be:

5.0 crate engine with a single turbo kit
347 stroker
400+ cube stroker
'03-'04 Cobra engine swap

I'm not going to use anything from the old engine including computer so its a clean slate. It will have a 5 or 6 speed manual and I would like EFI in some form. I'd like to have 500-600 rwhp. Budget is around $10,000 not including labor.

What'd you do?

Click to expand...

if its an actual cobra I would find a late model roller 351w block and build a decent 393 or 408 and find a lightning lower intake and keep the cobra intake up top and build a nice little NA motor with some AFR heads ........or even 331 or 347 stroke the motor you pulled out and put some AFR heads on it ....

 

revhead347

Apparently my ex-husband made that mistake.

20+ Year Stangneter

Jun 14, 2004

9,297

1,641

214

Acworth, GA

Nov 18, 2008

#8

• Nov 18, 2008

• #8

10K isn't a lot of money. Might be able to build yourself a nice Windsor motor with a nice set of heads and a T-56 tranny. I would rather have a nice Windsor engine that was done right and runs smooth then a turbo car with plastic T-fittings, injectors too small and all that stuff because you couldn't afford to finish. You can run the stock block up to about 550 crank HP safely. I'm almost at 600hp and I have never had a problem. How much do you want to drive this car? If you drive this car to work everyday, a 600hp N/A 302 is not going to be that comfortable to drive.

Kurt

 

Fords4ME

New Member

Jun 9, 2003

69

0

0

Appomattox, Backwoods VA

Nov 24, 2008

#9

• Nov 24, 2008

• #9

Thanks for the input. I don't drive it very much already so street manners don't matter at all. It would just be for driving to the in-laws on Sundays.

I see your point about the budget. The turbo alone would be $5k.

Would it be easier to find a 03-04 Cobra engine? A few extras can easily net 500hp. The cheapest used one I have seen is around $9k with transmission. But it already has 60k miles.

 

KamiKaziDK

Member

May 16, 2005

555

0

17

Mesa, Az

Nov 28, 2008

#10

• Nov 28, 2008

• #10

the 500 to 600 RWHP is gonna be really hard to pull off for 10k....if it were me, I'd get the stock tranny freshened and built up a little to hand power and get a good clutch for it. As far as the engine....Get a boss based engine like the M-6007-X302b and put some 42 lb injectors and and a victor 5.0 intake with a 255lph fuel pump. Add yourself a 200 shot of Nitrous and there you go, all that for just a pinch under $10,000.......be a smart shopper...find parts on craigslist/stangnet/e-bay and you could do the project for less than $8,000 easily.....main thing though if you want that 500-600 hp mark though is get a 4-bolt block based engine.....add nitrous. My 2 cents

 

R

RycheGT

Member

May 31, 2005

73

0

6

Thomasville, NC

Nov 28, 2008

#11

• Nov 28, 2008

• #11

Fords4ME said:

Thanks for the input. I don't drive it very much already so street manners don't matter at all. It would just be for driving to the in-laws on Sundays.

I see your point about the budget. The turbo alone would be $5k.

Would it be easier to find a 03-04 Cobra engine? A few extras can easily net 500hp. The cheapest used one I have seen is around $9k with transmission. But it already has 60k miles.

Click to expand...

I dont know if youd be interested in this swap, but theres a local 99 Cobra vert here thats a wreck going for 3k I believe. Youd get the Teksid block, comp, harness, tranny, etc for that 3k. With a KB, and a tune youd make some good power with it. Just something to think about it.