Pushrod Vs. modular

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Easy to say. Yours is stroked and poked with a full top end and stuffed into your car of choice. Of course you're not going to trade it for one of the above mentioned....

...now, what it if your choices were a wheezing 215hp E7TE 302 wrapped in an SN95, an early wheezing 215hp 4.6L in an SN95 or a later 260hp 4.6L in a New Edge?

Well, if the engine in question was already in a new edge, it wouldn't make any sense to swap in an older pushrod 302 would it? I mean I know people have done it, but it's stupid unless you're building a race car and already have big money into a pushrod engine. This question is different for a person who already owns a Fox, because it makes more sense to swap in newer engines into an older car than it would to swap older engines into a newer car.

 

[NIKwoaC]

you can go mid high 11's NA in a 2v with some junk yard parts if you know where and what to look for... they dont need to be boosted. granted boost is sexy as hell!

View attachment 182942

2V 4.6, junkyard parts, no power adder? Is it in a go kart? Gonna have to show me this one.

 

[srtthis]

i'll PM you i cant let out all my secrets out there

 

[atey950]

driveablity would be much better on a newer mod motor then a push rod...

I kinda get the driveability thing...my car isn't bad but my setup is a little less "driveable" than some might like. I like it. Gives the car some grunt and personality. I think I'm pushrod for life. Not saying I'd never own a mod, they are strong in their own right. Just saying I'll still have a pushrod car, too.

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Oh, I forgot in my list of mod motors i'd trade for, I'd totally go for a 5 liter Cammer too. Those engines are BA.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

I suggest that the OP buys the best car he can find for 2/3 of his total budget and leave the other 1/3 for repairs and upgrades. If it's a pre-'99 model make that 1/2 and 1/2 respectively 'cause you'll probably spend more on repairs.

 

[FastDriver]

If I were going SN, I think I'd go for a '96-'98 Cobra. It's a better start if you want to make beyond 500rwhp, and it comes with the refinement of a few extra years. The DOHC in those models is still far preferable to the 2Vs and 3Vs in later models, IMO.

The hell with all that, though. If you're thinking about a 5.0, stick with the fox platform The lighter, the better.

 

[LilBerx]

If I were going SN, I think I'd go for a '96-'98 Cobra. It's a better start if you want to make beyond 500rwhp, and it comes with the refinement of a few extra years. The DOHC in those models is still far preferable to the 2Vs and 3Vs in later models, IMO.

The hell with all that, though. If you're thinking about a 5.0, stick with the fox platform The lighter, the better.

i love foxes, but I want a car that has both driver and passenger airbag, my twin nephews are now getting older to a point that they will now want to be going more places with me, I have had many foxes, and I love them, but I love sn interior. All I all, I will either get a 94-98 cobra, one or the other as long as I find a clean, unmolested, virgin, with the cherry on top cobra. I will most likely be traveling to Vegas to get one because they are almost all rust free, and 90% of people from Vegas take care of their vehicles. Most cars here in Utah are hacked up, rusty, or just beaten on. It's rare to find a Virgin here.

Plus like everyone says, foxes, are nothing but a rattle box, and yes I know everyone says that you can make them quiet and like a new car, but that costs alot of
Money.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

i love foxes, but I want a car that has both driver and passenger airbag, my twin nephews are now getting older to a point that they will now want to be going more places with me, I have had many foxes, and I love them, but I love sn interior. All I all, I will either get a 94-98 cobra, one or the other as long as I find a clean, unmolested, virgin, with the cherry on top cobra. I will most likely be traveling to Vegas to get one because they are almost all rust free, and 90% of people from Vegas take care of their vehicles. Most cars here in Utah are hacked up, rusty, or just beaten on. It's rare to find a Virgin here.

Plus like everyone says, foxes, are nothing but a rattle box, and yes I know everyone says that you can make them quiet and like a new car, but that costs alot of
Money

.

Oh Come on! Subframe connectors, and a liberal dose of proper sound deadening technique and materials,..new gaskets and weatherstip and my car was 95% free of rattles , w/ only the occasional "journey to the center of the earth" pothole being the exception.
About 500.00 and a couple of weekends,....

 

[Bullitt347]

I can swap cams on a 4.6 mod motor faster than you can change the cam on a 5.0 pushrod engine! I do not have to pull the timing cover, I do not have to remove the intake manifold, just the valve covers and a few items in the engine compartment such as battery and air inlet box/tubing. Don't even have to drain coolant. Even the serpentine belt stays on. The only downside may be the cost of the parts, but then again, I only have to buy cams, no gaskets, no coolant ect. It all comes down to what your familiar with. If a 4.6 intimidates you then you will never really be happy with it. I get 325 rwhp out of my 08' Bullitt with simple bolt on's N/A, no Nitrous, no blower no turbo and all with great drive-ability. This car is a blast to drive, get 27 mpg at highway speeds and handles better than most Fox body cars mod for mod, or stock for stock.

 

[LilBerx]

I can swap cams on a 4.6 mod motor faster than you can change the cam on a 5.0 pushrod engine! I do not have to pull the timing cover, I do not have to remove the intake manifold, just the valve covers and a few items in the engine compartment such as battery and air inlet box/tubing. Don't even have to drain coolant. Even the serpentine belt stays on. The only downside may be the cost of the parts, but then again, I only have to buy cams, no gaskets, no coolant ect. It all comes down to what your familiar with. If a 4.6 intimidates you then you will never really be happy with it. I get 325 rwhp out of my 08' Bullitt with simple bolt on's N/A, no Nitrous, no blower no turbo and all with great drive-ability. This car is a blast to drive, get 27 mpg at highway speeds and handles better than most Fox body cars mod for mod, or stock for stock.

Exactly what I'm looking for, reliability, and drive ability.... I have a fox right now, and they are a money pit!!!

 

[Bullitt347]

Exactly what I'm looking for, reliability, and drive ability.... I have a fox right now, and they are a money pit!!!

ANY car can be a money pit! I have had that argument with myself many times Lol. You do not know how many times I have had to tell myself to NOT take the Bullitt over the top when it comes to mods, from a drive-ability standpoint and from a cost standpoint. Believe me, I have had to withhold the urge to supercharge the Bullitt many times.

 

[LilBerx]

ANY car can be a money pit! I have had that argument with myself many times Lol. You do not know how many times I have had to tell myself to NOT take the Bullitt over the top when it comes to mods, from a drive-ability standpoint and from a cost standpoint. Believe me, I have had to withhold the urge to supercharge the Bullitt many times.

Well yeah, but when you have a 25 yr old fox body with a few mods done that you are daily driving, breaks... Ha ha. I have learned the hard way. I am lookin for a 94-98 cobra within 1,000 miles of Utah. I have not seen one 94-98 cobra in the valley of 40,000, I am on a mission, and I will succeed.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

.... I have a fox right now, and they are a money pit!!!

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

[FastDriver]

! You guys can't pretend to be car guys and call a Fox a money pit. Any level of performance you want to achieve can be achieved for the same ballpark to far less than you can do it on 95% of the platforms out there. A junkyard $50 engine took 420 rwhp for 5 years and 50-60k miles before I sold the car. Things break on an old car, but it's not as expensive as buying a new car and watching it depreciate at 15-20%/year. If you want to dump money into a car, then you can make your car a money-pit, but that's your own decision and can be done on any other car out there. Money pit? They're nothing compared to modding the new stuff. Latest issue of 5.0 has a stang they dumped $1400 in bolt-ons into so that it could make another 30-ish hp. They called it the most responsive when compared to a 96-98 Cobra, a Mach, and something else. Sure, maybe it was more responsive part for part, but that's not the same as $ for $... That $1400 was good for a throttle body, exhaust, some other minor thing, and a tune. You could do better than a 30 hp improvement for next to nothing in a fox.

 

[Dino Dino Bambino]

Things break on an old car, but it's not as expensive as buying a new car and watching it depreciate at 15-20%/year. If you want to dump money into a car, then you can make your car a money-pit, but that's your own decision and can be done on any other car out there. Money pit? They're nothing compared to modding the new stuff.

Totally agree.

If I were going SN, I think I'd go for a '96-'98 Cobra. It's a better start if you want to make beyond 500rwhp, and it comes with the refinement of a few extra years.

The best part is that the Teksid block and stock forged crank can handle way more than 500rwhp and so will the rest of the engine if you swap in a set of forged pistons/rods. The 4v heads on these engines are great, making the '96-'98 a jewel of an engine to behold. The only reason it produced a mere 305hp was because of the horribly restrictive exhaust. Even the great 5.0L Cammer engine was based on the '96-'98 Cobra.

 

[89stang1]

Oh Come on! Subframe connectors, and a liberal dose of proper sound deadening technique and materials,..new gaskets and weatherstip and my car was 95% free of rattles , w/ only the occasional "journey to the center of the earth" pothole being the exception.
About 500.00 and a couple of weekends,....

dead on!! thats what is done to my car and is super quiet and smooth! and my vote goes for pushrod when the last 4.6 finds the junkyard there will be many 5.0 pushrod engines still out there! they will never die!