Hey,
I'm looking at yanking the engine out of my 97 cobra and saving the block. I'd rather build up and blow up another block than my SVT cobra block. Anyone know of a short block motor that is relatively easy to swap out. Possibly looking for something stroked out blueprinted and balanced. i just want to make this car a total sleeper something rediculous! Any help or discussion would be much appreciated. I'm looking for oppinions. What do you guys think?

 

Your best bet would be to buy a crate short block. You can see a couple different types in the mustang magazines. (5.0, Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords, etc.)

 

I would use your stock cobra block, they are one of the strongest blocks put into mustangs. They can handle just about anything you can throw at it. I heard they are rated at 800-1000 hp. and thats alot of hp. Plus it would be alot cheaper. Just install forged internals and add alot of boost and It will be a heck of a sleeper.

 

I've got some of the new magazines. Haven't really looked through them yet. I'm just not sure what to go with. Who makes good blocks. What Size of block is going to be easiest to get parts for ect...

I want to stay away from using that block. Firstly it's really expensive 4 cams rather than 1. valves ect.. I also don't want to risk throwing a piston through this block. I've been told that the stock cobra block will support up to 700hp. Also heard the same from a buddy who is building up an aluminum block for his 69 camaro. I don't recall what kind of block it was. There is one thing that i always seem to think about. The power to weight ratio. Aluminum block with 600-700hp compared to a cast block or likewise with 1000+ hp... damned decisions

 

Do you understand the concept of a cam? Cams are what makes your car pull,it is the heart of your engine, so just think about it, 4>2>1. You can do so much more and get so much more power with a 4V. Plus you will get so much more power out of an aluminum block than a cast block. As long as you put forged internals in your cobra block and do it right, and never lean it out, you wont have to worry about a thing. Its all in your tune. I dont know what your planning on going with ( s/c, t/c, spray), but your cobra block will handle it great. A local guy has a 96 Cobra engine in a fox body and he had a Vortech SQ and a shot of nitrous and he was putting down around 700hp and 720+tq on the stock block with stock internals, but he made the mistake to lean it out a little more and try to get a little more power out of it and he cracked a piston. Now he has the same block and he is putting in forged internals and theres no tellin what kind of numbers he will be puttin down. But do what your want, I was just givin you my opinion on how to get the most power, and plus it will be cheaper.

 

you got to be kidding

 

i agree with svt_97cobra, our cobra engines respond so well to forced induction, and they already have a forged crank, so all you neeed is rods and pistons, a good port job on your intake and heads, cams, and a blower and your good to go, ive read an article by sean hyland, where they pushed a stock 96 cobra block to 1500hp, just as long as it is preped right it will be able to take the hp

 

Alright so it's looking more so now that i should stick with my Cobra block. The only reason that i was thinking of pulling it was because i had someone (Whom i thought was a mustang expert) tell me that the stock components wouldn't handle anymore power. What i have is a 97 SVT Cobra with an Intercooled procharger running 6lbs of boost. I know that the 4v heads will benefit way more than 2v heads. But someone also had told me to take the 2valve and get them oversized or something. I'd feel more comfortable using the existing cobra block. Just because i know what i have to do to it to make the power i want. Basically forged pistons and rods. A butt load of head work. Much more boost. Fuel system. I have catback exhaust already, so a set of headers. One thing i was wondering about was blueprinting and balancing. Some mentioned this to me once upon a time. Is it possible to do this to this block? Is it already done? Does it need to be done? I've heard that it makes your engine so much more responsive. Everything just "flows" better so to speak. Oh BTW does anyone know where to find an auto transmisson for that car something with like a bump shift or similar? All the research i've done i don't really want to stick with the manual tranny. Auto would be so much faster IMO

 

look at B&M transmissions, just call a trans shop thaat does performance autos, and ask what they would sujest for what you are doing, you can either go with a C-4 or and AOD. you can blue print an engine, but i would recomend a shop doing it for you. maybe look at DSS racing, it's and 10min away from me and they do great work (st. charles IL). and i would recomend getting your block machined and polished and all that jazz just so it performse bettter and you dont have to worry about it in the future

 

Yeah i've heard alot about B&M. I'll definately look into them. As for the rest of the things I do plan on having a shop do that for me. If that is it's needed. How do i know? Also i live way up in the "north country" Alberta, Canada haha... I don't really care if i have to ship my block somewhere i just want it to be done right. I'm sick of all the "pro's" up here. No one really seems to know what the hell they are talking about or are too busy that they rush things