Guidance needed from Roadster Yoda"

[mccubbinsjl]

Needing someone to talk to about prepping for my build. Someone who has done it 1 time on their own or more.
I have some concerns about engines, electrical, metal work and other things as well.

Message me if you have time to talk.. Im in Afghanistan right now so i have nothing but time to plan.

Thanks

[David Hodgkins]

First and foremost, THANK YOU for your service! And welcome to the Forum.

Feel free to post any and all questions you have before purchasing. You will get more input that way. There is some advice I'd only give in a PM but we can cross that bridge at the appropriate time.

The big questions:

How big/tall are you?
What is the intended use of the car?
What is your budget?

How concerned with "correctness" are you? For example, do you have to have 15" pin drive wheels or do you want lower profile 17" bolt on rims?

I had 1000 posts on a forum before I ordered and had all the major questions I had answered before I pulled the trigger on my order.

:)

[68GT500MAN]

David, you also changed your forum name at one point. mccubbinsjl, I second the THANK YOU and WELCOME. Post your questions or send a PM and we will start "helping you plan" (spend your money).
Doug

[CraigS]

First,as others have said, a big THANK YOU for your service. A couple of thoughts for you. This is a great forum but is kind of young, so some searching on the other forum will turn up a lot of info on any subject. When you click on search, the window that pops up will have a google option- it is by far the best option. Look for build threads. They often have tons of pics that will give you a feel for the project. I have helped some w/ Bill3422's build and he has a good thread going and there are several others.
Welcome to a ton of fun that is a life changer for sure.

[Danthony89]

I'm in the process of my first build and love it so far, PM me if you want info on what to expect so far, i planned for years and Finaly dropped the hammer on the build and did it, so far best decision so far. And as everyone else has said thanks for your servic.

[mccubbinsjl]

First and foremost, THANK YOU for your service! And welcome to the Forum.

Feel free to post any and all questions you have before purchasing. You will get more input that way. There is some advice I'd only give in a PM but we can cross that bridge at the appropriate time.

The big questions:

How big/tall are you?
What is the intended use of the car?
What is your budget?

How concerned with "correctness" are you? For example, do you have to have 15" pin drive wheels or do you want lower profile 17" bolt on rims?

I had 1000 posts on a forum before I ordered and had all the major questions I had answered before I pulled the trigger on my order.

:)

Thanks and I should say that I am a contractor now over here but was a prior Marine (10yrs).
Im 5"10in, 215lbs but trimming down to 200
The car is just a joy ride for me and my wife. I have a SRT-10 that is my daily driver when I am at home or Im on the bike when gas gets up there.
I just want a Shelby Cobra..... it doesnt have to be period correct but looks do matter to me in certain aspects.
I want to keep it all under $35K


David, you also changed your forum name at one point. mccubbinsjl, I second the THANK YOU and WELCOME. Post your questions or send a PM and we will start "helping you plan" (spend your money).
Doug
No my name on all my forums is the same as this one. mccubbinsjl


First,as others have said, a big THANK YOU for your service. A couple of thoughts for you. This is a great forum but is kind of young, so some searching on the other forum will turn up a lot of info on any subject. When you click on search, the window that pops up will have a google option- it is by far the best option. Look for build threads. They often have tons of pics that will give you a feel for the project. I have helped some w/ Bill3422's build and he has a good thread going and there are several others.
Welcome to a ton of fun that is a life changer for sure.

Ive been to quite a few sites and companies that seem to all do the same thing, but one company has a pay as you go kind of deal. 4 Stages and you pay for a stage , complete it and then pay for the next stage. More budget friendly when money is tight.
THe only thing is that I dont konw the quality differences between the companies really

[3yearplan]

This is just in fun, nothing serious. Hopefully your daily driver SRT-10 is the truck version and not the Viper version. If it is the Viper then it would have some serious competition just sitting in the next garage stall over. Whether a 8.0, 8.3, or 8.4 Viper, a stoutly built FFR will go toe to toe with the big Dodge, maybe only lacking in the top speed arena. Besides building my FFR Mark 4, my OTHER dream car is a Viper, not my Chevy Cruze Eco daily driver. But it does have a six speed manual and gets 36 MPG in the city...


Mike

[mccubbinsjl]

This is just in fun, nothing serious. Hopefully your daily driver SRT-10 is the truck version and not the Viper version. If it is the Viper then it would have some serious competition just sitting in the next garage stall over. Whether a 8.0, 8.3, or 8.4 Viper, a stoutly built FFR will go toe to toe with the big Dodge, maybe only lacking in the top speed arena. Besides building my FFR Mark 4, my OTHER dream car is a Viper, not my Chevy Cruze Eco daily driver. But it does have a six speed manual and gets 36 MPG in the city...


Mike

Yes my SRT-10 is the 2006 Night Runner Quad Cab 8.3L V10. Love that beast.
I guess my questions start with why are engines so expensive? I want to use the Shelby 428 but i looked them up online and they go from $15-25K. I was looking at the Coyote Engines and same thing. Im starting to think I will need to just find a Junked 302 or Crate 302 and go fromt there, but i want the higher HP.

[3yearplan]

I agree, all crate engine prices are extremely high. That was why I went for a used engine out of a 2004 Mach 1. Definitely not the high horsepower you are looking for, but probably enough for me to start with. Some of the others could estimate what is actually the best useable horsepower for these cars and where it just becomes a number to brag about.

[mccubbinsjl]

I agree, all crate engine prices are extremely high. That was why I went for a used engine out of a 2004 Mach 1. Definitely not the high horsepower you are looking for, but probably enough for me to start with. Some of the others could estimate what is actually the best useable horsepower for these cars and where it just becomes a number to brag about.

Im not a mechanical guru so I am looking for a turnkey engine without having to buy the whole car. Id but the Shelby 427 down in her if money was no issue, but sadly it is.

I usually get what i want no matter what people say. thats why I have my truck and bike.... bad decisions says everyone else, but I love them. And I dont have to upgrade ever since I have the ones i always wanted.

[Joee]

Call Mike at Forte’s
http://www.fortesparts.com/

Or Gordon
http://levyracing.com/

Either one of them can put together a 351 based motor with well over 400hp and that will be all you will need. If that becomes boring add boost later.

I am running a strong 302 with over 300hp and a 3.55 rear it is more than adequate. How fast do you need to go? 1st to 2nd, 2 sec, 2nd to 3rd 2 more sec and over 60mph, run 3rd out to fourth 100+mph. Where are you going to use A LOT of hp?? Save the $$$.

[skullandbones]

Hi,

If you plan on holding the budget to around 35k you might rethink a "fully dressed" or as you said turnkey engine with a lot of hp. That will bust the budget. If you begin your build and get with a group of builders who have experience (like a Cobra club), you could get a short block or long block "crate" engine that still has plenty of power without the bells and whistles. With a little help you can put a very impressive engine together (just the bolt ons) and make your goal without breaking the bank. Of course, you will learn a lot along the way and feel like you could work on it maybe if you needed to in the future. It's not rocket science! If you just don't want to deal with it, you can get a long block 351W with over 300 hp for less than 4K if you look around. Good luck on whatever you decide. WEK.

[mccubbinsjl]

Hi,

If you plan on holding the budget to around 35k you might rethink a "fully dressed" or as you said turnkey engine with a lot of hp. That will bust the budget. If you begin your build and get with a group of builders who have experience (like a Cobra club), you could get a short block or long block "crate" engine that still has plenty of power without the bells and whistles. With a little help you can put a very impressive engine together (just the bolt ons) and make your goal without breaking the bank. Of course, you will learn a lot along the way and feel like you could work on it maybe if you needed to in the future. It's not rocket science! If you just don't want to deal with it, you can get a long block 351W with over 300 hp for less than 4K if you look around. Good luck on whatever you decide. WEK.

If I have to downgrade engines its not the end of the world, but as long as I stay in budget ill be happy and wont destroy the family.

[skullandbones]

Good attitude! BTW, that engine I mentioned above is actually 385 hp for less than 4k (dyno proven).

[mccubbinsjl]

Ok, next on my Parts list for the 351W since it seems to be close to the window of HP i want and a $5-7K price depending on manufacturer. What are these pipes for fuel injection? Besides the badass look of them what are the pro/cons?

18241

[3yearplantoo]

The pros are that they look fantastic, eight seperate injection stacks, the cons $$$$, that and the fact that all eight throttle bodies open at once, not in a progressive manner like a carb or standard EFI throttle body.

[mccubbinsjl]

The pros are that they look fantastic, eight seperate injection stacks, the cons $$$$, that and the fact that all eight throttle bodies open at once, not in a progressive manner like a carb or standard EFI throttle body.

And the problem with "the fact that all eight throttle bodies open at once, not in a progressive manner like a carb or standard EFI throttle body" is? Fuel wasted?

[3yearplantoo]

Not necessarily fuel being wasted as much as throttle control, eight stacks are better suited for a non street car where you are running at full throttle most of the time.
Lets just say that it's not a very "street friendly" setup. The low and part throttle characteristics are real touchy, it's kind of an all or nothing setup. I have seen them on street cars but I
don't think that it would be as enjoyable to drive. Of course that's just my opinion, I'm sure that there's someone somewhere who would disagree.

[mccubbinsjl]

Not necessarily fuel being wasted as much as throttle control, eight stacks are better suited for a non street car where you are running at full throttle most of the time.
Lets just say that it's not a very "street friendly" setup. The low and part throttle characteristics are real touchy, it's kind of an all or nothing setup. I have seen them on street cars but I
don't think that it would be as enjoyable to drive. Of course that's just my opinion, I'm sure that there's someone somewhere who would disagree.

well only one way to find out.. too bad they cost a pretty penny. But if i dont like them, I guess I can always go back to stock

[carlewms]

After doing a lot of research on the various forums, I decided to go with a SB vice an FE motor. The FE motor may be more authentic to a 427SC roadster, but they have other issues not to mention stuffing a very big engine physically in a small space. For my first build I just wanted to eliminate the additional risks and costs.

Once I made the decision on SB vice BB as well as the decision to go with EFI and the HP range (400-450 HP), I got quotes from at least 5 vendors. Here is what I learned:

1. If a carb works for your intended use, stick with it. EFI will cost a lot more $$$$;
2. Avoid the "engine bling". It adds dollars which have no impact on HP or drivability in my view as well as we're not part of the originals;
3. Depending on your desires for power steering, you can reduce some costs by eliminating PS accessories;
4. The less "customization" of the engine by the vendor, you can save some $. For example a customized cam to your application could cost more. If you like the vendor's standard Bill of Materials stick with it; and,
5. I would stick with a forum vendor; knowing these cars is important in the engine/transmission combinations.

My two cents! Carl

[mccubbinsjl]

After doing a lot of research on the various forums, I decided to go with a SB vice an FE motor. The FE motor may be more authentic to a 427SC roadster, but they have other issues not to mention stuffing a very big engine physically in a small space. For my first build I just wanted to eliminate the additional risks and costs.

Once I made the decision on SB vice BB as well as the decision to go with EFI and the HP range (400-450 HP), I got quotes from at least 5 vendors. Here is what I learned:

1. If a carb works for your intended use, stick with it. EFI will cost a lot more $$$$;
2. Avoid the "engine bling". It adds dollars which have no impact on HP or drivability in my view as well as we're not part of the originals;
3. Depending on your desires for power steering, you can reduce some costs by eliminating PS accessories;
4. The less "customization" of the engine by the vendor, you can save some $. For example a customized cam to your application could cost more. If you like the vendor's standard Bill of Materials stick with it; and,
5. I would stick with a forum vendor; knowing these cars is important in the engine/transmission combinations.

My two cents! Carl


That is pretty good advice, but even though the pipes are not in any way stock to the original, they are about the only piece of bling that I want in the engine. I just like them. But if it becomes a problem of maintenance or money then Ill just save that idea for a rainy day. Im not looking to make this car a complete show car nor a 9sec drag. I want a fun cruiser that I am not afraid to drive because its too "pretty" and be able to thow it down someone gets the temptation.

[mccubbinsjl]

What is the actual title/name for those kind of Pipes so i can find multiple ones and compare?