You are right though "funky", its not an 03/04 Cobra engine. Here are some opinions on Aluminum, and Iron block engines.
Hi Mark, is the teksid aluminum block the same in the Mustang GT, as in the 96-97-98-99 Cobra? See some comments below. The Alum vs Iron seems to be an old argument.
CobraKindaGuy
Price had nothing to do with it. The first pre-production design of the 03 Cobra with the blower added did use an aluminum block but the extreme heat caused by the blower was causing the heads to warp and develop fine cracks in the cylinder walls. So they had to go with the cast iron block to eliminate this problem since they did not have enough time to address the heat problems given their projected production date.
Oh Three Cobra
Yea, it would have been cheeper for ford to use the current aluminum block than to cast a new iron block. I herd that in testing they damaged an aluminum block which they initially planned to use. Anyone ever see the video of the supercharged 99-01 cobra racing a z06 that cracks the block?
FireRed04Vert
This iron vs aluminum argument will never end. I have a good friend who is a software engineer for Ford (designs EEC software) He told me the conversations that went on inside of Ford about this subject were very heated at times. Ford WANTED to go aluminum for the weight factor (hence CAFE) But they felt there might be a durability issue because they knew these engines would be subjected to modification and more boost when used in sanctioned racing. They felt to build an aluminum block that would hold up to their standards would require new tooling...and THAT is expensive. Using an existing or previous production block was not considered as they felt it wouldn't stand up. So the comments about holding 1200 hp are not supported by Ford engineers. Remember, they are thinking about longevity issues more than anything else. A block that would hold up to race only environments would also have to hold up to many, many miles of street use too. Ford has VERY strict guidelines as to what any new engine must perform to when it comes to these issues. If it won't perform to these, they have no choice but to look elsewhere. The 4.6 aluminum didn't pass these tests.
yeasure
Don't you love it when people don't understand that ford is using different blocks and their brothers girlfriends dads uncle that works for ford told him this or that.
It's "FACT" the "Teksid" blocks are the "STRONGEST" factory blocks unless ford has a better casting now(aka The FordGT block).
If you'll look around(try SHM for an example) you'll notice they sell the older blocks, why, because they are the strongest and it's not only SHM.
Now don't take this like i'm saying the cast iron blocks are crap, they're not, just stating Facts.
Heres something to look at.....
Blocks are as follows......
1. 99 Cobra
2. 96-98 Cobra and 94-98 Lincoln RWD
3. 03 Cobra
4. 01 Explorer
5. 98 up 2V iron block
6. pre 98 2V iron block
John Mihovetz
hpbyherman
97 cobra aluminum block being used in my new engine
will hold over 1,000 h.p. easy.....when prepped correctly...hermann
Hissman
The 98 Aluminum cobra block will easily handle 1200 hp. I am having Ported and polished 04 Cobra heads, and a 2.3 Whipple charger installed as well as all of the other necessary upgrades. We are shooting for 600 rwhp just to keep it streetable. It is also going to be stroked to 5.0 liters. These blocks are plenty strong enough.Hi Mark, is the teksid aluminum block the same in the Mustang GT, as in the 96-97-98-99 Cobra? See some comments below. The Alum vs Iron seems to be an old argument.
CobraKindaGuy
Price had nothing to do with it. The first pre-production design of the 03 Cobra with the blower added did use an aluminum block but the extreme heat caused by the blower was causing the heads to warp and develop fine cracks in the cylinder walls. So they had to go with the cast iron block to eliminate this problem since they did not have enough time to address the heat problems given their projected production date.
Oh Three Cobra
Yea, it would have been cheeper for ford to use the current aluminum block than to cast a new iron block. I herd that in testing they damaged an aluminum block which they initially planned to use. Anyone ever see the video of the supercharged 99-01 cobra racing a z06 that cracks the block?
FireRed04Vert
This iron vs aluminum argument will never end. I have a good friend who is a software engineer for Ford (designs EEC software) He told me the conversations that went on inside of Ford about this subject were very heated at times. Ford WANTED to go aluminum for the weight factor (hence CAFE) But they felt there might be a durability issue because they knew these engines would be subjected to modification and more boost when used in sanctioned racing. They felt to build an aluminum block that would hold up to their standards would require new tooling...and THAT is expensive. Using an existing or previous production block was not considered as they felt it wouldn't stand up. So the comments about holding 1200 hp are not supported by Ford engineers. Remember, they are thinking about longevity issues more than anything else. A block that would hold up to race only environments would also have to hold up to many, many miles of street use too. Ford has VERY strict guidelines as to what any new engine must perform to when it comes to these issues. If it won't perform to these, they have no choice but to look elsewhere. The 4.6 aluminum didn't pass these tests.
yeasure
Don't you love it when people don't understand that ford is using different blocks and their brothers girlfriends dads uncle that works for ford told him this or that.
It's "FACT" the "Teksid" blocks are the "STRONGEST" factory blocks unless ford has a better casting now(aka The FordGT block).
If you'll look around(try SHM for an example) you'll notice they sell the older blocks, why, because they are the strongest and it's not only SHM.
Now don't take this like i'm saying the cast iron blocks are crap, they're not, just stating Facts.
Heres something to look at.....
Blocks are as follows......
1. 99 Cobra
2. 96-98 Cobra and 94-98 Lincoln RWD
3. 03 Cobra
4. 01 Explorer
5. 98 up 2V iron block
6. pre 98 2V iron block
John Mihovetz
hpbyherman
97 cobra aluminum block being used in my new engine
will hold over 1,000 h.p. easy.....when prepped correctly...hermann
Hissman
The 98 Aluminum cobra block will easily handle 1200 hp. I am having Ported and polished 04 Cobra heads, and a 2.3 Whipple charger installed as well as all of the other necessary upgrades. We are shooting for 600 rwhp just to keep it streetable. It is also going to be stroked to 5.0 liters. These blocks are plenty strong enough. | 
2000 Mustang GT - Major Upgrade! 
. My set up will allow the ability to add a intercooler Procharger setup in the next 2-3 years. 
