modds for a cobra

909cobra · 08-17-2005

hey i got a stock 97 cobra. i want to know how much hp the stock motor can take..... what will i have to do to make 500+ hp. will that be enough to take an LS1....

NoSlow5oh · 08-17-2005

All you need to get 500hp would be a basic supercharger at around 7-8psi, and maybe some exhaust. Thats all I have, and if I got a custom tune done it would bring that number up to around 550 to 575hp. IMO don't waste your time with all the little bolt ons that end up costing more than a supercharger and provide 100hp less. Oh, about the LS1s, there are always a few that make the grade, but you will have no problem with 90% of the corvettes, z28s, and trans-ams. Of course, the best bang for your buck will always be gears.

99blackcobra · 08-22-2005

I went to a show and they told me they would upgrade the TB , bigger mas air , 180 t'stat , long tube headers and H-pipe and a diablo chip. Everyone says gears but then you burn more gas . You could try under drive pulleys or maybe a electric water pump. I am going to look into getting one for my car . You should go to some local shops and ask them and see how many cobra's they are fixing in there shop. A super charger is a great way to go if you can afford to spend atleast 4K. Go luck

dollarbill · 08-22-2005

This may be a dumb question but do the dohc cars have better pistons and rods than the sohc. I know the crank is different (I think) but if the pistons and rods are the same then they are not going to hold 550+ horse. Also NoSlow50 are you meaning rwhp or crank hp, its is a big difference. I have heard of sohc with a stock bottom end and good tune running up to 450 rwhp, no more. Most only have 400 for longevity of the stock stuff. For some reason I thought they had a very similar bottom end as the sohc.

NoSlow5oh · 08-23-2005

Quote:

Originally Posted by dollarbill

This may be a dumb question but do the dohc cars have better pistons and rods than the sohc. I know the crank is different (I think) but if the pistons and rods are the same then they are not going to hold 550+ horse. Also NoSlow50 are you meaning rwhp or crank hp, its is a big difference. I have heard of sohc with a stock bottom end and good tune running up to 450 rwhp, no more. Most only have 400 for longevity of the stock stuff. For some reason I thought they had a very similar bottom end as the sohc.

As far as I know, the rods and pistons are the same. It really doesn't matter, you can get 550hp out of a bone stock 4.6 bottom end with no problems if you tune it correctly. One of the main concerns is the block. The 4.6 blocks that came in the GT's are not that strong, but will handle abuse to some degree. The cobras came with a block that was cast in Teksid, Italy, and then shipped over here. They are about the strongest block ford has ever made. I have about 500hp at the crank. The reason I only make 500 is because of my fuel system. I am running out of fuel at this level. That and the fact that I never really race the car, so I haven't felt like messing with it. If any of you want to read up on this stuff I recommend Sean Hyland's 4.6 Power book. It tells all about the 4.6 motors.