1999 Cobra Rebuild Suggestions

[Lawman67]

I’ve been reading and digesting about every version of a thread I could wrap my brain around for a project car I picked up. I picked up a 99 convertible off a friend in a pinch with a knocking motor...spun bearing

It sat for a year and I finally took the plunge and pulled the motor, stared at it for awhile and decided to take it to a machine shop. The motor is apart and I am waiting for a thumbs up on one of the heads to see if a camshaft journal is going to be a problem.

The crankshaft is in tough shape indicating the motor was run on the spun bearing for a bit. It sounds like welding, grinding and polishing is an option and the shop is saying they think I’d be better off to get an Eagle crank or some other. I am finding that a forged crank seems hard to find and most options are cast.

My original plan was to go with forged rods and forced air. The aforementioned plan assumed the crank would be more okay than it is...so I would be grateful for some thoughts on what to consider consider as I’m back to the drawing board.

It is a convertible, so I don’t know if that makes a difference. Do these handle less than a full body?
I’m not looking for 1000 hp, but would like to be around 425 450. Just a number I picked. It’s not a daily driver but more of a mess around on weekends and be interesting.

As for what is my budget? I paid 1500 for the car, so I’ll still end up with too much in it.

Im spending 3k for the rebuild already, knowing I probably could have shopped harder and done better, but I’m okay with it...doesn’t mean I can’t pick up the parts, pay the bill and go another route.

Can I get a rotating forged assembly and induction for 5k?

Sounds like the crank could be repaired for around 200. He just recommended against it.

Thank you in advance for reading my plight.

 

[shurur]

OK..well NA 4.6L you can get 360+ RWHP. and that is with cams and bolt-ons.

You would need to stroke it to 5.0L or go FI to get 425 RWHP...
You probably would need to bore/stroke it to a 5.3L to get 450+ RWHP or again go FI.

I know I post this often,,but..

NASVT (Todd Warren) Recipe fixed!!!
NA ~320 RWHP with 99-01 DOHC C-Head 4.6L:
K&N filter
OEM Cams
March damper
March hydroboost and WP pulleys
Long tubes
Hi Flow Cats/Cat Delete mid-pipe
Tune (canned..more $ for real tuner tune)

360-370 RWHP:
NA SVT (Todd Warren) custom cams properly degreed.
short runner. (only If running above 7k RPM)
Tune

verts need subframe support.
Stifflers system seems the best these days.

 

[Roots-type]

Are you more about spending only 5 grand or are you more about making 450rwhp? Its real important to be honest with yourself about this. Is retaining a smooth idle and good fuel mileage important to you? Do you have experience with choppy cam(s)? Driveability, comfort and fuel mileage all take a backseat when going down that road. Been there, done it. With fords and chevrolets. Not my cup of tea anymore and just some of the reasons I favor blowers. Something to think about when deciding how you want to make the power.

Realize that other things need to be brought up to par when you get to those levels. For your car, in particular, the floppy azz IRS needs to either be completely redone with aftermarket bushings or it needs to be tossed for a SRA. If your still kicking the factory clutch, that's something else that needs to be considered. You see there's a snowball forming..

 

[shurur]

You can pursue your hp gains first along with a clutch and subframe connectors; so long as you don't go crazy on the road.
I would look at a stroker crank myself; it is the poor man's 5L.

This is Todd Warren's FB page.
He is the NA modular motor God.
He is na svt on svtp, and many other forums.
NA SVT Camshafts, Modular Tech Group

But rear IRS suspension is another bridge to cross with these cars.
FTBR has the total solution; it is their thing; they are the sledge hammer.
IRS Informational Article

This is the article that started it all in terms of documentation.
The days of the red pill, the black pill...
It deserves to be mentioned and read.
https://www.svtperformance.com/threads/the-irs-tech-article.213384/

Then there is the front end suspension/handling stuff, COs or not, rack and ratio choice, solid steering shaft or not. on and on.

Looking at folks signatures with mods listed helps too.

Enjoy and welcome aboard!

 

[Lawman67]

Thank you for those that weighed in and shared thoughts. I apologize profusely for sunmarining. Life happened and fast forward, I managed to take the input and have a running Cobra.
Current, Plan A went out the window once we had it apart and confirmed the spun bearing, but the crank was "repairable."
To start out with a potential weak link or not start out with a weak link?
Too busy to sweat a few bucks.
Plan B, new forged crank, rotating assembly ordered...waiting, waiting...customer service not the strong suit for some...3 weeks...yeah we don't have the crank but hoping to get some in soon.
Plan C (really plan Z by now)...what do you have that you can ship today? Forged Stroker, 5.0 rotating assembly, 20 over, Manley H beam and some other stuff...sounds good, provide credit card again, gulp, ouch, back to work.
Original cams, heads port/polish and back together. New clutch.
Motor is in, 1500 miles on it.

Headers did not get put on due to a mixup...ouch. Winter project.

Anyway. For the guys that invested some time in me thus far, thank you.

Personalized plates showed up today...VENEMUS.

I am going forced induction. Thinking Kenne Belle...2x no call back. Will try again after harvest...open to ideas. Thanks for reading.

OK..well NA 4.6L you can get 360+ RWHP. and that is with cams and bolt-ons.

You would need to stroke it to 5.0L or go FI to get 425 RWHP...
You probably would need to bore/stroke it to a 5.3L to get 450+ RWHP or again go FI.

I know I post this often,,but..

NASVT (Todd Warren) Recipe fixed!!!
NA ~320 RWHP with 99-01 DOHC C-Head 4.6L:
K&N filter
OEM Cams
March damper
March hydroboost and WP pulleys
Long tubes
Hi Flow Cats/Cat Delete mid-pipe
Tune (canned..more $ for real tuner tune)

360-370 RWHP:
NA SVT (Todd Warren) custom cams properly degreed.
short runner. (only If running above 7k RPM)
Tune

verts need subframe support.
Stifflers system seems the best these days.

Sent from my SM-G975U using the svtperformance.com mobile app

 

[01vert]

Kenne Bell no longer makes a SC for 99/01 cobras. Procharger / centri or a cobra eaton swap kit Are two options. Turbo, On3 or Hellion is the other. Even a used kit is going to cost you 3k and you will still need a tune and a fuel system typically.

 

[01yellercobra]

If 450 really is the goal pick up a P1 and call it a day. If there's a thought of more power down the road get a D1. You can make 700hp with the right support equipment with a D1.

A properly set up centri is just as fun as a PD blower IMO. I've had both and actually miss my centri set up.

 

[shurur]

I am a NA guy...
Not to put down FI..but have listen to centri supercharger before pulling the trigger on one.

That noise even at idle, would drive nuts..plus it is an immediate tell as to what you have under the hood.

 

[01yellercobra]

I am a NA guy...
Not to put down FI..but have listen to centri supercharger before pulling the trigger on one.

That noise even at idle, would drive nuts..plus it is an immediate tell as to what you have under the hood.

Depends on the model you get. They make quiet models you can barely hear. Plus most of us have loud exhaust anyway. So the blower isn't that noticeable.

And just because they hear it doesn't mean they know what it is. I'd tell people my alternator is going out.

Personally, I enjoyed sounding like a jet.

 

[shurur]

Depends on the model you get. They make quiet models you can barely hear. Plus most of us have loud exhaust anyway. So the blower isn't that noticeable.

And just because they hear it doesn't mean they know what it is. I'd tell people my alternator is going out.

Personally, I enjoyed sounding like a jet.

I got the 3.73 in the diffy just for a procharger install, but then got obsessed with making NA power...making the most out of "the little engine that could."

 

[01yellercobra]

I got the 3.73 in the diffy just for a procharger install, but then got obsessed with making NA power...making the most out of "the little engine that could."

We all have our thing. One of the good things about the 99/01 platform IMO. Easier to make it how you want it. The guy that bought my 01 dropped in an N/A engine that was making low 400's I think. I think it was a mid-high 11 second ride.