My Pro charged 97 cobra finally gave way just south of 150k miles. I do not want to give up on this car however working/nursing school prevents me from doing a lot of the work myself. I would like to rebuild the engine, however I have never done anything like this before. I will have no choice but to have a shop do all the labor, as previously stated I just do not have the time, nor knowledge. I have about 12k to let go of. Is this a reasonable budget? I will likely just be doing rods, pistons, and head bolts along with the misc things that go along with it.
97 cobra engine build information
- Thread starter coltoncaskey12
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12k will get you pretty close. That will definitely cover the engine as long as your not looking for a 1000hp build. The labor rate is what will really hit the wallet. Really hard to say in today's market.
Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will....
My biggest fear is to go all in and end up being screwed via not having enough cash. I got a quote for parts, totaled out to 4500. I called the shop I wanna build the engine but they just told me basically “we really won’t know the labor costs until the job is done. The amount of issues we run into while doing so vastly changes cost”. I couldn’t even get him to give me a ballpark number
You didn't specify the damage. But if your heads are good, what about just buying a shortblock? You'll know the cost up front.
Then just pay the shop for final assembly (put your existing heads on, etc). Should be fairly easy to get a price on assembly with no surprises since everything would be new on the bottom end and top end is not damaged (though I'd want the heads cleaned up if they were mine with 150k mi, like $1500).
I don't know what parts you were quoted $4500 for. But a forged shortblock can be had for around $5k.
This is a semi-related story: I spun a rod bearing on my 99GT and was going to completely rebuild it myself. Reality set in and it was easiest to buy a used short block for $600, put my existing heads on and get back on the road. I did it in my garage. The 4v is a little more complicated, but the idea is the same.
first off... what state are u in? maybe the fellas can recommend someone good. Alot of knowledge here. Not alll shops are equal......... With a strict budget, you gotta do ALLL the homework and be sure before u leap into a build.... it tends to snowball, and ull end up with 15K in credit card debt.
I can agree with that. I talked to Todd Warren last night (mod motor guru) on Facebook, he said 12k should be an extremely safe budget for my goals. Was wanting to get more thoughts on the situation though. And I am in West Virginia, zero performance shops anywhere remotely close to me. I am thinking about going to powercurve motorsports in Mooresville, right outside of charlotte, to do the job
I just want a ballpark lol, from someone. I was thinking like 5k?
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Like someone already said, a forged shortblock can be had for $5k. Probably want to have your heads rebuilt with 150k on them and then putting it all back together...
What about buying a used built engine for like $3k from somebody on marketplace in one of the mustang groups?
Sure, you can put something together yourself, or is there shop near you that you trust? You'll probably spend $2500 on pistons, rods, bearings, gaskets, bolts, etc
But what is your car running right now? You going to leave the boost where its at and power where it's at or turn it up? Add another $1500 for a fuel system and what not, another $750 for a clutch, $300 for a smaller blower pulley and a new belt and tensioner, $600 to get it re-tuned
Slippery slope when you get a block capable of handling 700hp and you're still only making 450, very tempting to add more and more parts
I'd say let it sit for a year or two until you're done with school because parts are impossible to find anyway right now.
What about buying a used built engine for like $3k from somebody on marketplace in one of the mustang groups?
Sure, you can put something together yourself, or is there shop near you that you trust? You'll probably spend $2500 on pistons, rods, bearings, gaskets, bolts, etc
But what is your car running right now? You going to leave the boost where its at and power where it's at or turn it up? Add another $1500 for a fuel system and what not, another $750 for a clutch, $300 for a smaller blower pulley and a new belt and tensioner, $600 to get it re-tuned
Slippery slope when you get a block capable of handling 700hp and you're still only making 450, very tempting to add more and more parts
I'd say let it sit for a year or two until you're done with school because parts are impossible to find anyway right now.
My quote for parts included fuel system and pulley. I was aiming for 500-600 wheel. I am saving money at the rods, boss 302 or terminator rods is what I will be going with. That is true also about waiting. I certainly do not want to rush into this, maybe give it till say January to really assess whether I wanna follow through with it or not?Like someone already said, a forged shortblock can be had for $5k. Probably want to have your heads rebuilt with 150k on them and then putting it all back together...
What about buying a used built engine for like $3k from somebody on marketplace in one of the mustang groups?
Sure, you can put something together yourself, or is there shop near you that you trust? You'll probably spend $2500 on pistons, rods, bearings, gaskets, bolts, etc
But what is your car running right now? You going to leave the boost where its at and power where it's at or turn it up? Add another $1500 for a fuel system and what not, another $750 for a clutch, $300 for a smaller blower pulley and a new belt and tensioner, $600 to get it re-tuned
Slippery slope when you get a block capable of handling 700hp and you're still only making 450, very tempting to add more and more parts
I'd say let it sit for a year or two until you're done with school because parts are impossible to find anyway right now.
That's probably not a bad idea. Just expect a long que over the winter months if you're getting any work done.
To me that sounds like they don't want to take it on. I'd forget about them and move on.
An engine is an engine. It's all about doing the steps in the correct order. But I get the lack of time thing. Are you at least able to pull it and inspect it yourself?
I might be able to fit the time in this December, we will get a weeklong break during the week of Christmas.
dont do this yourself... dont take anything apart. finish school.... then go fast. Life loses its magic when there is nothing left to look foward to...... kinda like FINALLY banging that hot brunette that works at Dunkin Donuts.... u know... the dunkin u stop by EVERY morning JUST to catch a glimpse....................................................................... we alllll have a dunkin donuts girl in our lives! and eventually shes gonna give it up if we persist enough! the struggle is real. Victory is soooooo sweet.
So basically it will be bitter sweet if I do it before school?
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