Old School 428 Cobra Jet on the Dyno

[johnkn]

I thought I would share, here's the latest motor build on one of my cars, an original, early, 1968.5 428 CJ car. It was originally ordered from a dealership in NJ as a race car, the quickest combination at the time, a zero option, radio delete, 4.30 rear 4 speed car. She was raced from 1968 to 1974, then retired and put away for limited street duty. Complete nut and bolt correct restoration 2 years ago using the original parts and NOS where available. With the 4.30 rear, I put the original top loader on the shelf and have a new TKO-600 prepped by Liberty Gears ready to go in. The motor and major parts are all correct and correctly date coded to the May 1, 1968 build. When it came time for the motor rebuild I decided on one of the best FE builders in the world, Barry at Survival Motorsports. Initially my thoughts went from 400 to 500 to 600 to 700+ HP and back down several times before deciding to stay correct and true to this significant milestone car. Correct stock block, original iron heads, original CJ crank, rods, cast iron intake and exhaust manifolds, even the correct original Holley 735 and stock single-point ignition with original yellow top coil. My goal was 450hp through the iron exhaust manifolds, not even headers on this one. I have much more powerful, faster cars in the garage, but this one is old school cool IMHO running in an old white Mustang with Polyglas tires and dog dish hubcaps. LOL. Enjoy the pics and dyno vid

Write-up 332-428 Ford FE Engine Forum: It looks stock.... 428 Cobra Jet on dyno

Dyno Ford 428 Cobra Jet on dyno - over 450 horsepower! - YouTube

 

[CobraBob]

Love those old school 428 CJs. Yours is a really nice build, done so right. Sounds nice in that dyno vid. Can't wait to see the finished project.

 

[Mr.Bolt-on]

Holy Shit Barry!!!!


I love what you're doing. Keep up the good work.

 

[nikk0]

Love it. I like how its a Jersey car

 

[SVTPete83]

Well done sir. Very nice!

 

[mustangmanjeff]

badass man!

 

[flattrack53]

Awesome.. Local guy! Any pictures of the car?

 

[johnkn]

I don't really have any good pics of the finished product, but have hundreds of the restoration. The restoration in California took 10 months, complete nut and bolt restoration virtually everything stripped off the original rust free car including wiring harnesses, etc. Car was finished and shipped 3000 miles to me in October, 2011. I drove it one time, 25 miles, didn't care for a few things and parked it in the garage virtually untouched for 2 years until last Fall when I pulled much of it apart. Here's a couple pics just prior to catching the trailer East back then. They really don't do it justice.

 

[SVTORANGE]

WOW nice motor:rockon:

 

[flattrack53]

That is a great looking car. About 15 years ago my dad had one of the 1968 factory lightweight cobra jet drag cars. Are you planning on any shows this year?

 

[jleews6]

Very nice.I read your post but im a little mixed up. Is this a 135 car? Everything looks nice and these 68.5 cars are "to me" the most significant CJ cars. Did you go to the Carlisle CJ reunion a few years ago?
My friend is in the middle of a 3 year resto on the first 68.5 sold to the public as a street car. My other friend bought from Tasca in 69.

*edit*
I just read the wright up on your motor and that's pretty impressive. I know that guy Barry has been around a long time and has a great reputation. FWIW the last 428 that my friend did for a KR500 made 360HP on a dyno so your about 100 hp over stock while still looking stock.

 

[Great Asp]

LOVE the engine! (of course, it's an FE)

You don't see enough 68's with big blocks.

Here is the motor in my Cobra

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[johnkn]

Very nice.I read your post but im a little mixed up. Is this a 135 car? Everything looks nice and these 68.5 cars are "to me" the most significant CJ cars. Did you go to the Carlisle CJ reunion a few years ago?
My friend is in the middle of a 3 year resto on the first 68.5 sold to the public as a street car. My other friend bought from Tasca in 69.

*edit*
I just read the wright up on your motor and that's pretty impressive. I know that guy Barry has been around a long time and has a great reputation. FWIW the last 428 that my friend did for a KR500 made 360HP on a dyno so your about 100 hp over stock while still looking stock.

Nope, not a 135 car, just one of the early 68.5 production cars with a 01-May-68 build date. Tasca cars are way cool, that's where the Cobra Jets all started. If mine were. 69-70 I would likely have done a 700+ motor, perhaps with a PA as well, but given the significance of this car and the original date coded parts I chose to build the way I did.

 

[godfather]

BAD ASS BROTHER:beer:

 

[BDF8]

Make a restoration build thread please!!! Of not can you post up the step by step resto pics?

 

[PaxtonShelby]

Fantastic car you have there! Definitely something to be proud of!

 

[johnkn]

Make a restoration build thread please!!! Of not can you post up the step by step resto pics?

Wow, that would take some time to reconstruct the restoration. I have hundreds of pics, would need to reconstruct the project. Thanks

 

[Mulldune]

Beautiful car :coolman:

 

[johnkn]

Thanks guys,

 

[jleews6]

Nope, not a 135 car, just one of the early 68.5 production cars with a 01-May-68 build date. Tasca cars are way cool, that's where the Cobra Jets all started. If mine were. 69-70 I would likely have done a 700+ motor, perhaps with a PA as well, but given the significance of this car and the original date coded parts I chose to build the way I did.

That's cool. I think the way you built this one is perfect. Its like a resto mod that looks stock. That's cool.

Back when I was younger and racing and the 5.0L Mustang thing was just getting big I got to spend allot of time with John Healy and Ralph Poirier and those two taut me allot. One night at the shop they told me the whole story of how the 428CJ came about. It was them two and Dean Gregson that were the creators of the 428CJ. Thats something that I will never forget.:beer: