Should I buy or build?

[Fritchard]

So I have been doing alot of research, and there is a lot of good information out there. I'm more or less trying to get my thoughts together and get this show on the road.

2001 mustang GT, 70k miles, needs new motor. 4v has always been a desirable swap. I only ever plan to street my car, daily drive, eventually garage it, with occasional trips to the track.

I could A) buy a whole motor and drop in. B)mix and match heads and blocks from marketplace and cl and put together a motor. It would be a learning experience as well.

Was considering doing a mark swap, 97 intake, call it a day. Then I started reading about forged cranks and 97 cams, and c heads, etc. Soooo now I'm considering Frankensteining this thing.

How bad of an idea would it be to collect a cobra teksid block, 01 heads and covers, 96-98 cams, cooresponding intake and put it together. Can I do this on my own, or is a shop gonna be inevitable? Is there alot of mechanical work that goes into installing the 96 cams in the 01 heads? I have mechanic friends that can come to my garage.

Another idea is just get a teksid cobra engine complete for now, and In the future swap the heads and intake.

I got a cherry picker and stand.

 

[01yellercobra]

What are your skills like? How well can you rely on your friends for help? If you have the skills and time there's no reason you can't do it yourself. The cams are no different than installing any other cam in the 4V heads.


Just remember you don't have to have a Teksid block. A WAP block will cover 99% of the power levels most people make. I think even the 05+ blocks work too. When it comes to timing covers I'd stick to the 96-99. Everyone I talked to says they're better for blower set ups. Should you decide to go down that road.

 

[Fritchard]

What are your skills like? How well can you rely on your friends for help? If you have the skills and time there's no reason you can't do it yourself. The cams are no different than installing any other cam in the 4V heads.


Just remember you don't have to have a Teksid block. A WAP block will cover 99% of the power levels most people make. I think even the 05+ blocks work too. When it comes to timing covers I'd stick to the 96-99. Everyone I talked to says they're better for blower set ups. Should you decide to go down that road.

I have heard the 96-98 cams offer more power when placed in other heads. 15 hp over termi heads. For the most part I'm after that 4v sound. My car will always be a street/show car. Eventually I might track it every once in a while. So maybe 700 hp max. Goal would be a really nice supercharger setup in the future.

Is it true my 2v block is the same as the termi block... If my block is fine I could just find a forged crank, and then find all the top end parts like heads, cams, etc. My top end is trashed.

 

[scottydsntknow]

Unless your 01 is one of the early ones with the Windsor engine then yes your block will be a Romeo. 01.5-04 GTs and 03/04 Cobras all used the iron Romeo blocks.

4V swap is easy, its a 99% drop in if you get a whole Cobra or Mark motor. Just have to do a little bit of wiring, 4V alternator and B or C head Cobra throttle and cruise cable. That's it.

As for as DIY... that depends on your skills and if you've done it before. If you are mechanically inclined and have the tools, a hoist, a shop and time then go for it. 700hp tho... might as well just drop a Coyote engine into it. That's also an easy swap and a direct drop in with the Ford Control pack.

Really though the cheapest and easiest way for you to get to the power levels you are talking is sell your car and buy a Terminator, a GT500 or just get a new Gen3 Coyote... 07-09 GT500 is like $30k mint. 10-12 is not that much more. Same with a 18+ Coyote. And the 05+ cars are WAY better structurally and comfort wise...

 

[Fritchard]

Well I'm worried about getting a 4v swap done first, whatever power levels are possible I'll do later.

The most mechanical thing I've ever done was swap the heater core in my car lol. That was a pita. So my skills and knowledge of how a engine word are pretty limited. However I have buddies who have torn down these engines and one who is a mechanic.

 

[shurur]

You can build an engine yourself. Just go slowly and carefully.

We all learned to walk at one time without having done it before and with no prior experience.

I would just look at it from a cost/time aspect.

imo the best block is the '05-'10 cosworth (nemak) block.
The teksid or wap block is probably more easily and less expensively had...but they all will work.