Terminator Engine in Cobra Kit Car

[MVM]

Hi Guys,

I am thinking of putting a Terminator engine in a Cobra kit car and have a few questions for the experts.

1. The engine I'm looking at is a 2004 Terminator engine that hasn't had any modifications/recall fixes done to it. Were all Terminator engines recalled and fixed for the tick or piston slapping problem, or, were they fixed only if the problem occurred on a particular engine?

2. Is there any list of Terminator engine upgrades in stages that show things such as: If you upgrade to a X.X" upper pulley, you need to upgrade to larger injectors or get a new tune. (Just an example).

3. Is there a list of modifications that must/really should be done to the engine like the head cooling modification?

Thanks!

Mike

 

[blackmagicmach]

Hi Guys,

I am thinking of putting a Terminator engine in a Cobra kit car and have a few questions for the experts.

1. The engine I'm looking at is a 2004 Terminator engine that hasn't had any modifications/recall fixes done to it. Were all Terminator engines recalled and fixed for the tick or piston slapping problem, or, were they fixed only if the problem occurred on a particular engine?

2. Is there any list of Terminator engine upgrades in stages that show things such as: If you upgrade to a X.X" upper pulley, you need to upgrade to larger injectors or get a new tune. (Just an example).

3. Is there a list of modifications that must/really should be done to the engine like the head cooling modification?

Thanks!

Mike

well it kind of depends on what you plan on doing with the kit car....

 

[divided]

Hi Guys,

I am thinking of putting a Terminator engine in a Cobra kit car and have a few questions for the experts.

1. The engine I'm looking at is a 2004 Terminator engine that hasn't had any modifications/recall fixes done to it. Were all Terminator engines recalled and fixed for the tick or piston slapping problem, or, were they fixed only if the problem occurred on a particular engine?


Well first of all its not as common as people think to get "the tick". But its been shown time and time again it generally happens during 5th and 6th gear pulls. There wasnt a recall, but a new revised version of the heads with better clearance. They are the 2005+ heads IIRC.

2. Is there any list of Terminator engine upgrades in stages that show things such as: If you upgrade to a X.X" upper pulley, you need to upgrade to larger injectors or get a new tune. (Just an example).

With just a pulley and tune the stock fuel systems is fine. You *might* need to upgrade with a ported eaton. Definitely need a tune if your swapping a pulley.

3. Is there a list of modifications that must/really should be done to the engine like the head cooling modification?

Head cooling mod is a good idea.

Thanks!

Mike

See above in green.

 

[MVM]

The car will not be a drag car, but will be used for street and limited road race use.

If anyone wants to see one of these already completed, somebody has already done this:
Cobra4Me.com - Sergio's SuperSite

 

[03cobra#694]

A stock 03/04 engine in one of these would be a beast!

 

[IronTerp]

That would be a great project. From Sergio's pics, looks like it would be a tight fit. But it would have insane performance seeing how the AC Cobra only weighs about 2,300 lbs.

These motors are actually extremely durable and the interent has spawned excessive horror stories. You have a ton of fairly simple options to increase horsepower levels and probably should do some thorough research here on SVTP before you decide what route to go. But just a stock boosted 03/04' setup will be lethal in that car. Perhaps a head cooling mod would give you a little assurance, but as mentioned above the tick actually has occured very rarely.

This has been a project that has crossed my mind, but I don't fit in the conventional kits and would ahve to go to a Hunter Kit with an extended seated area.

 

[GodStang]

Here is a place that answers A LOT of questions:
Stang Shifter Gaskets

 

[black 10th vert]

I know Sergio, as he has been a member of the Cobra forums that I used to hang at (and still do). His car is crazy fast, and it is just bone stock. I was running a built 302 Windsor in mine with Edelbrock heads, and dual quads, and it was super quick because of the light weight, so I can only imagine how it would have been with so much torque, like these monsters have! My FFR is in Germany now, and I really miss that car, but the Terminator is much more practical - especially for taking the kids to shows and stuff. I am planning to build one of FFR's new '33 Ford roadsters though, and using a Terminator engine for that!:banana:

 

[Jefe]

The car will not be a drag car, but will be used for street and limited road race use.

If anyone wants to see one of these already completed, somebody has already done this:
Cobra4Me.com - Sergio's SuperSite

Sergio is the man! Email him if you have any problems. Hes built 3 or 4 now. Not all with the Cobra motor though. Stand up guy!

 

[SLEEPERSTATUS]

that would be a fun ass ride!

 

[MVM]

I've already "talked" to Sergio via emails - but thanks for the suggestion.

Thanks to GodStang for the link to Stang Shifter Gaskets -- that will help a lot!

Mike

 

[DarkSnake]

Hi Guys,

I am thinking of putting a Terminator engine in a Cobra kit car and have a few questions for the experts.

1. The engine I'm looking at is a 2004 Terminator engine that hasn't had any modifications/recall fixes done to it. Were all Terminator engines recalled and fixed for the tick or piston slapping problem, or, were they fixed only if the problem occurred on a particular engine?

2. Is there any list of Terminator engine upgrades in stages that show things such as: If you upgrade to a X.X" upper pulley, you need to upgrade to larger injectors or get a new tune. (Just an example).

3. Is there a list of modifications that must/really should be done to the engine like the head cooling modification?

Thanks!

Mike

The head tick in the cobra motor did not prompt a recall. Ford dealt with the tick one car at a time. If you are building a factory five kit the stock motor will suffice nicely, unless the car is going to be used strictly for racing. 390 hp in a 2500 lb car is quite a bit!!!

If you search in these forums you will see all kinds of ways to get more hp, but it general the addition of a smaller blower pulleyand a tune will get you from around 360-380 RWHP up to 440-470 RWHP. After that you will need to look at blower porting, or a new blower, bigger fuel injectors, modifications to fuel pumps, MAF extenders etc. The sky is the limit, but if you haven't drive a cobra kit car with this setup yet, I don't think you'll feel the need for more power -- at least not in the begining.

Talk to the kit manufacturer to make sure the motor will fit. One that I saw with a terminator engine had to have the chassis modified to fit the motor.

 

[68_GT]

I want to build a factory five a/c Cobra with a moded terminator engine. I definately plan to do this in my lifetime !!!!!!!!! Most of those kit cars have a lame 5.0 or 96-98 Cobra motor in them which I guess is enough for an a/c Cobra but screw that give me a terminator engine in one any day !!!! good luck with the build.

list of possible mods
even flow head cooling mod
ported Eaton upper / lower pulley / aux idler
Mafia MAF x-tender
boost a pump

 

[pkwest]

I have an FFR cobra that I built with a 04 mach 1 engine. Make sure to get a good oil pan. These motors don't like oil starvation. On my first motor I used the supplied moroso road race pan. The problem with that pan was it had no baffling. I was at willow springs and spun a bearing which did some real damage to my motor when the piston broke. On my new motor with 365 wheel hp, I am using a champ pan designed specifically to fit in these cars. Another modular FFR builder and I talked Champ Pans into building it. It is a great pan with baffling. I am sure they have sold more than 200 by now. Make sure to put in hydroboost and pwr steering. That motor will make it hard to turn with a manual rack.

 

[black 10th vert]

I want to build a factory five a/c Cobra with a moded terminator engine. I definately plan to do this in my lifetime !!!!!!!!! Most of those kit cars have a lame 5.0 or 96-98 Cobra motor in them which I guess is enough for an a/c Cobra but screw that give me a terminator engine in one any day !!!! good luck with the build.

list of possible mods
even flow head cooling mod
ported Eaton upper / lower pulley / aux idler
Mafia MAF x-tender
boost a pump

Honestly, you should try driving one with a "lame 5.0" in it before making a comment like that! I built and owned one, and also have an '03 Cobra, and can tell you that honestly a bone stock 5.0 in an FFR is more than a good match for a Terminator in a drag race. You have absolutely no idea how much added performance you get by shaving almost 2,000lbs. of weight off even with 100 less hp.

this was my "lame 5.0"

and here's some of the car

and here's one I'm building for a customer with a Kenne Bell supercharged 4.6 in it. This one I made a custom flip front, frenched lights, and a host of other custom mods.

 

[68_GT]

Honestly, you should try driving one with a "lame 5.0" in it before making a comment like that! I built and owned one, and also have an '03 Cobra, and can tell you that honestly a bone stock 5.0 in an FFR is more than a good match for a Terminator in a drag race. You have absolutely no idea how much added performance you get by shaving almost 2,000lbs. of weight off even with 100 less hp.]

I know I remember some of the original a/c Cobras had 289's in them which I'm sure was more than enough then for those little cars. I'm sure a 5.0 is more than enough in that little car but when I think of 5.0 I think of a half dead fuel injected stock fox body engine that dyno's 187RWHP which you have to admit is pretty lame when comparred to a lightly moded or even a stock terminator motor

anyway yours is hardly my definition of a ugly lame 5.0. I'd represent that as a 302 :rockon: :burnout: love that black and orange !!!!!!!

what is the average cost of building those cars ? factory 5 sell pretty complete kits for $13K-$20K

 

[black 10th vert]

Yeah, I was just bustin your chops - I knew what you were saying.;-) Funny thing about Cobra history, though, is the small block powered Cobras were the ones that beat Ferrari at LeMans - not the 427SC's like a lot of people believe. There's a lot to be said for a super light weight car, with a high revving small block!

Honestly, if you were to build using a donor Mustang, and stuck to the FFR build plan (which I didn't), you could do it complete for under $30K. If you go non-donor, and do a higher end suspension setup like I had with IRS, Koni coilovers, tubular suspension arms, etc., then you are talking minimum $35-$40K, and that's if you do most of it yourself. I was fortunate to have the ability to do everything from engine build, to the body, and paint, so I was able to do it WAY cheaper than most, but in the end, I never really knew what it actually cost because I had changed setups so many times in the 8 years I had it. Thanks for the compliment on the colors! The orange was actually a tri-stage paint that color shifted in the sun as you can see in this picture.

 

[Shep927]

I'll add my .02 cents here as well. I built a Factory Five Roadster with a 5.0 and a KB supercharger. Best dyno showed 375 rwhp and and 390 rwtq. Sold it a couple of years ago and picked up an '04 Terminator vert. The '04 has been pullied and is putting out 438 rwhp.

I can tell you from personal experience that my FFR with 63 less rwhp was faster than my Terminator. I got to tag along on a FFR foliage run this Fall with the Terminator. Played tail gunner to about 30 FFRs and had to keep my foot in it the whole time just to keep up with the pack .

 

[black 10th vert]

Hey Shep, nice to see you on here too! These Terminators are real muscle cars, but you are right, they really aren't as quick because of the huge weight advantage that the FFR has. Now put the Terminator driveline in the FFR (like Sergio), and then you really have a handful!

Brian
aka B+L FFR1686 on FFCobra

 

[Shep927]

Brian - I hang out occasionally, but don't post much, nothing like I do on the FFCobra forum. Glad to see you're keeping your skills fresh with a new build, and a flip front as well. Nothing like a challenge to keep you smiling! I started a new FFR build earlier this year as well. My wife and I love the Terminator, particularly the fact that it has a top for when we want to cruise on those not so perfect New England days. But, I'm missing the pure power adrenalin rush of the roadster!