351w or 4v swap...

[Paul]

You can buy a "Terminator" motor complete with all front accessories, T-56 Transmission, and cpu/wiring harness/gage cluster for about $10,000. How much are K-members? you can still use your springs if you buy the perches. I was trying to discuss long term and the fact that a terminator shortblock can handle tons more power than a stock 302. I've gone the 302 route and have at LEAST that much invested in it. Oh well, guess i'll just go back to corral, where I may not ALWAYS be right but at least the people aren't all closed minded. :'(

Where?

Besides that, it's used. You can buy really nice used pushrod motors too. At the end of the day, pushrod technology is cheaper, and you can get more cubes more easily. Plus there is a much larger aftermarket.

 

[slow96mystic]

Maybe i need to work on the sarcasm.... i thought the :'( was an indication of a smart-ass comment. I agree with what you say paul, but i was playing devil's advocate. I've got both motors, and right now i'm looking to rebuild the motor in my 96 cobra. For me it's almost more economical to buy a terminator drivetrain from a reputable junk yard than to rebuild my 96 motor. I also am facing the fact that my stock block 306 in my 94 gt probably wasn't the smart way to go since i knew i'd be buying a supercharger down the road. Now i'm looking at about 4600 for a good aftermarket block/rotating assembly. I guess my point is you can either spend now or spend later, but if you wanna go fast it's gonna cost hella money.

Tim

 

[Paul]

I agree with what you say paul, but i was playing devil's advocate. I've got both motors, and right now i'm looking to rebuild the motor in my 96 cobra. For me it's almost more economical to buy a terminator drivetrain from a reputable junk yard than to rebuild my 96 motor.

Of course it is. DOHC motors cost a goddamn fortune to rebuild. That's 32 valves that need a valvejob. Four cams to buy if you want to replace them. Huge timing chains and expensive tensioners. One more reason modulars just aren't worth it for so many people and why the 5.0 is so popular.

I also am facing the fact that my stock block 306 in my 94 gt probably wasn't the smart way to go since i knew i'd be buying a supercharger down the road.

Down the road? So do you already have the blower on it?

Now i'm looking at about 4600 for a good aftermarket block/rotating assembly.

You can get a setup that can withstand 1000 hp for less money than that.

Paul.

 

[bybyz06]

I have to agree with slow96mystic...it depends on what you want to do with the car. I think it also depends on whether or not you're willing to take the challenge to convert to a 4.6L...there's some electrical that needs to be done, some fabrication of brackets, some additional parts that don't normally come with a used 4.6L that you'll need to somehow acquire (like the ECU, the front heat exchanger, the hydroboost unit, just to name a few required pieces). I've done both a 347 build of my original 302 with a ProCharger D1-SC, and my latest project was swapping out the 347 in favor of the terminator setup. I prefer the terminator in there versus the 302...just personal preference. I think it cost me more than it probably should have, because in addition to getting the motor I decided to stroke it while it was still out of the car so I can still say there's a "5.0" in there... :thumb:

However, it'll probably cost upwards of 15-20K (maybe more depending on your situation) to do a complete terminator swap (assuming you're doing all the labor). I believe some have got away with doing less, but they're taking short cuts. My car uses the existing dash cluster, cruise control, etc...you wouldn't know it by looking at the car that there's a mod 5.0L sitting under the hood...although you might think something's up if you listened to the exhaust...

bybyz06

 

[slow96mystic]

Paul,

yes, i put a vortech v-2 supercharger with an Anderson PMS w/wideband. So now i'm making the limit that the stock block will hold. I could easily make more power but i don't want to split the block. If you figure that a Dart/World Product block is around 2K and a decent rotating assembly is ~1400 or more and you add in machine work, bearings, and other misc. expenses then around $4200-$4400 is about right. I could use a 351W block, but that wouldn't really save me any money since i have to buy all the swap parts.

 

[Downshift]

What year is your car?

If its already a 5.0 then the 351 would be the way to go hands down.

 

[slow96mystic]

Just want to apologize for totally jacking this post. Hopefully the thread originator will gain some insight by reading over the comments we've posted.

 

[musclemustang94]

You know...a 460 would fit in their, and you would could destroy terminators with just the gas pedal. If you want big power, a mild big block on boost would more than make your day. I mean, if you want big power and you're going to go through putting a terminator in their you could do a big block just the same. Plus how sick would that be? A big block sn95! :thumb:

 

[waltnono]

well im approaching the 250,000 mile marker on a bone stock, non rebuilt engine... i dont know how much longer its going to last and im planning my engine swap. How difficult would it be to swap a cobra 4v 4.6 into these cars? besides motormount, tranny, computer, anything else you guys think there would be?

The swap itself is not difficult or 2 expensive depending on how much power you are looking to achieve. If your want terminator then your looking at a pretty big project. If you just want a 4V then you have 2 choices. You can get a cobra motor then you would need all the stuff you said along with engine and computer wire harness plus the k-member and hydroboost. Another way you can get a 32V motor from a markVIII. You can find a markviii motor dirt cheap compaired to a 96+ cobra motor. I just drop my k-member this weekend for my 4V swap. I have a 95 markVIII motor with a second gen intake. Most of my parts for my swap I found at the junk yard off a couple 96+ GT. So I guess that I have a bias opinion when the question is ask about these swap projects.