Guest CS_280ZX Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 Hi All.! i have a general question here. i would like to buy a 427ci Ford Cobra engine into my 1979 280ZX. what would i need to complete this installation succesfully. Carl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jwink25 Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 A really BIG hammer! Ha ha... Not sure really. Good luck with it all. If you get this done you'll have to post lots of pics. I think a 351W will fit...they can be made into 427 cubic inch engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gene_w Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 I honestly can't say as I've seen an FE in a Z before! I would love to see some pictures if you manage to shoehorn it in there! It's a pretty heavy engine and is fairly wide, so I'm not sure how good a match it is for a Z for anything short of drag racing. Probably the next problem after stuffing it in is trying to get traction. The FE's are capable of a LOT of horsepower when properly built. If you wanted to really go crazy with it, you could go for a 427 cammer. They are very rare, but there is a company that is supposed to be reproducing the block, and another company making reproduction heads in both iron and aluminum. If you're not familiar with this engine, it had overhead cams and was factory rated at 658 HP! Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted January 20, 2003 Share Posted January 20, 2003 There is less room in a ZX to stuff a big block than an early Z (firewall located further ahead) plus a lot of the ZXs had a worm gear steering unit that is uncomfortably close to the side of a SBC. Take a 351 W and turn it into a 427 as JWINK suggests or get out the measuring tape,your wallet,checkbook, credit cards,the sawzall, cutting torch hammers and crowbar and good luck! Do you have a porta power to wedge it in. Vaseline would help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zgeezer Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 You will need $$$$$ and a truck load of it. If you find a used performance 427, high, low, or medium riser for less than 10 grand, you'll be lucky. The FE engines, even with aluminum heads and manifolds are heavy and wide. The advice to stroke a 351W is the common sense and practical way to go. The Sacramento area has at least one -61 falcon with a "427W", automatic, tbi (holley), aluminum heads, ford motorsport headers, mild roller and several traction impaired Sacramento speedway timing slips in the 10.80' & 128mph 1/4 range. Not bad for a 3,000 pound street driven, licensed car with 14" wheels. Your Z with a comparable engine would weigh several hundred pounds less and would have traction. On the other hand, a 427 FE would have a high Holy S, Lokkkkkkit this. Each to his own and good luck. gw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jens Posted January 26, 2003 Share Posted January 26, 2003 A set of arao 32v heads would make a 351w look bad http://www.araoengineering.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 9, 2003 Share Posted February 9, 2003 I have a 1973 240ZV8, and a 300ZXT. When I purchased the 240, I wanted to put my 427 Ford engine in it. After numerous measurements, I decided that it would not fit without using the torch. If you have the money, and can install a new front clip, then I think it would make a killer setup. With aluminum heads and intake, the weight of the FE is not a factor. I have a 428SCJ in a 1960 Falcon which is much heavier than the Z would be and it runs 10.79 at 125 mph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zline Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 A set of arao 32v heads would make a 351w look badhttp://www.araoengineering.com/ Yup and I can attest to russ' work..his shop is right around the corner from my house! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted February 24, 2003 Share Posted February 24, 2003 For the older ones among us, there used to be a guy named K.S. Pittman who used to stuff early and late Mopar Hemis in Opel GTs for drag racing in Gas classes. A 427FE motor in a Z would probably be close to the same kind of undertaking;i.e. build a complete chassis and set the body on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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