Fitzgerald-Inglese EFI 8-Stack 445 ci FE Stroker

There are lots of choices when choosing a motor for a Cobra replica.  I believe you have pay to homage to the original Cobras but not in a concours sense.  Even if every nut and bolt is original, it's still a replica.  So my philosophy is a small block Ford in a 289 Cobra and a big block Ford in a 427 like the originals.  Of all the motors I've seen, there is nothing cooler to me than a Weber 8-stack induction.  So for my car, I wanted a vintage FE block and 8-stack induction.

 

The most famous name in Amercian racing for 8-stacks is Jim Inglese.  He actually worked on the 8-stack Webers of two original racing Daytona Coupes (see picture below and click any to link to his website).  Jim is the only supplier of exact reproductions of the original parts and components that these Weber-carbureted cars used, just as they were, the way the factory and Ford parts departments offered them.

 

Jim has a longstanding relationship with engine builder, Daryl Fitzgerald.   Jim builds the intake and Daryl builds the motor and installs the intake.  Because I did not want a hood scoop, Jim had to use shorter air horns which require Holley electronic fuel injection (EFI).  I would have chosen EFI anyway because of the performance and usability advantages.  Darly found a vintage 1966 390 FE block and the plan is for a "mild" build aiming for around 450 horsepower.  The block was fluxed, bored to 445 cubic inches, and deck honed.  All the internals are new along with aluminum heads.

3/2/2024

Daryl dynoed the engine and he absolutely nailed the build.  I wanted  streetable motor with a mild camshaft and around 450 horsepower.  Engine dynoed at 455 hp and 489 ft/lbs of torque.  Very impressive how early the torque comes in on this motor with the EFI 8 stack.  Click on the dyno pict to go to the video.

2/19/2024

Daryl got  the engine on the stand and running.  Two videos, one with mufflers and the other with straight pipes.  Nothing like the sound of an FE big block. Click on the pict to go to the video.