5.4?

[mike]

hey,
thinking abt getting a mk2....
if i do, im leaning towards a 5.4 with the roush or ford racing's roots supercharger.
basically the set up the mustang 500gt has with the upgraded supercharger option.
around 600+ at the crank.
any thoughts? i dont care abt the nostalgia of the 427 so much.
i believe the 5.4 supercharged is a better all around platform.
thanks

 

[chuck smith]

I am sure it can be done, but probably at a high cost. the motor is very wide and the Monocoque frame is pretty tight even with the windsor. If an FE is used, some frame mods have to be made. If I were going with a modern engine, I would use an LS series chevy. It is smaller, very powerful and cheap. Now I would not really use either one in a 40, but the LS has many advantages.

 

[Jack]

Agree with the LS engine comments, but for a GT-40 I would have to go with a performance small block Ford engine 302/341 CI with Kinser injection and a good performance camshaft, etc.

 

[mike]

a roush 427 is abt 17k, the 5.4 longblock with upgraded s/c direct from ford is abt 18k. i dont see a big diff in price.
if i am not mistaken, i believe it says on superformance's website the frame would accommodate a 5.4.
ive inquired abt a using a chevy ls7 engine and i was told it would not mate up to the trans...

 

[Mudgey]

Hey mate, i have a rough CAD model of the GT500 engine if you wanna use it for dimensions. It was measured with a tape measure so i'd advise using it as a rough guide! Let us know if it b any use 2 u

 

[chuck smith]

I would think there are adapters to mate the LS to a ZF. I was not talking about the price difference in a Roush and a 5.4, but about the cost to modify the frame, headers, ect..

 

[mike]

I would think there are adapters to mate the LS to a ZF. I was not talking about the price difference in a Roush and a 5.4, but about the cost to modify the frame, headers, ect..

are you sure the 5.4 is wider?
and more importantly, are you sure the frame needs to be modified?
i would not be at all interested in using a 5.4 if thats the case.
again, SPF site states that the engine bay will accommodate 5.4s.
perhaps they just failed to mention the part abt cutting up your frame?

push comes to shove, i can build a very nice low compression 427, fuelie, and supercharge that. id probably go with a centrifugal s/c with a 427 though. small s/c so the power delivery is very smooth.

 

[mike]

I would think there are adapters to mate the LS to a ZF. I was not talking about the price difference in a Roush and a 5.4, but about the cost to modify the frame, headers, ect..

the ls7 would be a bad ass engine for the 40. good gas mileage too!

if anyone has any info on mating the ls7 to the zf trans, please pass it along.
i would like to go with something modern for an engine, but i dont want to reinvent the wheel. cant afford R & D.
also, i can get a deal on ford and chevy crate engines.

 

[mike]

Hey mate, i have a rough CAD model of the GT500 engine if you wanna use it for dimensions. It was measured with a tape measure so i'd advise using it as a rough guide! Let us know if it b any use 2 u

thanks jimmy, but if and when i pull the trigger on the mk2, ill have everything measured out b4 i do anything...

 

[chuck smith]

the 5.4 modular that is in the GT500 should be of similar width to a 4.6 modular but somewhat taller. The modular 4 valve motors are wider than even a Ford 429 and very heavy, of course the 5.4 is aluminum I believe.

 

[mike]

the 5.4 modular that is in the GT500 should be of similar width to a 4.6 modular but somewhat taller. The modular 4 valve motors are wider than even a Ford 429 and very heavy, of course the 5.4 is aluminum I believe.

the older 5.4s are aluminum. like from the lightening...
the one from the gt500(newer) is cast iron i believe.
if i was to build it, i might opt for the aluminum block. (much cheaper to build my own)
easier to buy a ready to go factory motor and ecu. (pricey)

agreed, if i go with a cast iron 5.4 im not saving weight.
i dont believe its a 4 valve motor (not the one from the gt500 anyway) but it might spin up a little higher than a 427.

although a fuel injected s/c'ed 427 would be cool too.

 

[chuck smith]

my normally aspirated roush 427 has 530 horsepower. that is a lot of power in a 2300 lb package.

 

[Jack]

Kennedy Engineering will make an adapter to the LS/ZF combination.
I am almost positive that Fran at RCR has done this as well.

 

[mike]

my normally aspirated roush 427 has 530 horsepower. that is a lot of power in a 2300 lb package.

agreed.
if im gonna go into hock over a car that i build or have someone else build, i want it a bit different and i might as well do it the way i want. thats part of the fun.

dont you think a 600hp fuel injected s/c'ed 5.4 would be cool?
how abt a fuel injected 427 sc'ed??

for simplicity sake, i might just go with a 427....its not hard at all to supercharge it a bit as long as your compression isnt too high to start with....
hell, they supercharge cars with 10.25:1 C/R too....

 

[mike]

Kennedy Engineering will make an adapter to the LS/ZF combination.
I am almost positive that Fran at RCR has done this as well.

cool....ill def check this out.
will the ls7 fit without cutting the frame?
thanks!

 

[Mike]

If you want something really cool, Ford, and lots of HP that will definitely fit, how about a Lozano Brothers Porting 310 ci small block that puts out just over 700HP? Yeah it's $25K and needs race gas, but if you got the wallet......

Otherwise I would look into the new LS3. 430 HP, 430 TQ and about $7500 from the factory.

 

[mike]

If you want something really cool, Ford, and lots of HP that will definitely fit, how about a Lozano Brothers Porting 310 ci small block that puts out just over 700HP? Yeah it's $25K and needs race gas, but if you got the wallet......

thats cool, but i need to run it on the street and race gas is expensive and hard to come by...

 

[Mike]

Probably not as hard as you think. If you're in a major metro area, VP will probably deliver right to your garage/shop. They do for me in San Diego, and we don't even have any real race tracks in town.

If you need pump gas, definitely look into the LS3 option. It says you need 91, but it has knock sensors, so you could probably even get away with 87. Time will tell. Maybe somebody with a new Corvette knows?

 

[mike]

If you want something really cool, Ford, and lots of HP that will definitely fit, how about a Lozano Brothers Porting 310 ci small block that puts out just over 700HP? Yeah it's $25K and needs race gas, but if you got the wallet......

Otherwise I would look into the new LS3. 430 HP, 430 TQ and about $7500 from the factory.

That would be a nice option if i want something easy, cheap, and plug and play.
of course, i can always add to it over time for more power if need be.

 

[Doug S.]

are you sure the 5.4 is wider?
and more importantly, are you sure the frame needs to be modified?
i would not be at all interested in using a 5.4 if thats the case.
push comes to shove, i can build a very nice low compression 427, fuelie, and supercharge that. id probably go with a centrifugal s/c with a 427 though. small s/c so the power delivery is very smooth.

IMHO it would be difficult to get either into a brand of replica other than the SPF, which "might" take the 5.4, it seems. There's not much room between the engine and the bulkhead for a centrifugal huffer...

Now, the SL-C, on the other hand...........hmmmmmmm..............

Doug