Era Replica Automobiles 427 ROADSTER, Сборка и сервисное обслуживание

Страница: 9 / 165

SECTION A -PARTS NEEDED-
9
ENGINE
Remember! All piston engines have a limited torque spread.
If you decide to build a fire-breathing monster, expect to
suffer at the lower RPMs. Because the E.R.A. 427SC is light,
every hiccup is felt.
Very high octane gasoline is becoming scarce, and octane
boosters can be a pain to deal with. If you're going to do a lot
of street driving, use a conservative compression ratio: E.R.A.
turnkey cars are usually built with 9.5:1 or 10:1, maximum.
COOLING
Always use a thermostat in your system for street use. If the
engine fails to reach normal operating temperature, it may
affect driveability and lubrication. In warm climates, a
165

F to 180

F thermostat works the best. Use a restrictor
plate for racing conditions only.
The thermostat should be modified as shown on page 38.
EMISSIONS
Requirements vary from state to state. Most states require
that your car meet the specifications of the year of your
engine. Check with your local authorities. Side pipes with
catalytic converters are available but we have no experience
with them.
FORD FE SERIES
CID Bore Stroke BHP Torque
net net lb-ft
390 4.05" 3.78" 320up 427
427
4.23" 3.78" 410 up 480
428 4.13" 3.98 325+ 475
The original Cobra used the 427 CID "Side Oiler" engine in
the first cars intended for competition. The remaining cars
were equipped with a mix of 427s and 428 "Police
Interceptor" engines. Both engines are logical for use in an
"authentic" car. TheE.R.A. was designed around these
engines.
The Ford FE series is not especially heavy, with the all-iron
version weighing only slightly more than 600 lbs. We have
seen complete engines with aluminum heads, intake
manifold (w/ 2 x 4bbl carbs) and water pump scale at 522
lbs. Simply adding an aluminum intake will bring the
weight on a stock 428 to 585 lbs.
The best engine depends on your driving style and your
budget.
If you are not experienced in the FE series engine,
be wary of building your own "exotic" engine. The FE
series is a bit quirky and you may make some very
expensive mistakes. Before you buy anything, get a good
Ford engine building book, available from Autobooks, etc.
Ford production of major 427 and 428 parts ceased in the
1980s. Fortunately, most FE engine parts are being
reproduced. You can still find original 428 cores that were
used in many full sized Fords. Using a vintage engine may
have an advantage when registering your car.
When you
buy parts, keep the receipts . See Inspection , page 158.