They say the toughest two decisions in building a Factory Five Roadster are the paint and the engine. Boy, are they not kidding when they say that! Funny enough, those decisions make up 3 of my first 4 posts…oh boy. The beauty of the roadster kit is that it can accept almost any engine – a classic push-rod engine that’s carbureted or fuel injected, modern Coyote, Aluminator, or Godzilla, and even (if you want to show everyone you’re certifiably insane), an LS. I’m an idiot, but I’m not crazy. I bleed Ford Blue, and the mere thought of putting an LS in a Cobra seems like sacrilege to me – much like my wife asking my full-blooded Italian ass to take her to dinner at the Olive Garden!
So the decision ultimately comes down to old vs new Ford iron/aluminum. There’s an inherit nostalgia in the push-rod, with it’s lopey idle, and classic brutish sounds. But with the nostalgia also comes the aggravation of managing carbs or tinkering with a bolt-on EFI system. Then there’s the new school options – turn the key and go. But with the new technology comes the size and cost of a new engine. Regardless, the choice remains – old school vs. new tech?
The entire car is an exercise in contradiction. Beautiful sweeping curves that draw your gaze from afar, only for your ears to be hammered out with an ear splitting roar as it goes past. From the seat, its speed first and safety second – the way God intended. Herbie Hancock bought a Cobra out of spite, and then blew the doors off of Miles Davis’s Maserati. Steve McQueen drove a Cobra lent to him by Carroll Shelby himself. Mr. October, Reggie Jackson, owned one. And in 2013, F1 legend Martin Brundle also famously lapped one at Goodwood for 2 and a half laps before crashing. At the end of the day, if you’re not screaming, flying backwards through the pearly gates on fire, did you really live life to the fullest?
The Roadster is a 1960s icon built today, and it should have a classic engine in it. Over cigars one night with friends, one commented to me, “you’re building the damn thing yourself, you might as well know how to fix it when it inevitably breaks down”! I guess that’s part of the charm of a classic car – although one charm I would be happy not to discover!
While a newer engine like a Coyote offers bulletproof reliability and impressive horsepower, it lacks the charm and look of an old-school pushrod V8. Its a testament to engineering, but a canvass of insipid plastic with the same charisma as a Power Wheel.
The Roadster was meant to be gazed on, or as the kids say “have that rizz”. The lumpy idle of a pushrod, the exhaust sound that is impossible to recreate, the cacophony of chrome, and the undeniable beauty of the raw mechanics pair so perfectly with the car.
That’s not to say a pushrod has to have 1960’s tech. EFI gives you all the looks of the classics without worrying about carbs or ethanol gumming up the works, forged internals strengthen the already stout blocks, all while being built with new parts.
While you can have all of the classic looks, you cannot overlook the added benefit of cost. For the same price as a crate Coyote, you can have a completely assembled engine and transmission package. The parts are all tried and true with decades of design and tech supporting them, and the power is comparable to a Gen1 Coyote – and 400hp in a car that only weighs 2300lbs gives you the same power to weight ratio as an 800hp Dodge Challenger Hellcat, while also being incredibly nimble.
Decisions, decisions. Only time will tell what ultimately gets installed in my new build.