wannabesaleen281

Hey guy I was just looking for some advice on a possible motor swap or if it's even worth doing. I have a 96 Gt automatic convertible , I have all the bolt ons and I am still not happy with the power I am making. I recently bought a lentech streetbruiser tranny (not installed at the moment) .Now I was planning i doing a full trickflow top end kit and rebuild next winter, which I am told will really bring my car to life. But I recently stumbled upon a 98 32v dohc cobra motor for sale for $1500 plus shipping ( not even sure if that's a great deal or not). From everything I have read online they say the swap is actually pretty straight forward everything including my new transmission will bolt right into place. Now the engine doesn't come with either the wiring harness or PCM but I figured I could find a wiring harness on eBay and just use my sct tuner to program everything. Has anyone here done an sn95 cobra swap ? Or would a trick flow top end kit be better? Also I am planning on getting all the work done with either route I choose at a shop so I have to take that into consideration as well.

SNAKEBITE

It really depends on what your final goal/wish is for your car in the end. Which setup strikes you as the best setup for your end goal?

wannabesaleen281

Now I don't even really know what I want is the problem a cobra swap would be great because telling anyone I have a cobra engine under the good would be great but I know it might be more hassle. I am looking for around 500hp as the finished product I don't know if I want to run boost or go N/A either. But I figure I have put around $20k into my mustang so far and I plan to fully finish it, that was the deal I made to myself it was either fully finish my mustang or sell it and buy a c5 corvette. So I dont ever plan on getting rid of it either. Also the guy selling the engine told me he would be willing to take $1200 for it not $1500

1low03gt

It would be a good swap with lots of potential, but cost is what kills it as you will need a harness with pcm, or a custom tune if you don't need to swap out the PCM. Then their will be all the little things that you would need to complete the swap, but the engine will drop in so you can re use your exhaust, and trans.
On the other hand, doing the trick flow top end can get you anywhere between 350 to 400 hp n/a!.... then add a blower, and get close to or if not over 500 hp, and this would be easier as you dot have to swap out anything, just upgrade. Plus since you have the non pi 4.6, you will have raised compression since the pistons are not dished like the pi 4.6's. Bonus if you want to stay n/a.
Plus the trick flow heads out flow those non 03/04 cobra heads un ported.

wannabesaleen281

Does anyone have any idea if I would need to swap out my stock rotating assembly to add a supercharged even on minimal boost or would just a rebuild be fine ?

SNAKEBITE

I bet FastEd can answer that lol

fast Ed

iTrader: (1)

I would suggest that a Kenne-Bell blower setup or similar might be the way to go. The drawback of a 32V swap would be that those engines are lacking in low end torque, which is what you are going to need to get a heavy convertible with an auto trans moving. As to how much boost a stock 4.6 2V shortblock of that era can handle, I don't have the answer to that. If you want to run 5 or 6 psi, it would likely be OK, but that isn't going to get you to 500 hp.


cheers
Ed

1low03gt

Yeah you would need to do the bottom end for some good boost.

SNAKEBITE

Thanks FastEd+1

Speedtospare

I am just finishing up athe swap. Buy a entire wrecked car if you plan on doing the swap. You need a lot more than just the motor. IMO if you car doesn't have have hight mileage you want to buy 4v heads and matching intake or like you said the TFS heads. As long as you stay NA you shouldn't have too much problem with the bottom end.