The SCJ timing pointer is slightly longer to clear the larger harmonic balancer. I want to register an account for free right now! The '69-'70 Mustangs were nearly identical cars featuring minor cosmetic changes. Well, there you have the top 8 fastest 428 Cobra Jets. The Cobra Jet 428 motors in Mustangs used heads from the 427, plus other enhancements to really put some hair on their chest. Hi Keiththis Ford Article isn't the best scan I've ever done but the article is very, Location: Abe Lincolns Birthplace, Most estimates put the 1968 Ford Cobra Jet 428s at north of 400 horsepower. That is, the performance motors were either a CJ or a SCJ. Included in any Cobra Jet package was a choice of the durable Top Loader four-speed transmission or a heavy-duty C6 three-speed Cruise-O-Matic, and of course the famously sturdy 9-inch rearend. The 390 Mustang was getting abused at the drag strip by Chevrolets new 396 powered Camaro. It also saw the addition of a new convertible body style with a power top. When this 428ci engine was installed in the Mustang, Shelby called the car the GT500. Your email address will not be published. A special option available for 1969 in the Cobra Jet Mustang included a 428 with internal modifications. While 1299 may seem like a lot( compared to the lightweight Galaxies, Thunderbolts, 427 Fairlanes and Boss 429's) it is a small fraction of the numbers . The heads ID themselves. Ford had introduced the 385 series in 1968, and the 429 first appeared in the Thunderbird. In April 1968, Ford released its own version of the 428 engine and called it the Cobra Jet.. The 428 SCJ was first introduced during the 1969 model year. A forum community dedicated to Mercury Cougar owners and enthusiasts. The 428 CJ and SCJ blocks have extra main bearing webbing and thicker main caps than the normal 390 or 428. As it turned out, the 427 heads massively improved both low-end torque and top-end power on 428. Cast iron exhaust manifolds. You can also check the build dates on the parts as well because they did not start pitting them in production cars till about March of 1968. Then there was the 429 Cobra Jet (CJ). Carroll Shelby, Bob Tasca, and the Hybrid 427/428 Engines, Best Ford Fox Body Mustang Performance Upgrades. In fifth place is the 1969 Mercury Cyclone CJ. The 1967 Shelby GT500 featured a new 428 cid engine that had been used in the Thunderbirds and Galaxies. While the Cyclone was named the fastest car of the year, having set a world record speed of 189.22 miles per hour at Daytona, the 428 version wasnt the fastest in the quarter-mile, achieving 18th place overall. It was a good-looking car featuring wide availability in its engine selection. The 390 big-block version of the Mustang ran fairly well--well enough to post mid-15-second times in the quarter-mile. 1968 through 1970 428CJ blocks were beefed up between the bores and main webbing areas for anticipated higher horsepower output. In the March 1968 issue of Hot Rod magazine, a 68 Mustang CJ ran a 13.56-second quarter-mile time, traveling at 106.6 miles per hour. An improved crank and rods were also part of the deal. The A blocks were made until mid 1968 model year. Be sure to check the bore 4.13 and measure the distance between the cylinder cores. These only became available in the 1970 model year, as you noted. Twenty three years later 1992 bought a 289 GT Coup but soon installed a FE with cylender head mods and solid roller cam have ran a best 1.33 60 foot and a 6.39 eighth mile. Midway through the 1967 model year, the 427 was swapped out for a newer 428 Cobra Jet engine equipped with a Holley four-barrel carburetor. The Boss and Cobra Jets had the same block with four bolt mains, short skirts, and thin wall castings. The 406 was essentially a bored 390, and in 1963 Ford went even bigger and bored the 406 out to 427 cid. Ford, realizing the sin of allowing the last Cobra Jet production engine to be the lukewarm 351 Cleveland Cobra Jet, finally revived the badging in 2008. Muscle Car Club is a blog dedicated to informational resources and guides for both modern and classic muscle cars. These cars ran the quarter-mile in the mid-11-second range, quick by any standard. All Rights Reserved. The 428, on the other hand, has a smaller bore and longer stroke producing more torque and is well-suited to street-strip action. The CJ got the standard damper of '68-'76. Cobra Make, Engine: Everett-Morrison LS1, IIRC look at the exhaust manifold bolt pattern-------------the 390GT and 428CJ had a different bolt pattern (had some more holes and an tab on the head for the pattern--the standard engines only had the vertical pattern with a bolt at top and bottom of port, Cobra Make, Engine: Kellison Stallion 468 FE, Cobra Make, Engine: Kirkham 427 brushed aluminum with Keith Craft 527C.I. (REGISTERED USERS DO NOT SEE THIS POST/AD! Tim K, Cobra Make, Engine: Shell Valley- smallblock grenade w/ the pin pulled. Super Cobra Jets also had oil coolers as standard, which were options for the Cobra Jets. In 1964, the 427 was shoehorned into the Fairlane, Ford's midsized entry, between the Galaxie on the big end and the Falcon on the small. The Cobra Jets had three bolt caps instead of four like the Boss, and also did not have the screw-in freeze plugs like the Boss. If the 69 428 is the real deal buy it. Like the Chevy L-88 was 5 hp less than the trip set up Corvettes, because they lied their ass off to keep people from buying the L-88 who didn't know what they were getting into. 428 CJ's came in the 69 so it would be more correct as far as appearance goes. The stage was set, and war was waged in earnest. When the Ford execs at their plant in Dearborn, Michigan saw Tascas KR-8 428 engine in person they were impressed. Why wouldn't an aluminum headed 351W be the best option -- then you don't have to change the rest of the driveline. The big FE also became notorious as one of the powerplants for Carroll Shelby's outrageous big-block-powered version of the AC Cobra. Luckily, Tasca Ford pioneered a high revving 428 engine nicknamed the KR-8 as a direct replacement for the low-revving 390 FE engine. The new 2008 Ford Cobra Jet Mustangs were built strictly for the drag strip, so they werent even given VINs. The new Mustang was beautiful, and it had a large enough engine bay to take the big mill. Lots of people have different opinions about the "Drag Pack" option described above, what it included, and which cars it was available for. The basic strength of the Super Cobra Jet engine is in a more durable reciprocating assembly (crank, rods, pistons, wrist pins, flywheel/flexplate, and harmonic balancer) that was designed to withstand the higher RPM requirements of drag racing. The Ford Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet were introduced in 1970, and they were improvements over the 428s. Very few were ordered because of the popularity of the new Mach 1 package. Yet, Ford did not use any of the second generation big blocks in pony cars like the Mustang at first. although the fastest factory car i have ever been in was and is to this day the 68 428scj mustang, and those cars are cars of record winning the 68' winternationals against the Hemi cars. However, the Ford production database describes the car as having an S-code 3.50:1 traction-lok rear. Super Cobra Jet harmonic balancer counter weight, 4 As mentioned, the 428 Ford Cobra Jets had 427-style heads, which had 2.09 intake valves and 1.66 exhaust controllers. In '69 the 351 was good for either 250 or 290 horsepower, depending on its carburetor configuration, while the four-barrel 390 dropped somewhat to 320. Ford released new versions of the Cobra Jet Mustang in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, and 2018, making 50 annually. Identified by the letter W in the fifth spot of the VIN, this early 1968 edition was the only 427 with hydraulic lifters, an iron intake manifold, a single point distributor, a smog pump (Ford's Thermactor system), an automatic transmission (the four-speed was not available with the 427), and optional air conditioning. As a result, the 428 was less rev-happy but it gained a low-end torque punch that was absent in the 427. Right to the end in 1970, the 335hp rating stuck. FE & FT Big Block V8 (332, 352, 360, 390, 406, 410, 427, 428) - difference in 428 blocks? non biased Shelby Cobra related site! However, there were a few key internal differences between the two engines. With a few minor modifications, however, the 428 would really scream, and by the time the '68s came around, Ford was ready to rock and roll. We have 2 blocks here-both are 428s but one has some additional webbing on the main bearings. The 428 Cobra and Super Cobra Jets continued for 1970, but there was also a new 429 Cobra Jet now. SCJs seem to use the C6AE-E rod most frequently, though again I've seen written reference to a C9ZE-A rod that I haven't been able to confirm was ever actually factory installed. The 428's and 429's most associated with Cougars are Cobra Jets. Cobra Jet Mustang production continued into 1970. Ford couldnt let the legacy of the Cobra Jet die with the 351, but it took quite some time to revive. In second place is the 1968 Ford Mustang 428 Cobra Jet. These are a few ways you can tell. Ford discontinued the 429 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet options after 1971, largely due to the increasing emissions restrictions. The SCJ block is the same as a CJ. Welcome to Club Cobra! Ford introduced their second generation of FE V8 big block engines in 1962 with the 406 cid big block. The largest was the 390 cid, which Ford first brought out in 1961. Past Cats: '69 Std. The baddest of them all is the Boss 429. While the print ad boasted leading the way, the Cyclone CJ ended up closer to the middle of the pack in 1969, coming in 12th overall in factory supercar quarter-mile times published that year. The 429 is a 70 complete out of a Lincoln or some other 4 door. But there are other types of 428's and 429's floating around out there, built for different purposes, i.e. Register now for free! The engine engineering personnel who worked for me on the 428 program were Paul Lampela, Frank Gondoly, Bob Snider, and Matt Hecht. For the '70 Torino and Cyclone and the '71 Mustang and Cougar, the passing of the 428 meant a switchover to the new 385-series Ford big-block. Ford introduced the Mach 1 Mustang in 1969, creating an instant smash hit that outsold the previously popular GT by 67,062 units shuttering the GT model at the end of the model year. Unlike the 351, Ford based the 428 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jets on the FE series of engines. Lets look at the differences between a 428 Cobra Jet and the 428 Super Cobra Jet engine, shall we? The 1969 Mercury Cyclone continued on the Montego platform in the fastback form, and the GT was no longer a model, available as an appearance-only package. This explains why Ford went with the 390 in the Mustang instead of the 427. The increasing shift towards electric power plants makes it likely that any future Cobra Jets will be electric. Dr. The longer stroke (3.98 vs. 3.78 for the 427) gave the engine powerful low-end punch. Over the years, Ford has produced some incredibly iconic cars and engines. The cast iron intake manifold was a high-rise style, which was exceedling heavy at 90 lbs. The 428CJ was available in nine Ford, Mercury, and Shelby muscle car models between 1968-1970. You can use the 428 crank in the 390 block and will end up with 410 cubic inches (Ford actually had a 410 for a couple years). Some of the other unique facts about the 428 are that it's externally balanced and due to the different piston and connecting rod combos used by the factory. For the 429 Ford Cobra Jet carbs, there were either 715 cfm or 780 cfm 4 bbl options. Mustang 428 Cobra Jet Service Parts Oil Level Indicator (Dip Stick) Oil Pan and Windage Tray Oil Pump Pistons Power Steering Fluid Cooler Power Steering Pump Radiator Radiator Cooling Fan Radiator Cooling Fan Shroud Radiator Fan Clutch Rear U-Joint Flange Reverse Lockout Rod (1970) Shock Tower Reinforcements Speedometer Gear Adapter 1968 428 Cobra Jet Drag Strip Modifications, 428 CJ Mustangs at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals, Comparison of Major 428 Engine Components, Classic Mustang Warranty Plate/Certification Label Decoder, Cobra Jet Crankshaft (engineering number detail), Super Cobra Jet harmonic balancer counter weight, 1, Super Cobra Jet harmonic balancer counter weight, 2, Super Cobra Jet harmonic balancer counter weight, 3, Super Cobra Jet harmonic balancer counter weight, 4, Super Cobra Jet horn detail (note the jumper wire and reinforcement bracket), Super Cobra Jet horn reinforcement bracket. Unless specifically noted this comparison does not include the parts that are unique to the 428 Super Cobra Jet engine. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Great article, but the 68 Cougar wasnt offered as a convertible! These had the larger 600 cfm 4100. However, the original Mustang platform, as popular as it was, could not accept the larger engines Ford already had in its product lineup, because the engine compartment was simply too small. All of this was a step in the right direction, but the '67 GT500 was still slower than the rip-snortin' 375hp 396 Camaro. I want to register an account for free right now! Four decades after its initial release, and 34 years after it was discontinued, Ford brought back the Cobra Jet badge in 2008. Untamed European elegance indeed. This was the year that stricter emissions laws went into effect, and emphasis was shifting away from performance. While the 1970 Ford Mustang Mach 1 came in eighth place on this list, it came in 21st place in the fastest muscle cars of 1970 rankings. In 1970, Ford began phasing out the FE engines in favor of the new 385 big block series of engines. He had been involved in the Thunderbolt program back in 1964. The most iconic are probably the Ford Cobra Jet Mustangs, which won numerous drag racing championships. Lastly, Ford engineers externally balanced the SCJ engine with a counterweight behind a different harmonic balancer because they removed the center counterweight on the crank. They were still rated the same 335 horsepower as the Cobra Jets, which was probably still underestimated by 100 horsepower. It's important to note that all other components of the SCJ engine do in fact interchange with the CJ engine. There was a special designation in the database to tell which cars had these installed". In 1967, this changed when they put the first generation 390 big block in the Mustang. In 1963, the 427 saw service in a series of lightweight Galaxies, which had seen some racing success despite their weight. Pictures of some of these parts can be found in the component identification section of this web site. A limited number of Cobra emblems placed strategically on the exterior warned people what lurked under the hood. The rotating assemblies between the Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jets are different, and mixing them leads to balance issues. The 428SCJ was externally balanced with a counter weight behind a different harmonic balancer than the 428CJ. In sixth place is the 1969 Mercury Cougar Eliminator. Welcome to Club Cobra! In seventh place is the 1969 Ford Fairlane Cobra. Also i was wondering if you hopped them up which one would have more horsepower and which one you could rebuilbd for less money, and which one would be less maintenance? Representation from nearly all Cobra/Daytona/GT40 manufacturers Help from all over the world for your questions Build logs for you and all members Blogs 1968 was the only second year of the Cougar, which only received minor revisions, including side marker lights and front shoulder belts. http://www.clubcobra.com/forums/fe-talk/10782-another-dumb-question-428cj-vs-428scj-whats-difference.html, https://www.hemmings.com/magazine/hmn/2009/04/Ford-429CJ-and-429SCJ-V-8/1796187.html. Block, heads, manifolds, etc. Although the Mustang had been completely redone, little changed in the CJ engine for 1969, and it was still available in any type of Mustang. It was fortuitous that Tasca Ford nudged Fordand Ford listenedbecause the 428 Cobra Jets and Super Cobra Jets are amongst the baddest Ford Muscle Cars you could drive off the lot from 1968-1970. 428's never had cross bolted mains, unlike the 427 (and a few 406's). The 428's and 429's most associated with Cougars are Cobra Jets. But of course, it was too late to change the name. Sold it, big mistake. There was some overlap of the C and A markings on the rear block face which means many early CJ's have the A on the block while many police and pasenger 428 engines have the C marking. With the elimination of the 428 Ford Cobra Jets after 1970, this left only the measly, low compression 351 Cobra Jet as the only one remaining for 1972-74. 1969 Ford Cobras were dressed-down street warriors with a basic interior, column shifter, essential gauges, and gobs of power far more significant than 335 horsepower advertised ratings. Beyond that, the so-called Thunderbird 428 offered in fullsize Fords and T-birds made 345 hp, 10 more than the CJ despite its milder cam, low-rise iron intake, 446-cfm Ford 4300 series four-barrel carburetor, and clunky log-style exhaust manifolds. Two were offered for 428 Super Cobra Jet before and after that date. Cobra Jet Crankshaft (engineering number detail) In 1971, the 351 Ford Cobra Jet made 280 horsepower, but that dropped to 266 horsepower and then 255 horsepower. Ordering either of these axle ratio options commonly triggered a few other upgrades as well, including the 428 Super Cobra Jet engine, an external oil cooler mounted in front of the radiator, and relocation of the driver's side horn to the passenger side of the radiator core support to make room for the oil cooler. In addition, when equipped with a 4-speed, the rear shocks were staggered. Not too common, maybe a total production of 15,000. 1999 - 2022 Scott A. Hollenbeck. The 428 was available as a 68 1/2, 68 and 70 model. First, the 1969 price list: April 17, 1969 Mustang Drag Pack Option Description, June 1, 1970 Mustang Drag Pack Option Description, Cobra Jet Connecting Rod The 428 Cobra and Super Cobra Jets continued for 1970, but there was also a new 429 Cobra Jet now. Lets check out the eight fastest Ford Muscle Cars powered by a 428CJ and 428SCJ, shall we? In 1968, Ford released the first versions of their now famed V8 Cobra Jet engines. If it's to be a "driver", compression needs to be lowered to use "pump . Paul: Sorry to disagree. It was powered exclusively by a 428 in either CJ or SCJ fashion. The SCJ block is the same as a CJ, and to that they added 427 "LeMans" connecting rods, better intake manifold, and an oil cooler, plus crank, rods, pistons, wrist pins, flywheel/flexplate It may be possible to mix components if every component of the reciprocating assembly is dynamically balanced, but why bother? Last month, we brought you Part 1 of 3 on how to detail a 428 Cobra Jet engine to concourse level, with Marcus Anghel of . Super Cobra Jet Crankshaft Last edited: May 19, 2013 FrozenMerc, May 19, 2013 SHARE POST #3 hoop98 Member By far and away the most common -- they made 100,000+ of these. The big difference was the price (at $622, the 427 cost $188 more than the $434 428 CJ), transmission availability (the 427 was only teamed with the C6 automatic), carburetors (the 427's single Holley four-barrel rated 600 cfm, 135 less than the 428 CJ), and rated output. Although the 390 had been offered in the Mustang, the FE had seen incarnations of up to 428 ci. The C blocks were later. 3) An oil cooler The 428 is a 1969 block no heads. The heads and intake were unique to the 428CJ. ). The differences for the SCJ were: 1) The beefer 427 "LeMans" connecting rods. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. now if your talking 429scj vs. 428 scj i would give the nod to the 429scj. Though almost identical in displacement, Ford based the new 429 Cobra and Super Cobra Jets on the 385 series. The real cobra jet block had reinforced webbing as well as a higher nickel content, i.e. If you want to discover which 428 Cobra Jet powered Fords were the fastest muscle cars, how the engine originated, which vehicles had it, and how the 428CJ differs from the 428SCJ, then read on. Because of the long throw, the 428 was more of a low rpm / torque motor were as the 427 was a high rpm race motor. The Electric Ford Cobra Jet Mustang can blast through the quarter-mile in just 8.12 seconds at 172 mph, annihilating any Mustang that has ever been in production. In 1958, Ford introduced their first line of big block motors, known as the Ford FE engines. The 429 SCJ was a stronger version on the CJ. What makes the 428 Super Cobra Jet engine so super? Ford released the original 428 in 1966, and in 1968 the Cobra Jet variant was born. This package became notorious in slang as the Drag Pack. The 1975 MPC also excludes 1970 from the list of application years for the C9ZZ-13826-A bracket -its only listed for the 1969 Mustang equipped with a 428-4V or Boss 302 engine, but it was also positively used on the 1969 Boss 429 as well! Craft notes that one significant change for 1970 was the inclusion of a rear sway bar for Cobra Jet Mustangs. non biased Shelby Cobra related site! The 429/460 is going to be the cheaper of the engines to build. The factory power rating seemed to be a typo. not a chance, the 428 scj would out pull the 460 hands down. The 1969 description says that the Drag Pack option is "Available only with 428 CID 4V Non-Ram or Ram Air engines" and "Not available with other optional ratio axles or air conditioner". Royce: thanx for the clarification. Automotive magazines from 1968-1969 recorded eight of the fastest Mustangs, Fairlanes, Cyclones, and Cougars powered by a 428 Cobra Jet and Super Cobra Jet, ranging from 13.23 to 14.40-seconds in the quarter-mile ET with trap speeds of 99.4-106.6 MPH. George Anderson of Gessford Machine was kind enough to point me to a page from Ford's "Muscle Parts Description and Interchange" book, a supplement to the original "Muscle Parts" catalog that was published in July 1970, that clearly states that "all 428 engines use "dished" cast aluminum pistons with two sets of eyebrows cast so they can be used in right or left bank". I spoke to Rob Celedon the other day and his SCJ car has the same stamp on the block. I want to register an account for free right now! The company was aware of the new Camaro project brewing over at Chevrolet. A whole host of high-performance parts was available for the 396 from the Corvette larder, which further complicated matters in Dearborn. Required fields are marked *. They also made a healthy 450 lb-ft of torque, which made for total increases of 35-40 horsepower and 10 lb-ft over the 428s. It appears that Ford went through at least three piston designs during the 428 CJ and SCJ production run to address durability problems. This became a private war between the automakers. The CJ came in the GTs place, powered by a 428CJ and a Spoiler variation that appeared midyear with a standard rear wing. 1970 Ford F100 2WD SB 447 Strokered FE w/ T19 Bullitt390 New Member The two-barrel 390 was good for 265 horsepower, the four-barrel stepped up to 325, and the Cobra Jet 428 provided just ten additional horses but a fair torque boost to go with it. While the torque claim was in line with expectations, many wondered why the big 428 CJ was only 10 ponies ahead of the 325hp 390 GT four-barrel mill. I'm not sure about how well a 429/460 fits in '67-70's though. The table below summarizes the part differences between the two engines. Bore and stroke was 4.0 X 3.5. I actually have some kind of answer that I hope will help. In 2020, Ford switched from massive superchargers to an all-electric platform, but dropped jaws by making 1,500 wheel-horsepower a worthy trade-off to get rid of the internal combustion engine.The future of the Cobra Jet is unknown, and its unclear whether Ford will ditch petrol for good and switch to electric, or if that was a one year anomaly. The Cobra Jets are very similar to the standard 428s, with only minimal upgrades for better performance and reliability. Because the NHRA used advertised factory horsepower and shipping weight claims to group vehicles into competition classes and categories, it paid to fib a little bit; 428 CJ-powered Mustangs and Fairlanes quickly became feared street and strip machines. Originally available in any of the three Mustang body styles--coupe, fastback, or convertible--all '68 CJ Mustangs are highly sought after, even 30 years later. Competition was tough in the late '60s, with both GM and Chrysler offering up serious big-block performance. First you have to start with the 428 v.s. I think, but don't remember, that the SCJ would come in cars optioned with the "drag pack.". This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. As old as it is, all the valves, springs, retainers, locks, shafts, rockers, etc, should be replaced with at minimum, OEM quality (readily available through "normal" engine parts sources).