Bronco 302 vs. Cobra 302

[TrevorPiggott]

I'm curious about what makes a Cobra 302 different from the 302 out of a Bronco. I've tried researching but i just can't seem to get an answer.
Thanks ahead of time.
Trevor

[SteveG]

Are you asking about the long block? The cam and heads are different. The intake and ECM are different, too.

[Dust]

...exactly what is being called a "Cobra" 302?

[PaulW]

Wait for Chris W to reply (good luck, he just moved again). He drives a 5.0 SVT Cobra and kows all about it.
Lots of good stuff in the engine. Its the 5.0 of choice.
Paul
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I'm curious about what makes a Cobra 302 different from the 302 out of a Bronco. I've tried researching but i just can't seem to get an answer.
Thanks ahead of time.
Trevor

[SteveG]

...exactly what is being called a "Cobra" 302?

I assumed he's referring to the Fox body cobra... what Paul is talking about above.

[Dust]

So a Windsor (5.0L) and not a Modular (4.6L).

So, the GT heads, Cobra upper, 70mm T/body, Mild cam, Factory shorty headers.

[PaulW]

Chris has a mid or late 90s Mustang Cobra. Its the classical Windsor Pushrod, roller, MAF.
BTW, 302"/5.0L motors are not 4.6L mod motors with the OHCs.
The 4.6 family is a different breed. I wish for the latest 6.2. for my Bronco. It will never happen.
Paul

[johncharlesb]

BTW, 302"/5.0L motors are not 4.6L mod motors with the OHCs.
The 4.6 family is a different breed. I wish for the latest 6.2. for my Bronco. It will never happen.
Paul

On a side note, mod motors are going to the 5.0 displacement from the Saleens. Mmmm Saleens...., I have a 2000 Saleen, very nice cars.

But yes, he is obviously talking the Fox platform Cobra 302. In addition to the aforementioned differences, these engines were usually built with the best tolerances and out of the best production runs on all the parts made. I would take a Cobra motor any day.

[TrevorPiggott]

Basically I was wondering what modifications can be done to my motor to make it comparable to a Mustang Cobra motor of similar year (Fox body) . Will the intake and throttle body swap over? What about the cam? And would any or all of the above still be smog legal in CA?

[Dust]

Chris has a mid or late 90s Mustang Cobra. Its the classical Windsor Pushrod, roller, MAF.
BTW, 302"/5.0L motors are not 4.6L mod motors with the OHCs.
The 4.6 family is a different breed. I wish for the latest 6.2. for my Bronco. It will never happen.
Paul

True yet they are referred to as "Cobra"... Thus the clarification.

[Dust]

Basically I was wondering what modifications can be done to my motor to make it comparable to a Mustang Cobra motor of similar year (Fox body) . Will the intake and throttle body swap over? What about the cam? And would any or all of the above still be smog legal in CA?

Smog I do not have to deal with.
Everything else and more swaps.

[Rednek Renegade]

there is a guy selling a NOS cobra long block on the I.E. craigslist. Why make it similar when you could have the real thing?

[PaulW]

Correct. I forgot about the new 5.0 mod cammer moter. Nice motor. To new to find one yet.
Paul

[baja-chris]

My daily driver is 1994 Cobra convertible #237, I have 195,000 miles on it and although it's slow compared to new cars, it does have great torque and is still a sweet ride. I never put the Indy 500 pace car decals on it but the Indy 500 logo is stitched into the seats. Here are some photos of one. http://allfordmustangs.com/photopost/sh ... hoto/28833

Anyway here's what was different between a 5.0 GT and the 5.0 Cobra.

14. Cobra Specs
Here is a list of items that are unique to the Cobra vs the GT (94-95)
If anyone has anything to add to this list feel free to e-mail me.

Engine/trans

The Cobra engine was under rated at 240bhp from the factory campared to the GT's 225bhp and was only available with a 5 speed and 3.08 rear end gears.

Cast iron GT40 heads
Cast aluminum Cobra intake manifold
Crane 1.7 rocker arms
24lb fuel injectors
Cobra specific ECU (computer)
"Cobra" stamped valve covers with build sticker and signature
Engine oil cooler
Front mounted power steering fluid cooler
Lightened flywheel
Phosphate coated transmission gears
Overdriven waterpump pulley
Cobra specific camshaft
Cam specs: Duration: 227°/Intake & 270°/Exhaust
Lift: .485/.485 Intake/Exhaust
Lobe separation: 118.5°

Suspension/Brakes

13" Front brakes
11.65" rear brakes
"Cobra" embossed front calipers
Cobra specific brake booster
Cobra specific rear sway bar
Cobra specific shocks/struts/springs
K-member that is slightly stiffer than the GT's
No strut tower brace

Interior
Steering wheel center / Airbag cover embossed with "Cobra"
White faced gauges
160mph speedometer
"Cobra" embroidered floor mats

Exterior
Cobra specific 17" wheels
Cobra specific rear spoiler with integrated 3rd brake light
Cobra specific front bumper cover
SVT emblem on decklid (95-up, not on 94)
Cobra emblems on front fenders (no 5.0L emblems)
"Crystal" (clear) headlights
Round cobra specific foglights

Other info:
The 94-95 Cobra (and GT) came with a 60mm throttlebody, not the 65mm alot of people believe it to have. The 93 cobras came with a 65mm.
Although the 94-95 Cobra came with 24lb injectors it still uses the same MAF (mass airflow meter) as the GT. The Cobra specific computer compensates for the 24lb injectors.

Many people say the Cobra came with underdriven pulleys but from what i've heard it only has a Cobra specific overdriven waterpump pulley. Even if they are slightly underdriven they are nowhere near the same as real underdrive pulleys.

94-95 Cobra trivia information (posted on the SCOA bulletin board posted by "Dano" from the SVT cobra recognition guide)
1. '94 was the first year of the front facing Cobra snakes!
2. These two years were the only ones to have the "Crab Claw" spoiler, with built-in LED brake light! (The GT's stop lamp was mounted on the rear decklid)
3. Only three colors were offered:
a. Rio Red Tinted Clearcoat
b. Crystal White
c. Black Clearcoat
4. The '94 Indianapolis 500's official pace cars were GT's converted to Cobra specifications.! They were five converts, with a four-speed AOD automatic trans! The actual "Pace Car" was driven by Parnelli Jones. 1,000 of these replicas were built, for sale to the public! If you have a '94 convert, it's an Indy 500 replica, with all the special badges & markings, and it's red!
5. The easiest way to tell a '94 from a '95:
a. The '95 has an SVT badge on the trunk lid.
b. The '95 has a vertical flair attached to the front of the rocker panel extension.
6. ALL '94 Cobra converts were Rio Red Indy Pace Car replicas.
7. ALL '95 converts were black.
8. The '94 convert tops were saddle color, and the '95 convert tops were black. No other color combinations were available!
9. '94 and '95's converts came with saddle interior.

[philofab]

93 Cobras were available in Red, Black, and Teal. White was only available in a Cobra R I think? Hell of a fun car, my buddy had a Teal 93 in high school.

The Cobra ECU does not make the car faster... it actually had a bunch of power limiters to keep people from loosing control in lower gears. I think I would rather use a GT ECM that was programmed/tuned for the specific engine it was on.

[Dust]

Off track a little...

Can one take a GT EEC and put it in a Bronco if the engine and tranz are matched to the EEC?

[philofab]

Off track a little...

Can one take a GT EEC and put it in a Bronco if the engine and tranz are matched to the EEC?

A GT ecu can not be used with an E4OD unless you have an aftermarket controller for it.

I think some of the wiring pinouts and harness are different due to mass air and sequential EFI rather than bank to bank. If you corrected them it should work.

[SteveG]

93 Cobras were available in Red, Black, and Teal. White was only available in a Cobra R I think? Hell of a fun car, my buddy had a Teal 93 in high school.

The 93 cobra is on my list of cars I'd like to own at some point. I used to have a Mustang SVO (2.3L turbo) and loved that car. The 93 Cobra is essentially the same car except for the V8 (in other words it won't handle as well!).

[Dust]

Controller is easy just takes money, however the AOD is likely to be built and stay, though I have a C6.

Mainly looking for a lower cost alternative to the aftermarket.

[philofab]

Controller is easy just takes money, however the AOD is likely to be built and stay, though I have a C6.

Mainly looking for a lower cost alternative to the aftermarket.

A9P or similar mustang ECM with a TwEECer. Probably a good idea to just use the mustang harness with it.