With 2012 Cobra Jet production starting in only a few weeks, Ford Racing takes you behind the scenes of the engine build necessary to begin vehicle production.The Romeo Niche line began in 1996 to provide a production source for flagship engines like those found in the SVT Cobra and Ford GT, in 2008 it added Cobra Jet engines to its build portfolio. While a typical Ford engine assembly line produces one engine every few minutes, the Niche line’s ten station process produces approximately one engine every two hours with assembly being handled by two worker teams whose names are applied to every engine they build.

All 2012 Cobra Jet engines start with a 5.4 Liter aluminum block sourced from the Ford Racing catalog (Part # M-6010-GTWS or M-6010-M54A). To begin the build, the block is paired with a crankshaft and run through a high-tech washing machine then quickly dried with a combination of compressed air and vacuum lines.

Once washed and dried, the block is fitted with its dedicated carrier mounts that use the engine’s motor mount attachment points. The carrier is used to rotate the work-in-process engine 360-degrees and move the engine from build station to build station.

Station One: Block Prep and Crank Install

The main-cap bolts are loosened and the main caps removed so the main bearings and crank can be installed. The Cobra Jet uses a double-keyed steel crank that is similar to the units installed in the 2011 GT500.

Before leaving station one, the main caps are torqued down with a computer controlled torque wrench. Most of the power torque wrenches on the Niche Line are electric, and they’re calibrated by a computer program that ensures the fasteners receive the proper torque.