You and me both. Even after it let go, the engine was still running and maintained about 45-47 psi @ idle.

: It would indicate to me that the big end and bearing was still intack until the rod got torn away. If the journal is not burned, then the failure would be up the rod somewhere. Let us know what you find.

Agreed. But, as with many things with this car that have defied logic, I'll wait to actually SEE what happened before I believe anything. Looks like the first chance I'll get to tear it apart will be Thursday evening...

:..With the head selection you mention, I would pick the late units. The early ones have smaller chambers and would tend to give a CR. on a 302 that may be a bit high with flat top pistons.

My math tells me about 10.8:1 ratio for the 66's. A little above the 10 to 10.5:1 I was looking for. I'm not sure of the casting numbers for the late model heads (engine has been assembled for over a year, just didn't get into the car until March of this year...). I was told by the machine shop I bought them from they were '88 GT heads. The only spark plugs I can get to fit the hole are Autolite 2545's, which are truck plugs (E7TE's were originally truck heads). Plugs called out for 'stangs of ANY year do not fit, the base of the plugs are too big of a diameter.

Here what my engine had/has:

302 bored .060 over (310.7 ci)
Edelbrock Performer RPM cam & Intake
Sterling Hyperutectic pistons (Think I was wrong about the MFG in a previous post)
Holley 780 vacuum secondary, w/067 jets in prim & 070 in sec.
Crane Energizer roller rockers w/screw-in stud conversion kit
Late model "mystery" heads, exhaust ports gasket matched
Heddman headers, 2 1/2" x-pipe, flowtech afterburner mufflers
Accel 300+ ignition system
K&N filter