Best year for the 302

So I am going to start shopping for a daily driver and I will be looking for an original 302. so what year is the best? emissions, performance, HP, etc...guess I was thinking 72 or 3, but that's really just a guess on my part...I wish the 302 was an option in 70, that one would probably win hands down

interested in everyones opinion!

 

I wouldn't even mess with the vintage stuff.

Roller block with a nice set of E7/GT40 Heads would be way better.

and it's so easy to make it look vintage.

 

75. of course new stuff is better, I get that....but alas...I am an original kinda guy

 

The 302 was introduced in '68 in 2v and 4v versions. Other than the intake and carb, the 4v was basically the same as the 2v. In '70, valve adjustment was eliminated with positive stop rocker studs. Compression was decreased in '72, but those and later 302's did have hardened valve seats. The last heavy lower end block was '76. '73-'81 are probably the worst from a performance standpoint and have alot of emissions hardware. The "5.0" 302 HO was introduced in the '82 Mustang, but still had a 2v carb. The Holley 4v replaced the 2v in '83-'85. '85 Mustang automatics had throttle body EFI. '86 was a lone wolf with high-swirl heads and EFI. '87-up were sequential speeddensity EFI. Mass air came along around '89 or '90.

If you want an original-looking engine, using a later model 5.0 will require changing the oil pan and pickup, water pump and front cover, & pulleys, to start with.

 

Well they have their advantages and disadvantages. Like 75 said you can get a 5.0 pretty cheap and 1989 is probably considered the most powerful windsor based 302.

I swapped out my 72 302 with a 88 HO motor. Sad to say It was hard to justify putting all the work into a 72 block just to achieve something around the factory horsepower of the 88 motor. To give you a good comparison the 89-92 HO motor is rated at 225 HP from the factory, with 9.0:1 compression pistons. Whereas my 72 engine was rated at a whopping 140 HP with an 8.5:1 compression ratio.(72 and 74 have the highest rated HP 0f 140 after they changed how they calculated horsepower from the back of the engine to the wheels)
The efficency of the roller cam is a big difference over the stock 302 cam and lifters, also there is pretty much no break in time required for a roller camshaft.

Timing cover, oil pan(and pick up tube), even the 4V intake manifold are direct swaps and externally looking at my current 5.0 engine in comparison to the original 302 there is no difference to most people.

But if you want to get one of the original 302's be prepared to replace pistons, they have a low compression ratio due to the IM changes, and obviously the cams reflect this too. Also look into some of the later heads like the E7/GT40 heads they will give you a good ammount of airflow increase over the stock heads, and like I said they are direct bolt ons.

 

If you are looking for a daily driver that gets good gas mileage...forget the 302 V-8 and look for a Ford Focus.

 

That's what I was thinking, even if only 65% of it's parts produced in North America...

 

Exactly my thoughts ... Since owning a roller cam engine, I will NEVER own another flat tappet small block Ford.:bananaman

Take a Look at Dan Hines car here on the board. His car has a 5.0 roller engine that looks like a completely restored "correct" car.

 

Yup!

 

Actually when they went from gross rated horsepower to net, the difference was the net ratings were taken with all the accessories in place and operating but both were still at the flywheel.

 

For an original 302 Maverick I would think 71 is the best since it has 9:1 compression. Making it the Highest compression V-8 that came stock in a Maverick. It was rated 210 HP but that was before the switch to net HP ratings that they used on 72 and later cars. So since it made .5 higher compression by 72 standards it would probably make 145 HP Basically it still sucks

Get a stock V-8 car and with a little creative junk yard part picking you can make a 20+ MPG Maverick with 240 HP. An 85 and up roller motor + GT-40s off an Explorer + an aluminum 4BBL intake and carb + headers and exhaust =

 

Depends what you want in original. Mine is original by the numbers on the block and heads. But they have had machine work done on them, higher compression ratio. Bigger Cam. So forth. So is it still original? Engine had to be overhauled anyway.
How original of a engine do you want? That should be the question.

 

I guess that is the question...as always you guy's have given me plenty to think about...even Craig (a ford focus isn't an option by the way )

 

If you're looking for something to buy, to use the engine out of,V8 Explorers can be found cheap enough, even to use as a daily driver.

 

2011 5.0, 460+ hp right out of the crate!

Or check out my signature.