1978 302

Soooo, I just got done dropping the starter to find out if my 302 in 71 Torino is original or not and it seems it's not. It looks like it's a 302 out of a 78 Lincoln and that means it's a dog of 135HP. Weird thing is that it does not feel like a 135 HP engine at all. The engine has been painted Ford blue and it looks fairly fresh so maybe it was rebuilt, it doesn't sound like it has a bigger cam in it, it does have a Edelbrock performer intake with a Holley 650 on it, no headers but fresh Flowmasters. Besides that it looks like it's stock? I can stand on the brake and seriously spin the tires until smoke is behind me and have no problems at all chirping the tires even though the Torino is heavy. So, I'm wondering my plan was just to get a 302- crate or 351 for it next year but would I by better off going with a top end kit? Edelbrock makes one for like $1600 but I'm wondering if the bottom end would hold up. Or are those kits a waste of money?

Our 140 hp 1973 302 didn't feel like a dog stock, and it was in a wagon...

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Get an stock roller 5.0, install mildly reworked Explorer GT40P heads, roller 1.6 rockers and a good cam. 375 hp at the flywheel. There is a fresh article in one of the periodicals that I am following on this exact build. Cheap, bulletproof, reliable and will bolt right in.

unlovedford wrote: Get an stock roller 5.0, install mildly reworked Explorer GT40P heads, roller 1.6 rockers and a good cam. 375 hp at the flywheel. There is a fresh article in one of the periodicals that I am following on this exact build. Cheap, bulletproof, reliable and will bolt right in.

Exactly what I was going to suggest. Hell find an Explorer with the 5.0 and just swap it in! Or just a mid 80's - mid 90's Mustang... DONE!
3 things to remember swapping in a late model roller motor...
1. GT40P heads require special headers as the plugs sit straight out not angled. That's why the explorer has those funky looking headers. The amount of difference a DRIVER car will feel...not enough to matter, just get a Mustang GT 5.0 with the GT40 heads, should come with the factory shorty style headers that fit with no issues in the 72-79 cars(not sure on the 68-71 cars)
2 and 3. Ensure you have the balancer AND the flywheel from the roller motor! They are balanced differently than the early/non-roller motors and even if they will fit and bolt up, they will vibrate, shake, rattle and eventually break(BADLY)!

Also get the emission tube bolts that go on the back of the heads. Match the bolt size and buy 2 bolts same size and pitch as short as you can get them. Might have to cut them shorter, use some HIGH TEMP RTV on the threads, tighten them down GOOD and forget about them!

Want to go 1 step further?
Reach in each exhaust port and grind down the emissions hump!
VERY EASY to do, you can see these restrictive pieces and feel th hole that feeds the egr tubes we just sealed off above. Once ground smooth, you COULD suff the hole with some JBWeld or not, no issues either way.
Throw a Holley 600 4BBL on an alum intake and POW you'll love it!

Edited by Regul8r - 16-August-2014 at 4:20AM

Nah.....I think I'm just gonna go with the edelbrock top end kit. Way less fuss then finding a goos gt engine that hasn't been beat on, at least with my engine I know what I' starting with

Aluminum heads, cam and lifters, timing chain, performer intake and all the gaskets and bolts....Although I've always wanted to put a modern engine in a muscle car. The only thing that I hesitate on is the fact that it has a computer and all that stuff.

unlovedford wrote: Get an stock roller 5.0, install mildly reworked Explorer GT40P heads, roller 1.6 rockers and a good cam. 375 hp at the flywheel. There is a fresh article in one of the periodicals that I am following on this exact build. Cheap, bulletproof, reliable and will bolt right in.

Can someone put up some links for swapping a 5.0 into either a mustang or a torino? Ive seen a lot on the net about this being a very common swap and very easy in mustangs but for some reason I cant find a step by step? Anyone?

Here is another one: Click Here to see it.

Here is another one: Click Here to see it.

Here is another article on the engine swap subject: Click Here to see it.

Here is an article where they had installed one into an '83 Bronco II: Click Here to see it.

Edited by dave302 - 16-August-2014 at 2:52PM

Here is a good article about choosing which 5.0 to install: Click Here to see it.

Here is another good article about the engine swap subject: Click Here to see it.