What year motor is best to use?

I will be looking for another Maverick in about 6 months to a year and would like to know what year 302 people have had the most luck with adding some aftermarket parts like heads, cam, intake etc to achieve 400-450hp? The next one I will not rush and take my time so it gets done right. I was looking at getting an edlebrock kit that included a cam, intake, heads and is rated at 350hp with the combo used together. Does this 350hp get added onto whatever the engine had before the aftermarket parts? How does this work? I have a 69 302 bored .60 over now and not really sure if I will use it since the bore is so much and the walls are so thin. Any thoughts or info would greatly be appreciated.

 

Get a roller block, anything 92 and newer would be my preference.

That 350HP is what the engine will make at the crank, so you'd see 15/20% less at the wheels depending on what tranny you have.

The edlebrock rpm kit is nice but it's mild, if you want to make 400+ you'll need better heads to start. Some AFR's will put you range in the range of 400HP.

But you need to plan what you're going to use the engine for, since that will determine what heads, intakes,cam,etc... you'll need.

A 400HP race engine is different than a 400HP street engine. Then you also got to consider how light these cars are, so you don't need massive amount of power to have fun.

 

The engine will be pretty much street only and maybe see the track a few times to see what it can do. This Maverick will be a weekend go out and have some fun car and not a daily driver. I will buy the auto C4 from broader perfomance thats rated at 500hp.

 

Do you mean 92 and older? to get the forged instead of cast pistons? back to 87 I'd say. 86 has no reliefs in the pistons.

 

http://www.musclemustangfastfords.c..._into_a_5_0_l_small_block_engine/viewall.html

This is interesting reading here. I don't know where it would be as far as a street/race but it will get you there with less expense....maybe. You can't do it as cheap as they are saying though but still maore reasonably than other routes. Just saying, it is an option.

 

Nope I mean newer if you're gonna build an engine might as well put new pistons in it. I said 92 because thats right aroung when most 5.0's had roller cams. The late 80's are still iffy because you still have a good chance of getting a flat tapped.

But the factory TRW forged pistons are neat!

 

Hey less expensive is always good thing! I've read that post before, it is very interesting and good to know, but I dont think I could find good deals like that on CL or anywhere else and build it for that price. Just my ignition setup I had on my last car was more than half of the build in the post. Im hoping I can find an un-molested junk yard motor to work with then build it slowly over a period of time so I can get some really good new parts.

 

what do you mean by "select shift"?


have you ever checked out a ratchet shifter?

It makes auto's more fun and it can be way safer at the track as they prevent mis-shifting into the wrong gear.

 

This is just my opinion.. I built a 302 for my car and I would never do it again, I'd be going with a 351 based stroker..

 

ALL 86-95 Mustang 5.0 HO motors are roller cam. 87-93 had the forged pistons with valve releifs. Why buy a motor you know needs new pistons? Buy one that might just need a hone and ring job. worse case then put in new pistons, but if the bore is good then you are all set.

 

Select shift is all electronic and found in new fords. On the shifter you have two buttons up and down. You can put the shifter is the S which is standard mode and use the two buttons to shift gears instead of pressing the clutch and manually shifting. Its pretty much a standard you cant mess up and very easy that even I can do it.I havent seen the ratchet shifter but will look it up.

 

Come to so-cal and TRY to find a mustang HO engine, you cant. The only ones i've seen in the past 6 years has been the Tbird ones.

If you can find one sure pick it up! I'd love to find one, or two or 5

So Like paddle shifters?, yeah you can get those for AOD's. Not sure about C4's.

But they're expensive, this TCI claims to fit all auto's:

http://www.tciauto.com/tc/shifters/paddle.html


A ratchet shifter works like the ones in newer cars except you do a ratcheting action instead of just pushing the shifter up and down.

Here's a video to demonstrate(although this guy is running a full reverse manual valve body)

 

I think I will stick with a c4 and B@M shifters. Paddle shifters are way too expensive! Would be pretty cool to have but I cant see throwing 7k at a tranmission when 7k would build a luvly motor.

EDIT, Link didnt work at first so I went to to their website and typed in paddle shifter and a complete tranny, paddle shifter kit showed for the 7k.


So Like paddle shifters?, yeah you can get those for AOD's. Not sure about C4's.

But they're expensive, this TCI claims to fit all auto's:

http://www.tciauto.com/tc/shifters/paddle.html


A ratchet shifter works like the ones in newer cars except you do a ratcheting action instead of just pushing the shifter up and down.

Here's a video to demonstrate(although this guy is running a full reverse manual valve body)

[/QUOTE]

 

Are the Tbird HO engines different?

 

a good 350 to 400hp combo is this:
afr 185 heads http://www.summitracing.com/parts/AFR-1388/
tfs stage 2 cam http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TFS-51403002/
edelbrock performer rpm intake http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EDL-7501/
a holley 650 double pumper carb.
some long tube headers.
you put this top end on a 302 and it should easily make 400 hp.
if you put it on a 331 or a 347 the power band will come down in the rpm range and make it even better on the street.
mashori's car has this combo on a 331 with 8.8 -1 compression and he dynoed 351hp to the rear tires and 400 torque. his compression is low because he is planing on adding boost.
you get the compression around 9.5 which flat top pistons should get you close to and you will be very happy.