So I figured it's finally time

going to finally get the v8 swap. Screwing around and pushing the inline 6 has ran its course for me.

Any suggestions on which crate v8 to get? I don't want a rocket or anything, but something with a bit more power to it and simple to maintain. Or am I better off trying to find a used motor that has recently been rebuilt?

 

I'd say any '85 and up roller 302 should be plenty good for your situation. Ideally you'd probably want to go with one that has the "e7" heads on it at least, otherwise look into the gt40 heads off the Explorers.

 

Do you have all the other parts needed? If not it may be easier to find a v8 parts car and swap everything over...then beef up the motor when you can. New engines are great but thats only half the cost...

You could find a good running car for about 3 to 4000 ..part out the rest and your old 6 stuff and youd have everything needed. Your gona spend alot more on just a complete crate motor...no transmission,radiator etc..if you have drums your probably gona need disc for that v8

Its what your budget can handle..just know your total cost involved or you could be wishing you had just bought a nice v8 driver..jmo

 

I've already had disc brakes installed on it aswell as the front suspension from one of the Mustang houses. no, I do not have any of the other parts but I'd figured this was going to be a bit of a long process and not an overnight thing.

As for finding parts cars, not much luck with that in this part of the country but I damn sure will keep trying.

and speaking of used motors, found this recently on Craigslist --> http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/pts/3528239927.html

That GT motor sounds like a good candidate for a nice rebuild and I have a good machine shop where I live that is highly recommended by a lot of the MOPAR and import guys.

 

be cautious...that doesn't make them...Ford motor builders...

 

you sure got that right buddy!

with the size of your area.. what about finding a reman'd longblock with the better heads from a reputable source with a decent warranty?

 

Use those guys, but slap in a late model 5.7 hemi, and get 360 hp from a base model, prior to any upgrades. Swap out a cam and add some headers and NOW you are talking about some motor!

 

I have to throw my experience in here...
I got a rebuilt junkyard motor for $500, 302 and that thing was a BEAST. It ended up making 192hp to the tires by the time we tuned it really well with a better intake, stock cam and valve train and a 600 edelbrock carb. I ran nitrous through that think and it was a ton of fun.

 

Mine is a slightly built 5.0 and I got a FUN 265+ HP at the wheels. Still need to hook up that nitrous, but mashori is correct, fun engine in our light cars.

Even better, I have about $400 invested into the engine, and then another $600 in the carb. The carb was the only thing I have on it that is new. The rest is traded, bartered, and gifted.

 

But seriously...I have a 5.7 hemi in my 04 truck, and it has 235000 miles on it. When it gives up the ghost, I already have a line on a $4000 new engine with 3 years/36000 warranty to replace it.

I am seriously thinking of busting the old one open, swapping out the cam, honing and re-ringing it, and putting it in the maverick.

This thing has been a flawless brute, towing boats all over this great nation of ours, and not a lick of problems. No reason to throw it away or sell it as scrap, if I have access to it afterwards...

 

Chrysler hemi on a Ford maverick?.. hhrruummph.. that's just plain blasphemous talk!

next thing you know there will be guys putting Chevys into our cars! errr.. wait.. they already do that.. don't they?

 

I already have plenty of GM parts on my car, as well as other aftermarket stuff. I even have International Harvester parts!

I have no problem slapping a non-Ford part in there, if it fits, and it works!

 

buy a donor car with a 302 put in a decent cam aluminum 4brarrel intake and carb. just freshen up an old 302 and youll have PLENTY!
thats all I have in my car now and its ALOT to hold on to. I dont know what the hp is but it sure feels like alot and the open headers make it sound like a BEAST.

I spent $150 on the headers and like $350 for the cam kit (cam lifters push rods and valve springs) put all that in and oh what fun it is rid in a who knows how many horse comet (in my best jingle bell tone) I also spent like $250 on the carb the intake came free and the gaskets for the timing chain water pump valve covers and oil pan didnt add up to but maybe $75. so for around $800 that old 302 will produce close to the same hp and spunk as a stage 1 crate motor.

summit has this
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/hpe-hp78/overview/make/ford
but you still need everything else so in short refresh the old 302 it will save you alot of money and be just as much fun

 

That summit engine is pretty much what I have in the car, except I have a bit more cam and the iron version of those heads.

So, yeah, that would be fun!

If you have $4000 laying around...

 

if I was on a buget I would find a gt40 headed explorer engine change the cam to a e303 or similar since they're cheap, used 1.7 roller rockers, air gap or similar intake and a 3500 ish converter. On a drag radial it should be good for high 12's easily