Ok, so I am buying a '74 coupe this weekend. It has a stock automatic tranny and a stock I6 (which doesn't run). I am buying this as a winter build and I'm shooting for a street/strip car (85% street/15% strip). I also prefer a stick, so the C4's getting swapped for a manual (T5?). It's the engine and rear that get sketchy... My gut reaction was to drop in a 351W. Period. Nice big kick in the pants. Then I really started thinking about it. The "kick in the pants" is all I'm really after. I'm not really looking to race it, just to tinker and enjoy getting shoved deep into the seat when I stomp on the skinny pedal. So wouldn't a 351W be overkill? Wouldn't a mildly built 302 give me the same satisfaction without all of the shocktower and sparkplug headaches? Plus, can't I get away with the stock 8" Maverick rear with a mild 302? If I go with a 351W, especially the '85 "HO" truck engine another board member has offered to sell me, won't I be needing to swap a 9" rear from a Versalles or something (might as well upgrade to disc brakes while I'm back there )? So help me decide. If I'm looking for the occasional kick in the pants, that lope that sounds so good at idle, and occasional mosquito massacre, then do I need to go 302 or 351W? Mind you this is a budget build- I like fast, but I like to eat too (and not sleep on the couch for that matter). Now to do something about that hideous pale gold color...
sounds like you figured it out for your self. the 302 should give you what you want and even be able to give you more. i would find 302/t5 combo from a 87-93 mustang to put in. the 8" will be just fine. just put a posi in and regear it. 3.80s would be alot of fun with the 5 speed.
302's are great engines if you build them right. You can create plenty of power either way for what you are looking for. You may want to just talk to your engine builder about which one would be cheaper to build to go "x" fast. Either one would work fine. I do agree that the 302/T5 combo would be a lot of fun for not a lot of money. My Mav came with a fuel injected 302 with aluminum GT40X heads, small cam, headers, i don't remember which intake. It would haul for a mild engine. It would have been great for your mosquito massacres...it would lay down black strips for over 100' with 3.55's out back. All of that's gone now...getting ready for a "little bit" bigger engine.
Bang per buck...302/351W are about the same.(you will get more torque from the 351 though) On the hassle scale...302 is better. Biggest issue with the 351 is headers/plug changes.
...and the torque is what keeps calling me back to the 351W. Feeling it in my chest when taking off from a dead stop, down shifting and stomping on it out of a curve, etc. That and there's this whole Big Daddy Roth thing that tells me to shoe-horn in the biggest engine I can, extend the shifter by foot or so, and use a skull for the knob. I have this feeling if I go with the 302 I'll have this "coulda, shoulda, woulda" thing going on in the back of my mind. Decisions, descisions, decisions...
Well... with the 351 in my Sprint (mind you my 351 is built up) If I did what you describe... The car would spin in a big circle while emitting lots of tire smoke and go nowhere.A stock/mild 351 will get you in lots of trouble no problem.The 302 will do it as well. Soo How spend do you want to fast???
Like I said-budget. This Mav is not the family daily driver. I have Freestar for hauling the wife and my boys. While it's great minivan, it is still a minivan. So this will be Daddy's toy. To drive to/from work 2+ times during the week, and around town during the weekends when I can. Ok, so somewhere between garage queen and daily driver I suppose? Which reminds me- I need to look up how to mount shoulder belts in the back. Anyway, probably a very mild 351W in the end. I guess I've swung back to the 351 side of the fence. Could a Maverick 8" survive any of this?
Why not get the best of both worlds and stroke the 302 to 331 or 347? You get the torque of the 351W and the fit of the 302.
i you put a efi 5.0 out of a mustang you will have plenty of torque. i dont know your budget but ive seen entire fox body mustangs selling for 2000 lately. that will get you 80 percent of what you need to do the conversion to efi. just need do do fuel lines, a fuel pump and filter, and some wires. then you can part out the mustang and make some money back.
As long as you keep street tires on it. The 8" will take plenty of abuse.Put slicks on it with more than 400 ft lbs at the wheels and you will split the caps.
Actually though, I'll have to double-check and see if my '74 has a 7.5" or an 8" rear. If it has an 8" and it'll handle a mild HO 351W, then things just got a LOT more "in budget". That would rock...
Why not a 302 with 2V Cleveland heads on it? It's not much more money because the heads will be super cheap and outflow that straight valve stuff most people use (hehe). Intakes are on Ebay quite often and I think some of the aftermarket companies are making new ones for this setup. Talk to some of the Cleveland engine builders (Mark McKeown and Jon Kaase come to mind) about it. They'll be able to do some mild head work and get you a cam that would make a wicked, streetable 302. That would make for one mean "Boss 302" Maverick. If I went back and had to do my engine all over, I'd do a Dart blocked 302 Cleveland, short stroke, and make it scream! You can make a TON of power on pump gas if you spend enough money. The question really comes down to how much you are willing to spend and how much work you are willing to put into this.
