So my old 1979 f100 desperately needs a rebuild. I want to upgrade the old 302, and I've been trying to do some research on what i may need, but there is almost too much information out there. ha. I DO NOT WANT TO "buy a junkyard 351". I want to keep the 302 for sentimental reasons. I just want this motor to have new life with more hp. I'm not gonna be doing much (if any) racing. This will be a cruise around a show off truck. I want it to have a nice lope that will idle nicely. I dont know if i want to go with a ford letter cam or if i would be better off with a trick flow stage 1. I'm thinking if i upgrade the cam, i should upgrade the heads. I have around a $2500 budget give or take. I was told to get some used gt40s and get them machined, but i also have been told to by trick flow twisted wedge heads. I'm just looking for suggestions. Thanks in advanced!

 

E303 is pretty much the same an A TFS Stage1 cam, but both of these are roller cams which will require linkbar roller lifters to use in your existing block.
Stock '79 heads are total junk and anything is an upgrade, GT40s are a nice upgrade but they won't touch a TFS or AFR, if you can afford one of those aftermarket heads go for it.

 

It would be a good idea to use long tube headers and dual exhaust with an h-pipe. Long tube headers help with increasing low end torque and flow way better than any stock manifold. And a good dual plane intake to match th e rpm range for the cam is also a good idea.