I say go BIG. I put a 302 in my 61 unibody because it was available at the time. By the time I built it so I could "just put my foot down and go" it only got 10mpg. These are heavy trucks and a 302 has to work hard in them, harder if you drive like me. I'm in the process of reconstructing my truck from the ground up. I have a 460/C6 going back in. I figure if I'm going to get 10mpg I may as well be able to light the tires or tow something. Niether of which the 302 would do easily. Rich.

 

To me the choice depends a lot on your intended usage and your budget. I have a '65 Ford 250 and my plan is to get rid of the 352/4 speed and put in a drivetrain from a '91 F250 I recently bought. The '91 is a 351W and the 5 speed ZF trans.

Why? I want EFI because it gets cold here in Minneapolis. Also, I'm cheap, so getting a whole vehicle with everything I need for $850 fits right into my budget. Carbs do not work the greatest in the winter, so I like EFI. Also, the ZF trans uses ATF thin fluid that works a lot better in cold weather, and overdrive is nice. I do a lot of short drives and I like to get in and go.

If it were me I would put in a 302, because you can get a strong performing 302 for not too many $$. The GT40 and GT40P heads put in the late 90s Explorers are a great iron head, for instance. A 460 will come with crap heads. A lot of 460s have a really low HP rating, so if you want a performer you probably should plan on buying aftermarket heads as well. Many of the newer 302s will actually out perform a 460, if both are kept stock. If you just want to be able to say "yeah it's a 460" and you don't care how well it works, then go 460. If you have a big budget and want big power, 460 and figure you will have to go through and replace most everything in the engine.

Edit: also there is a big aftermarket for 302s with the Fox Mustangs out there. You can get cheap used speed parts very easily. If you buy a 460 everything is going to be big dollars.

 

Really Hakk? I know of several guys making in excess of 500hp using factory later model "smog" heads on 460s. Also if you look since you brought it up about the later 460s having "low" hp ratings ever look at the same year 302? guess that means you would have to start with a new after market 302 block and go up. I mean 122hp for a 302? (in 1975 the 302 was rated 122hp SAE net which is the same time frame the 460 HP "dropped" everyone conveniently forgets that fact that they changed from gross to net up figures)

Oh and the only REAL difference is the GT40P heads used on the explorers is the odd angle spark plugs that require you to use special "P" headers only available for Fox bodied vehicles like mustangs and fairmonts. All the other headers will physically bolt up but you will constantly fight the second spark plug wire back on the drivers side for sure and in order to change the plug you have to remove the headers. Otherwise they have the same 1.94/1.56 valves as any other 302/5.0 and use the same springs that have to be changed out if you use any real aftermarket cam.
And the only 302 that will outperform the stock 460s is the supercharged lightening version (even the roller cammed mustang HO only rated at 215hp, the 460 was rated 220 in it's low days) so lets see you have to have a roller cam engine and your still less hp.

I don't care about making any recommendation (ok maybe if you cam in saying drop a 350 chev in it) but don't use false and misleading information to back it up.

 

The 460 was available 1973/79 in F100's, F150's (1975/79), F250's & F350's all with 2WD.

There are two engine perches: D3TZ-6028-A Right / D3TZ-6029-A Left.

Two engine to insulator brackets: D3TZ-6030-A Right / D3TZ-6031-A Left.

Two insulators (rubber mounts): D3TZ-6038-A .. Right/Left is the same.

 

i've never read HAKKs' posts before, but I used a set of stock D3 heads on my 460, ported and polished myself, closed off the smog ports, and had the most reputable engine builder around here do the valve grind (stock size[int. + exh.]). and they flow fine.
I could have saved money by not rolling, and not going with flat tops with 2.5cc valve relief pistons..........and still had a 425+HP 460cid engine with the cam I chose.

Go with nthe 460 man........It will save you from driving around with a 302 for 4 months, then putting in a 460

 

ha ha, yeah I figured people would take issue with my post. Yes, you can make big power with the 460. I said that right in my post. So posting up what your ported, cammed, etc etc 460 does proves that point. You decided not to run it in stock configuration. Makes sense to me.

If you are running a stock 460 out of some truck or van, a good 302 will be close in performance for less $$, though. Remember that the 460 weighs a lot more, so if you are making equal power the 302 is going to take you.

edit: one other consideration is that the later 302s are set up for roller cams, which is a good thing. Modern oils don't have much for zddp or other heavy metals which provide very good lube. A lot of people have had issues with flat tappet cams especially at break in with the new oil. This is another area where IMO the 302 is superior to a 460, but you can always pony up the $$ for a roller cam for the 460. Just another area where, if cost matters I like the 302 better.

And yes, late 70s early 80s 302s don't make much power, so you're going to want to put better heads on the motor if you buy one of them. However, decent heads for a 302 are as common as dirt. I bought a set of low mileage GT40s off a 93 Cobra a few years ago for $250 and I didn't need to buy valves, springs, valve job, new guides, keepers, etc etc to run a performance cam. Even E7s are good and common 302 heads.

one more edit: I'm not trying to post any false or misleading information. I genuinely think that a 302 will out perform a 460 until you start spending money. If you have a bigger budget the 460 will walk all over the 302, of course that's true - unless you have to turn a corner.

 

Ok maybe I don't know enough about a 460. I'm very surprised that someone could make over 500 hp with a stock configuration. I won't use "false or misleading" though. What rpm do they get that power at? I would guess more like 300 HP max. These "stock" heads - are they modified? What compression - are the heads shaved to get compression up? Ported, performance valve job? Pump gas? Stock rockers and valve train? How about the intake - factory, or aftermarket? How much did that cost? How about exhaust - stock or aftermarket headers? Stock bottom end? Have these guys dynoed their engines or did they just say that they're making that much power? What trans are they using behind that engine? I assume it's aftermarket and a stock one wouldn't live long. Over drive?

Maybe money is too important to me and I'm too much living in the car world. I had a 250 straight 6 in my '70 Mustang and swapped in a 302 from a newer Fox Mustang. The engine had over 100k on it but it didn't need a rebuild. I got a used weiand stealth intake for $80. I used the factory headers for exhaust. I tried to sell this engine for $200 OBO but no one even wanted it. When I see 460s that don't run for sale they are usually priced at $600. I like the performance of the 302 in my Mustang and the forged pistons and roller cam are nice, but the 302 is too heavy - the car corners like crap now in comparison to before. It's also nice to be able to use the factory I6 trans until I decide to upgrade to a cheap overdrive trans from a Fox Mustang.
Edit: oh and I had a 302 in my '92 F150 super cab. It worked great in my opinion.

 

Hakk: The 460 is the last and best of Ford carbed engines. You cannot use published figures for the 460 for comparisons because they aren't true.
Up to sometime in the late '70s, insurance costs were largely based upon the HP of the engine, so the manufacturers were less than honest about the actual HP rating for insurance purposes. It looks to me that you are trying to use publicly published but inaccurate HP ratings as a comparison method, and that will mislead you.
Once emissions requirements kicked in, there was similar pressure to downgrade the true ratings.
In '72, Ford used an open head design with no quench point in the chamber in a useless attempt to reduce emissions. (Avoid 460 heads with D2 castings numbers at all costs, as they detonate terribly.)
Also in '72, Ford retarded the cam timing by 4 degrees. If a '70 or earlier 460 timing set is used, the engine regains all the power designed into it originally.
Finally, although FI helped out, the emissions standards kept tightening, and Ford could no longer use the 460 as a standard engine after '96. This really reduce the HP ratings. Besides, remember that the 460 was introduced in '67, and is therefore based on early 1960s technology. To have a 30 year run is quite an accomplishment.
Computerized controls and bettter equipment have made smaller engines squeeze more power from the same amount of fuel, but there is never a replacement for displacement.
A 1970 equipped 460 will out pull and out run a 302 of any setup (except blown) any day.

 

Yeah, I've heard that the D0VE head is an impressive piece.

Speaking of which, anyone seen the new Kaase hemi heads that bolt onto a regular 460 block?

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