Hi there, wanting to swap a 302 into my 1951 F-1. Is there any particular year that would work better than another? I'd really like to mate a 5spd behind it. I'm told this is pretty ambitious because the clutch linkage will be a major pain. It will need to be carbureted but I don't mind just changing the plenum to a 4bbl manifold if that's all it takes. My last truck was a 1990 F-250 w/302&5spd and it was probably the most fun to drive vehicle i've ever driven.

Any help/suggestions are much appreciated.

P.S. My original idea was to run this 302 until it was time for a rebuild and be saving for a 347 or 331 stroker kit. But I did some reading (on the internet) that suggested that strokers don't respond well to big lopey cams, is this true? I'd like for it to sound a lot like "Eleanor" from Gone in 60 Seconds. As much as a small block can sound like that anyway...

TIA
Joe

 

Any year motor will do but a late model roller motor will give you more cam options. Trucks got roller cams starting in '92 and while the cars got them as early as 1986 you don't want an '86 mustang motor or a low output 5.0 from any year Crown Vic or T-bird because of the heads.. which were the worst things Ford ever produced. The best 5.0 ever was the '87-92 HO because it had a decent roller cam and forged pistons, next best are the late '90's Explorer with GT40 heads and a smaller roller cam, and after that the regular truck motors.. later models having a factory roller cam but even earlier versions will accept the factory roller assembly without any machine work.

The idea that strokers don't like lumpy cams is pure nonsense, use whatever cam you want but don't buy one for sound alone buy it to match your powertrain combo, it's pretty likely any decent cam will have a noticable idle but if not so what, would you rather have a motor that sounds all bad assed but is a complete pouch or one that's more understated but will roast the tires off at will?

 

your main change in the 302 is roller cam or not, but you can always upgrade a flat hydro lifter cam to a roller cam. i would say just get one (any year) with low miles and throw some goodies at it and enjoy. alot of truck guys will say dont get a 302 and to get a 351w for the TQ

 

I was just going to add to my post but I'll do it here instead. If you have the room in the engine bay there's no good reason not to just step right up to a 351.. especially if the truck will weigh more than about 3500lbs. There is no replacement for displacement and even this small 50 inch upgrade makes a world of difference in performance, the 351 is 100ft/lbs of torque stronger than the 5.0 below 2500rpm, something that will be imediately noticable with a manual. It bolts up to the same transmissions and uses the same engine mounts and has roughly twice the torsonal strength which translates into much higher HP potential before block failure becomes a real problem... upwards of 750hp vs only around 450hp for the 302 block. The one downside is the 5.8 wasn't made roller ready until 1994, but it was used in all E and F series trucks so there are still millions of copies out there.

 

I too advise a 351W over the the 302.
And most importantly I want to Thank You for using a Ford motor.
My last issue of Classic Truck has 3 beautiful older Fords with non-Ford motors. 2 chevies and and a Chrysler. makes me want to puke.
I almost want to build a '60's C10 with a 460 in it.

 

Thanks for the info guys, i'm a huge fan of the 302 because of my last truck and don't forget this new engine will replace the original 226 (95 horsepower). So anything will be a huge improvement. But i'm willing to consider the 351. Mainly I just love acceleration, the quick snap off the line that throws your head back, which is why I like a quick winding small block so much.

Why does everyone go chevy? In the four wheeling world, everyone gets a jeep or a scout or a bronco and shoves a 350 in there. Why? Then I saw a sweet '53 f-100 at a local car show and the truck looked like it was still in a field somewhere, but there was a chromed out, race plumbed and blown mopar engine stuffed in there, so big that the hood had to get left behind. Are you kidding me? A mopar in an f-100?

No worries there friend, this truck will be 100% pure Ford no matter what happens.

 

I found this;

"During the 1990s, motor enthusiasts were modifying 351 Cleveland 2V cylinder heads (by re-routing coolant exit from the block surfaces to the intake manifold surfaces) for use in the 351W resulting in the Clevor (a portmanteau of Cleveland and Windsor). This modification requires the use of custom pistons by reason of differing combustion chamber terrain (canted valves vs. straight valves) and intake manifolds for the Boss 302 was not wide enough and the intake ports were too large. This combination yielded the horsepower potential of the 351C with the ruggedness of the 351W small block. This was possible because more 351C 2V cylinder heads were made than corresponding engine blocks (the 351M and 400 used the same head as the 351C 2V)."

Is there an article somewhere on FTE for this?

 

SB chevy for being very inexpensive, has the most support behind it, and has been done so many times there's virtually no way make a bad build combination.

And I think BB Chrysler Hemi's for the coolness factor

I'm almost of the opinion that if you build the motor yourself with all the aftermarket goodies, then the chevy/ford/dodge almost doesn't matter, but I hate hate hate seeing bowties and chevy all over air cleaners and valve covers in a different make vehicle.

 

And now....what would a 92 F-150 with a 302 and auto have good to offer? Roller cam, good heads, decent intake?

I just got one to swap into a ranger, but plan on leaving it stock internally for now, save for gaskets and seals. It has either 120K (I hope) or 140k old man miles.

I want to get everything situated like cooling, rear end, suspension and such, then worry about making it go.

Thanks!!

 

Yes the Clevors had a bit of a following back then, but never were common. Edelbrock started making a manifold to put the Cleveland heads on the Windsor block, and I think that Keith Black pistons are available for this combo.

The ideal heads for this combo are the Australian ones, which are imported by a company called Aussie Parts or similar. They have small, closed chambers, 2V intake ports and 4V exhausts, IIRC.

With the plethora of HP aftermarket Windsor heads as well as the very good GT40 stock Ford units, there's much less interest in the Clevor these days.

 

Yes.. there are domestically produced SBF heads available now that will match or exceed the HP potential of the Aussie heads for 1/3 the price.

 

Clutch linkage? To heck with that, use a hydraulic clutch. Then all you need is the right bell housing (off a late model Mustang, for example). Or maybe a cable clutch, but the hydraulic is much tidier.

 

No, absolutely not. I made a deal with God 2 yrs ago that if he would send someone my way that was dumb enough to buy my last GM (generally mediocre) product off me, i'd never be stupid enough to buy another one.

Ok, good to know, i'll probably shoot for GT-40's or that style aftermarket then.

I'm thinking about that. My 1990 was a hydraulic clutch and I don't see why that wouldn't work for this too...