70 Torino 302 build questions.

mumbles89

mumbles89

Junior Member
I'm going through planning my build for my stock 302. I am looking to give it bump in hp and wake it up. So far I'm planning to swap in a xe256h cam keep the original heads but clean up the casting and put slightly oversized stainless steel valves in. I'm going to do all the typical upgrades of putting on a double roller timing chain and getting springs that will merry up with the cam. I am looking to use a demon 625 carb which I know is more than I need. But I was trying to narrow down a intake manifold. I'm between a Weiand 8124P Manifold Ford 289/302 Action Plus, a performer 2121, and a Edelbrock F4B. I want to be able to use the original air filter housing so I was curious if anyone has dealt with any of these and which one would be best for performance, while still maintaining hood clearance. I have the Torino gt hood on the car. I'm not looking to build a drag car I'm just looking to build something that allows to 302 to operate without being constricted.
 
That TORINO is a lot of sheet metal to have a 302 move it.

How much $$$ do you expect to put into the 302?
 
My oldest brother bought a new 1969 Mercury Montego and it had a 302 with 2V 2100 carburetor. It ran fair enough for my brother and his new family but it wasn't a rocket ship by any standard. It was fine for daily transportation. If built like a 351 Windsor then it would be respectful on the street. Those cars were kind of a mid size car but not as heavy as some. I had a friend that had a Cyclone with the 351C and a top loader 4-speed so that car was pretty quick. He ran it pretty hard and ended up throwing a rod. He had it sleeved and ran it for a while longer till life got in the way.

Stroking a 302 out to 331 or going 347 with the overbore gives the higher power but still the lighter weight of the smaller block. Some of those set ups get right up there close to the 351W with the lesser weight. The cam and more fuel flow will wake it up though if funds are tight.

The 302 is an rpm engine with it's stock stroke but your going to need as good a low end torque as you can get for a heavier car. If your choices on intake manifolds are good for that then they are good choices. To much open plenum and your torque drops off more than you may want. The Edelbrock F4B is good for nostalgia but a Performer might be a better choice. The cfm levels of a carburetor is not as important as the proper tuning of it and also the tuning of the distributor for proper advance curve and top end limitations. A low cost O2 sensor is a must for carb set up. A guy on You Tube helped develop what they named the carb cheater system and he use that and a dial back timing light to tune carb and ignition set ups. Ford distributors are not easy to set up but once they are, there is very little a person needs to do in maintaining them.
 
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I'm looking to probably spend around 1200 to 1600 on the engine. That's what it cost for my sbc 350 in my model 48. I'm looking to have a shop clean and inspect it see if there is and cylinders that need resleeved and have them do the valves and springs and ill assemble it. I'm not chasing drag times but I know that doing a proper rebuild on a 302 can get within a 10 to 15hp difference. I thought about doing the swap but the added weight to the front end for an engine that starting on makes 20 to 30 more up stock doesn't make sense along with what I'm planning to do the 351 would land around 320 to 330hp and the 302 would be sitting around 300 to 315hp. I'm looking to build something that has a good power to weight ratio. The main thing I'm comparing for what would be better is what intake would pair well with the build and not require me to cut up the hood.
 
That sounds ideal for tuning and dialing things in I'll have to look into the o2 sensor for tuning i hadn't heard of doing things that way.
 
A 70 TORINO will weigh in at 3100# plus depending on drivetrain and trim-out.

If you are going to have the engine inspected/gone through, try to price machine shop costs/parts on a spreadsheet as compared to a fresh crate engine.

If the block is shot consider at the least a 351W swap (IMO).
 
I will consider that and ill price out places. but I don't think the block is shot it still runs and driver with no overheating or smoking issues. I got it from the original owner who seemed to not drive it super hard.
 
The Performer manifold is the same basic top to bottom dimension as the OEM 4V manifold. I'm not sure about the Holley/Weiand type but it likely is too. Ford always used that wet base block that circulated coolant under the carb so any aftermarket set up would do away with that part. It was questionable how well that thing worked anyway.
 
You’re on the right track with the cam choice and first 2 manifolds. Focus on the torque curve, not hp, that’s what makes a street car fun to cruise and drive.

You might also research some of the 4100 series Autolite carbs. Or the modern clones with the annular boosters. They’ve got a pretty good reputation as street drives. Not knocking the demon.

You might also run a compression and leak down test before you open it up if it’s running ok now.
 
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miker98038 said:
You’re on the right track with the cam choice and first 2 manifolds. Focus on the torque curve, not hp, that’s what makes a street car fun to cruise and drive.

You might also research some of the 4100 series Autolite carbs. Or the modern clones with the annular boosters. They’ve got a pretty good reputation as street drives. Not knocking the demon.

You might also run a compression and leak down test before you open it up if it’s running ok now..
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!!! DAMN !!!​

Talk about hitting the nail squarely on the head ...

COMPRESSION TEST ....LEAK-DOWN TEST ... OIL PRESSURE COLD AND HOT ...

I would verify engine condition before hanging parts ...

Is the 302 a 2V or 4V engine?

And of course a hotter IGN as it most likely has an IMCO period DIST and mechanical emissions controls.
 
The new kinder and gentler K. I’d add a smiley face if I knew how.

Reminds me a line from W E B Griffin’s books

“The true test of a man’s intelligence is how often he agrees with you”
 
Want good street able HP, I look at the late Mustang EFI 302s. Put one in a 66 Falcon Ranchero. 5 speed, 3:56 gears, ran great, made good HP and gave right at 22 MPG. I am a huge EFI fan! There is so much aftermarket support out there that it is close to fool proof. Not talking Holley or some of the other suppliers, the stock Ford systems are easy to get, easy to have "off the shelf" management support and run very reliably for years. Just MHO....
 
I'd hope any clones of the Autolite 4100 have a better secondary actuator diaphragm. I've had to buy whole kits just due to the failure of that item. They run really good though until the secondary quits opening. The power valves could be dicey as well.

I always gravitated toward the older performance carbs back in the day. With modern add on TBI type injection, a person might do better as far as both performance and efficiency. EFI systems are good but it's a learning curve for some plus the added equipment install takes more time.
 
Ford blue blood said:
Want good street able HP, I look at the late Mustang EFI 302s.
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!!! DAMN !!!​

You are just full with good info ...

If one could find either a 5.0L HO roller take-out, either carb or SEFI, he would be well ahead of the game.

The were kits once available to do the SEFI HO CONV incl a modified ECM and harness.

Just depends on how far one wants to go with it ...
 
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