Yes, the 4.9L I6 is indeed the definition of reliability that the Windsor wishes it could be when it grows up! Looking forward to the forthcoming video he promised...
Love the 302 - I rebuilt one in an engine building class in the early 1980s. I did a 3 angle valve job, and it was bored .40 over. I put it in a 70 ½ Torino-based Falcon.
I had several 302’s over the years they were indeed smooth and solid engines - the only one that I still have is my old 300 inline 6, it will stay with me until I die
Ford Australia designed and manufactured a 302 Cleveland, which was always called a 4.9 in the brochures. They were a very torquey, reliable, and smooth powerplant. I had a 302 Cleveland in a 77 Fairmont that wouldn't win any traffic light drag races, but ask it to tow two tonnes of broken concrete, and you wouldn't even feel it pulling the trailer. It was also a great long-distance driver.
Agree, I think with our small market in Australia Ford evolved its engines very well. Obviously the pollution gear hurt both the 302 and 351 thru the 70s.
My first car was a 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe when I was 15yo in the early 80's. I sold my Honda XL-350 Motorcycle to pay the $400 for it. It had a 289 which barely ran and only had reverse, was in primer, needed interior work, and had some very minor collision damage. I bought and removed a 302 Windsor out of a friend's 1971 Fairlane and had it professionally rebuilt with a "RV Grind" Camshaft for incredible low end torque, and the car launched like a rocket! It sounded very throaty also with new custom dual exhaust with glass packs. I installed all new chrome valve covers, oil pan, timing cover, breathers, and air cleaner on the rebuilt engine. A friend of my father's rebuilt the Mustang's C4 Automatic Transmission with a shift kit and other better components. I did all the body work and repainted it Metallic Grey. It had the GT Hood with the inset turn signals. I also added additional rear leaf springs and shackle extenders to raise the rear of the car to accommodate much wider rear black and chrome modular wheels and improve the rear suspension. I installed slightly narrower matching ones up front with raised white letter T/A Radials all around. I had all of the stock chrome trim which I polished up and installed along with new chrome bumpers. I also redid the interior in matching grey with some of the original burgundy components. I also took apart the factory instrument cluster and drilled openings for smaller gauges I installed. I replaced the similar "Ford Padded Steering Wheel" in your video with a chrome and wood "3 spoke" and added a custom "Mustang Logo" center horn button The car ran and looked great. I wish I still had it today!!! Years later my parents gave me a 80's Ford Fairmont Futura with a rebuilt 302, and all the added emissions garbage and other "luxury" items removed, it was a lightweight "hot rod" with the hopped up 302 in a car typically designed for a 4 cylinder based on the fox body mustang platform. I always liked the body style as it resembled a "downsized Thunderbird" of that vintage.
Ford was very good with gearing. The C4 has a great range of gear ratios and the rear gear was really good for harnessing the power/ transmission gearing. They had that 1-5 knock because they fired 1-5 after each other. They later in the 351s to a 1 -3-7 firing order and of course they used it in the 5.0 liter. It eliminates the “knock “ . GM even changed their firing order on their LS engines. The firing order smoothed the 302 even more. I built a 302 for my father- laws 65 Mustang with a small Lunati Voodoo can and the idle was musical and so smooth and made 325 hp and 340 ft lbs of torque with the AUTOLITE 4100 that was on my 1965 352. My mother in law loved it too. They were both in their 70s and we met them for lunch and they were such a cute couple going for rides together. I had used some 289 heads with 2.02/1.5 valves and ported them and painted a Weiand Stealth, Hi po manifolds and dual exhaust with resonator and the voodoo cam had the smooth 1-3-7 firing order and internal balance. They really enjoyed it until my father in law passed away. We had restored it and she was afraid to put a scratch on it and it was in the garage until she passed. My wife and I treasure that memory. He , me and my son did it all. But they both loved the little chirp from the tires . When the were first married they received a new Buick Special and it had the big nailhead that was so smooth and quiet but would do the same “ chirp “. We are 63 now, but I can’t drive anymore because I lost my vision. We have a 22 Edge ST twin turbo 2.7 and 7 speed AWD that we love, and our granddaughter lives with us and she thinks it is the coolest! Memories.
Takes me back to when my dad bought a new 67 Meteor with the 289. Many road trips we took and my driver when I got my licence. The aqua colour is magnificent!
I had a '68 Falcon wagon back in the 70's when I was in the USAF and it was just a wonderful machine. My young bride and I arrived to our new duty station (Nellis AFB) on the same day of the Great Flood that wiped out Caesars Palace parking lot. We survived that, but the car didn't survive being T-boned on North Las Vegas Blvd. My fault. I've looked and looked for another and nice ones are rare as hen's teeth. As always, thanks Ford the memories.
We had a '68 Mercury Colony Park station wagon. What a big beast. 12mpg in city, 16 mpg on highway with a giant 390 hi compression premium gas engine at 315hp. A unique looking car I wished I still had it.
One other nice trait of the 289, and 302 that I don’t think I heard mentioned, is they are usually much less thirsty than their big brothers and deliver surprisingly good fuel economy. Terrific engines no doubt. Easy to work on, easy to tune; and although my ‘88 5.0 mustang only had 225 HP, it was still pretty snappy, and required H rated tires, or 150 MPH; I was able to achieve fuel economy numbers of as high as 32 MPG with that car on at least one occasion. That little engine was a really nice piece with roller rockers, and headers straight from the factory. 👍🏻
I’d say the 289/302 was the best Ford engine. Drove a 64” Galaxie stick with the 289. What a great easy to drive car. Had a 66’ Mustang with one. Even in 2bbl form it was a strong engine. Then in the 80s it revived the Mustang and had one of the decades best exhaust notes.
I'd have to agree with you on that. I own a 64 Galaxie sedan with the 289. It's been built a bit, but still has the 2100 2v carb. 18mpg at 70mph isn't bad and it's also significantly lighter than the FE. So I can actually corner at speed.
The way the car was geared and the transmission setup is designed to ensure that it was smooth and perfect for the take off and the top end for the freeway was FOMOCO's claim to fame.
My grandfather bought a 1970 F100 Farm and Ranch Special with a 302 2bbl, three on the tree and a 4.12 rear end. That truck could pull a mountain and take corners in the neighborhood in third gear and just chug its way up to speed no problem. Smooth running little engine.
Of my 80 some cars, my first cost me $2828.00 "out the door" in June of '68! Choosing between a '68 Camaro Conv. & a '68 Cougar "Dan Gurney Special", the Chevy had a weak 307 compared to the 302 I purchased, and of course, a weaker roof, a shorter wheelbase & and NO very cool special interior!! Love for you to report on that "Dan Gurney Special"! Might not have a lot of time to wait for it!! God Bless!!!
Well that depends on what you want from your engine. I can think of better engines for my needs (economy with the highest fuel prices in the world) for example.
@@ronaldderooij1774 Nobody asked you, Ronald McDonald. The 302 is an excellent engine in terms of reliability, durability, longevity & all other aspects.
@@matthewq4b Virtually the same engine. I had an explorer 5.0L with a mustang COBRA camshaft. 10 full throttle laps around a circuit, oil or water temp didn't even flinch! 😱
I worked at ford brookpark engine plant and my first job i signed up for was casting the 302/5.0. V8 , worked on the last one that came off. Worked as a corefitter/coresetter. Was a great motor, my aunt had one in her bought new 1969 mustang
In 1980 I purchased a 71 Mustang convertable with a 302 2 barrel carb. The only modification was a real dual exhaust system. I bought this as a daily driver since my 56 Chevy 327, 4 speed, 4.11 posi rear was not the best car to drive in suburban traffic. It was fun on the hiway!! My first car was a 71 Mustang hardtop with a 250 6 cyl and I loved the style but was too slow to wear Mustang emblems. The first time I drove the 302 I was amazed at how peppy this car was. It wasn't 1/4 mile material but I had no problem merging onto the highway and could do a nice burnout by just flooring it from a stop, no powerbraking necc! The car was fun to drive and very reliable. Now this was a car worthy to be called a Mustang. I payed 2400 for the car and sold it for 2800 5 years later. My 6 cyl hardtop cost my father 3000 brand new. I wonder what its worth today? In my opinion Fords 302 was a good rival to the small block Chevy, both in stock form. I'd love to have another one but they are probably out of my price range!
I also had a 4 door HT about 40 years ago, Ford LTD -67 with the 428 4 barrel. It was originally ordered here in Finland by big forest company CEO, and he has had a clear vision what to order : 428, C6, 9" with a LS, bigger gas tank, "police suspension",and only driver's side electric seat. All other things manual to save weight. It was a rocket ship... There were only 3 similar in Finland that time, but mine was the best equipped. I still miss that car, I literally cried when I had to sell it while studying. I just could not afford to keep it then...
1980s town cars were the nicest, best designed and reliable cars from a domestic manufacturer at that time . They felt bank vault solid and always delivered. They were absolutely reliable and I view them as the last true iteration of the American luxury car ideal. Everything after has chased the Europeans and Japanese with less than great success. I recently bought a 1980 Lincoln Mark VI sedan and drove it after decades of wonderful Mercedes ownership. The magic carpet ride float and superbly comfortable seats shocked me. This was a completely different design philosophy
@@sweetdaddy77 they are out there… the best examples are not cheap but I would say they are beyond reasonable for what you get. Use good synthetic oil and maintain them and they will give you 400+ thousands of miles of reliable service. All the potential failures are easy to diagnose and repair and parts are over abundant. If I were to recommend a driver European car it would be the W123 or W126 Mercedes diesel up to 1985. And Domestically the Lincoln town car/ mark VI 1980 to 1989
Biggest cosmetic flaw is cracks in the dash speakers. They make dash coverlays that sell for $100. Buy one, spray paint it your needed color and the quality of the rest of the interior speaks for itself
Great video, great engine. My mother's '68 Cougar, which became my car after college, had the 302-2V engine. These days I drive an F150 with the 5.0L V8. It was the only engine I would consider.
Thank you Adam. I enjoyed the 1980's Sade reference. This was a engine used in a lot of Fords over the years. I think about the Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and Town Car and Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Cougars that used the engine.
I owned a 1985 Mustang GT with the 5.0 l V8. It was the last year they placed a 4V carburator on the HO engine. Granted it had around 210 hp and around 250 ft-lbs of torque. It was also mated to a 5 speed transmission. It was a fun car to drive with a wonderful power on oversteer. My first car was my grandfather's 1968 Meteor with a 302.
I just purchased a 1969 Mercury Meteor brochure from the man who had acquired it that year. Was your grandfather's a Le Moyne, Montcalm, Rideau 500 or Rideau?
The 302 is a beautiful sounding engine, for sure. And I like the Canadian Meteor shown in this video. I'd bring Rush and Triumph along for the ride, maybe April Wine, also.
Fan shrouds (as opposed to a fan guard) are mainly there to ensure positive air flow through the radiator. Keeping cars cool in Canada is only a concern during the two weeks of summer.
The 302 2bbl was a workhorse but they responded so nice with the common hop-up practice of the day, headers, dual exhaust, aluminum intake, 4bbl carb. With stock internals they revved very well, but it was common to spin en too high in racing, you could harm them
I had a 68 Fairlane 500 2-door with the 302 Windsor. White with black interior. Tough little engine, but the power brakes were so sensitive nobody could drive it. Got it dirt cheap back in the day
My first car was a '67 Custom 500, like the police cars at the end of the movie "Deliverance", with the 289-leisurely performance, but very smooth and reliable-enjoy your videos-thanks!
My best pal in high school had a '68 Cougar XR7 with a 302 4V and duals. Man, that was a great engine - smooth and powerful. Great memories of cruising in that beautiful car. I had many company cars with a 302, I loved that motor. Thanks for the memories!
Small fact, when Ford engineers were tasked with developing what later became the Coyote V8; they immediately knew it had to have the 302 displacement so they could bring back the 5.Oh name. The 302 is probably Ford’s most iconic engine.
@@Johnnycdrums how about a 7.3 Liter badge. In 2020 Ford introduced the 7.3 Liter Godzilla V8 (got to love their engine names) for the Super Duty trucks.
They are a truly great engine. I have one in my extremely rare 1970 Mercury Montego MX Brougham, complete with concealed headlights. It will actually lay rubber. Not bad for a relatively small engine. 👍
Adam , you're killin' me with all this 1960's Ford nostalgia, and especially the 302. Everything you say about them is spot on. I'm turning 73 and you're reminding me of my youth, which for the most part, was bliss...I miss our family's cars from that era, and my beloved '68 Galaxie. Growing old is a DRAG!!!
Hi Adam, Thanks for this video as this is a topic worthy of discussion. My father was a long time Top Notch mechanic back in the 1960's and his favorite V8's were the Chevy 283 and Ford 289 as well as the Chrysler 318. Indeed all of my cars being a 1987 Crown Victoria with almost 250,000.0 miles, a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS and a 1991 Crown Victoria LX all have the 302 5-liter fuel injected V8's and all run like a swiss watch. Horsepower is only 150 but torque is 270 foot pounds which still allows them to pull strong.
Adam's comments are spot-on. Dad got company cars back in the day. He had a 68 Galaxie with a 302 V8 (2bbl). It was a very pleasant car to drive, the small V8 felt more than adequate. A few years later he got a 73 Torino with a similar 302 V8. The Torino was a dog, felt dreadfully underpowered. Not sure if the Torino was heavier, if the 73 engine had lower hp due to emissions or some combination of the two.
I really like the Windsor small blocks. Great engines are more compact than the Chevy small blocks, also very good engines. I have a 1979 E150 van I bought brand new with the 300ci six. After I put an Offenhouser 360° dual port intake, a set of Clifford research headers and an Edlebrock 400cfm carburetor on it, and put 4:11 gears in the 9" rearend i surprised a lot of V8 powered rigs. Still have the van and six, but have installed a built 460ci engine from another project I had. Really enjoy your videos, I am 74 years old, and they bring back fond memories from my younger days. I am saving the 300ci six for a future project and plan on making it a little hotter this time around.
Adam. I owned 2 Ford vehicles several years ago with the 302cid in them. A 1969 Falcon 4-door, and a 1972, Custom 4-door. The 72 fortunately had dual exhaust, so it gave it a little more power. The Falcon was pretty quick, weighing around 3,000 pounds. It would lay rubber with ease.
Adam, I'm with you! I'm a Cougar guy, and have owned a number of them, almost all with a 289 or 302. I currently own (31 years!) a very stock '68 with the 289. It is smooth, quiet and has quite a bit of power for being the smallest of 7 engines offered in the Cougar that year. I love driving it.
The SBF is truly a small engine, and can fit into almost any engine bay, width-wise. It's also very light (one of the features of the design, thin wall casting technique) and a design that had very strong initial development thrown at it from not only Ford, but Shelby and the aftermarket. This engine is a real winner, IMO, and hits way above its weight in output compared to a bunch of other American V8's.
Back in 1990's I owned a 1977 F-100 & a 1979 F-150 (both were the Freewheeling edition with the wild graphics) that both had the 302, C4, 9 inch rear driveline. They were both great running trucks. I used to get a lot of compliments about them.
I grew up with this engine, 3 of my Aunts drove ‘80s Grand Marquises. It wasn’t the fastest but it was quiet, silky smooth and reliable. Those old panthers were all around great cars. I currently have the current 302, 5.0 Coyote, in my F-150. Still smooth but also powerful. Ford has always managed to make a small displacement engine competitive with their larger displacement rivals.
Agreed 100% brother, I have a 201q Ford F150 with a 5.0L Coyote V8 in it with 161,000 miles on it and still going strong and its a beast and it sounds like a beast with the Borla ATAK exhaust on it as well.
The Panther platform with both the SBF and the early Modulars was a fantastically smooth, sturdy and reliable platform. I've wanted to do a sleeper with one of these for a while, similar to the Mercury Marauder from '04.
One thing I will say Ford is always built some pretty solid engines. Everything from the 2.3 L up to the V8 even the modular engine. I have had a couple of those and had no trouble the only time I really had a problem was with the eco-boost, and it seem like things have gone downhill though. Can’t say I’m surprised even Toyota’s head is fair share problems with oil burning due to low tension. Piston rings.
That's a nice, tidy engine compartment - stock, no less. My dad had a '77 Ranchero with all of the smog equipment, and it couldn't get out of its own way. Thank you, as always.
Fun fact: Ford made 4 different 351 designs; the 351W, 351C, 351M and... The 352 FE (yes!). All of them had the same bore and stroke. If you calculate the dimensions, the displacement is actually 351.86 cu in, meaning all Ford 351s are in fact 352s if rounded up correctly.
Great engine! I got 220,000 miles out of a 1968 302 in my Mustang GT/CS (until the block cracked). You could set the timing by turning the distributor and listening to it smooth out. Bolted a Cobra intake and a 600 Holley on it and it ran beautifully!!
I’ve had at least 10 Ford Windsor V8s over the years, have ever had to put a dime into any of them. From a ‘69 Montego, several Mustang GTs to an old Econoline with 3-on the tree, these engines just keep on running. An old neighbor had a Galaxie 500 coupe with a 302 that had almost 300k miles on it last I’d heard, still running great with only routine maintenance to keep it going.
Smoothness is attributed to how well the engine is tuned, and balanced. The tune is only thing your average owner can mess with. Ive has many impalas with the 307 and 305 engines. With proper tuning, very smooth and torquey. Not the power of a 350 but still very enjoyable to drive.. I think people had a hard time with Rochester carbs, i enjoy them.
My 5.0 1989 F-150 does well w it's 5.0. Same engine as the Fox Mustangs but with a better intake and simple EFI. Added shorty headers and a 3" single exhaust. Took off the top and bottom intake manifold and port matched. It has surprised some of the newer cars. Torque for days.
Here in Australia Ford produced the 302 Windsor from 1991 to 2002. They also produced an Australian only 302 Cleveland from 1971 to 1982 alongside the 351 Clevo👍
Australia didn't produce the 302 W or 5.0 in the 1990s they were imported complete from Mexico , intake removed and a mirror image one put on because of our right hand drive ! 302 Cleveland's were produced at the Geelong Casting Centre Australia from 1974 to 1984/5
Here in Brazil we had this engine too, in f series, maverick and galaxie line up, in galaxie line up we had an alcohol powered 302 version, with 11:1 compression ratio
I'm a big fan of the Ford 302. The 1969 Mustang Boss 302 is a really cool car. The Fox Body Mustangs from the late 80s are awesome muscle cars with the 302. The Lincoln Mark VII LSC is a sweet hot rod with the 302. The power and torque for such a small engine is also amazing. A Ford 302 can outrun a Chevy 305. A really nice thing about the Ford 302 is there's lots of aftermarket parts available for it, making it a great engine for tuning. If you were to do more videos on American small block V8's, 3 you should mention are the Chrysler 318, Pontiac 301, and Oldsmobile 307.
Noted your comment about the fan shroud and safety. I was peak teenage driving age in the late sixties, and a dedicated, brochure studying card nerd prior. My recollection, at least in the States, was that the shroud originally was installed as part of the optional AC. It may have become a safety feature in later years, though.
To me it seems that Detroit had 3 primary v-8 engines that were outstanding for reliability and overall use - GM's 350, Ford's 302, and Chrysler's 318.
I have no Idea how smooth a small block V8 it is I’ve never had Or been around one. From what I saw there was a NO shake there period. I could only imagine. My 48 year old SD455 T/A Runs Rough you feel it you see it all at Idling. The closest I can get is a V6 3.0 95 sable very pleased with the car. Have not bought a car now in years and will not just making these last me till my end. Beautiful car you have there once there was quality in cars in and under the hood of coarse that dates back to the 50’s & 60’s.
I had a 77 T-bird with the 302. Acceleration was just good enough for the on ramp. Torque was good so it went up hills. I was never going to win any drag races with that car.
Yes, low end torque, but no guts above 80 mph. But I added dual exhausts, and a k&n air filter, adds a few ponies. If easy on the accelerator, can sip gas.
My father had a '79 T-Bird with a 302 also, however turning into the main gate at the base one morning he didn't realize the battery wasn't held down properly. One of his coworkers brought the smoke coming from around the front of the car to his attention, but by that time it was too late. the entire engine compartment was engulfed in flames from the battery tipping over and shorting out. He had it fully repaired but there was an incredible amount of damage that occurred so he sold it, worried about the future reliability.
Never heard of that one, although batter hold down bolts and cover is important piece, I think LMC truck has them for sale, restoring a '78 Jubilee edition w/ 351M and Moonroof. Needs battery and hold down.
My first cars were a 69 Fairlane coupe and a 69 Mercury Montego MX 4 dr. Then came a 69 Falcon Station wagon. I had those engines tuned so perfectly..they would start within a second no matter what the temperature, though -40 put the batteries to the test. I Would give any one of several bits of my anatomy to have one of them back today. On a lighter note, I did buy back my 1968 Bonneville 35 years later. The years weren't kind, but we grin at each other every morning when I open the garage..
A truly great little V8. Inexpensive and relatively easy to build. Hard to go wrong. I would argue that the the roller cam late 302s with E7 or GT40P OEM heads are superior to the early 302s. Especially the ‘86-‘91 forged piston HO variant.
Of the two main small blocks. The SBC snd the Windsor. These are probably the two main engines used for engine swaps. For several reasons. Availability, aftermarket support and overall size. Especially the Ford. Definetly more compact than the Chevy. Mainly due to its low deck height. Just look at a Windsor intake manifold vs on for a SBC. The Ford is narrower simply because of the deck height.
The quietest engine I ever had was a '65 Chevy Belair with a 230 six and manual transmission. The standard idle speed was 500 rpm. At a stop the only way I could tell that it had stalled was the oil pressure light.
Adam, For all your Ford V8 needs, trust the people of Windsor to build them for you. 😉😉 Although I don't personally remember Sade endorsing FoMoCo's 302, I will take your word for it. Maybe she had the 302 in mind when she sang, "....moves in space with minimum waste and maximum joy" 🤩🤩
My dad had a 67 Mercury Montclair that same color and it shared most of the body panels. I overhauled my 68 302 in the late 70's at 85,000 miles, which was considered typical back then. Funny how you remember details like the #1 cylinder was the front passenger side, and where to loosen the distributor clamp, and the rubber hose connecting the fuel filter. The 302 was indeed a good engine.
I have a 1968 Torino GT with the 302 (Built in Atlanta) and it doesn't have the fan shroud either. I also had an '88 Mustang GT 5.0 for 25 years: legitimately great car! -yes it was fast and could certainly get around a curve, but it was hugely reliable, it was great on a long drive and got pretty decent gas mileage with the 5-speed stick!
As luxurious cars go in Australia the Ford Fairlane and GMH Statesman with of course those v8 that you had mentioned 203,351, and GMH with 254,308,350 I miss those cars with sound they made
I had a buddy that had a 302 in his 71 2-door Maverick in the middle 1980's ( By the time he got it the car was all old and all rusted out) With it's open differential he had great times smoking the rubber off of the tire. He would throw a spare in the trunk and go out into the country and burn rubber until the tire blew out. 😆 He thought this was the greatest fun. I still call by the nick name of him "My Crazy Friend Scott".
I love the 289s and 302s. I also love the Ford FE. The pre-smog engines are awesome. The beautiful bore to stroke relationships of the 289 to the 428s are all great iron castings compared to any other group of engines. I love them. The 289 with headers and the Shelby solid cam and the Shelby aluminum intake and the 715 cfm Holley that would make 310 hp. Sweet engine for the street. The 427 FE was needed for LeMans but the 289 was a sweet little engine.
Old man Ferrari knew he had his hands full against the 289. Carrol Shelby: "He always lied about hp. anyway." Henry Ford II; "Thank you, yes." "Welome to my world... of the 427 side oiler, and my new young Italian wife."
I had a 76 Granada Ghia 2 door with a 302 . It had a Canadian body works mark. I don't know for sure but that 302 ripped. I even burned out the diff. and replaced it. It was even better after the change.
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It had the distributor in the right place! 😀
As a 59 year old Canadian, I remember seeing these things everywhere when I was kid , the quintessential used car in the 70's 😊
I remember the Rideau 500 very well.
One of the most reliable motors ever made. The definition of bulletproof.
Yes, the 4.9L I6 is indeed the definition of reliability that the Windsor wishes it could be when it grows up! Looking forward to the forthcoming video he promised...
Yes the Ford 7.3 is the best
Miss those days more than I ever imagined
Me too. Oh lordy, take me back ;~/
Love the 302 - I rebuilt one in an engine building class in the early 1980s. I did a 3 angle valve job, and it was bored .40 over. I put it in a 70 ½ Torino-based Falcon.
Very nice brother
I had several 302’s over the years they were indeed smooth and solid engines - the only one that I still have is my old 300 inline 6, it will stay with me until I die
My father put a 300 Inline 6 in a '65 Mustang once. He was into Street Rods, and did a lot of custom fabrication.
@@darrelldixon9044that must have looked cool under the hood,like a Datsun 280 .
Best Engine Ford ever made ! The 300 Six Banger !!!
Ford Australia designed and manufactured a 302 Cleveland, which was always called a 4.9 in the brochures. They were a very torquey, reliable, and smooth powerplant.
I had a 302 Cleveland in a 77 Fairmont that wouldn't win any traffic light drag races, but ask it to tow two tonnes of broken concrete, and you wouldn't even feel it pulling the trailer. It was also a great long-distance driver.
Agree, I think with our small market in Australia Ford evolved its engines very well. Obviously the pollution gear hurt both the 302 and 351 thru the 70s.
they were purpose built to cruise and tow without stressing.
My first car was a 1968 Ford Mustang Coupe when I was 15yo in the early 80's. I sold my Honda XL-350 Motorcycle to pay the $400 for it. It had a 289 which barely ran and only had reverse, was in primer, needed interior work, and had some very minor collision damage. I bought and removed a 302 Windsor out of a friend's 1971 Fairlane and had it professionally rebuilt with a "RV Grind" Camshaft for incredible low end torque, and the car launched like a rocket! It sounded very throaty also with new custom dual exhaust with glass packs. I installed all new chrome valve covers, oil pan, timing cover, breathers, and air cleaner on the rebuilt engine. A friend of my father's rebuilt the Mustang's C4 Automatic Transmission with a shift kit and other better components. I did all the body work and repainted it Metallic Grey. It had the GT Hood with the inset turn signals. I also added additional rear leaf springs and shackle extenders to raise the rear of the car to accommodate much wider rear black and chrome modular wheels and improve the rear suspension. I installed slightly narrower matching ones up front with raised white letter T/A Radials all around. I had all of the stock chrome trim which I polished up and installed along with new chrome bumpers. I also redid the interior in matching grey with some of the original burgundy components. I also took apart the factory instrument cluster and drilled openings for smaller gauges I installed. I replaced the similar "Ford Padded Steering Wheel" in your video with a chrome and wood "3 spoke" and added a custom "Mustang Logo" center horn button The car ran and looked great. I wish I still had it today!!! Years later my parents gave me a 80's Ford Fairmont Futura with a rebuilt 302, and all the added emissions garbage and other "luxury" items removed, it was a lightweight "hot rod" with the hopped up 302 in a car typically designed for a 4 cylinder based on the fox body mustang platform. I always liked the body style as it resembled a "downsized Thunderbird" of that vintage.
Had many Lincolns with the 302 and one currently with the 5.0 HO. I can recognize the sound of one starting and running anywhere. Fantastic motor.
Nice size engine for that Canadian Mercury. The car itself is such a perfect 60s color.
I think the windsor 302 with headers is one of the best sounding v8s ever
One of Ford’s best engines throughout its entire production run. Perhaps the perfect balance of performance and economy.
My oldest sister bought a new '73 Comet with a 302 . I remember my dad proudly saying "it's got a 302!"
And if it was driven in salt it was gone in 3 years.
that would be a cool a$$ car to have resto-modded today! It was a lot better looking than the maverick for some reason, and a much better name
Ford was very good with gearing. The C4 has a great range of gear ratios and the rear gear was really good for harnessing the power/ transmission gearing. They had that 1-5 knock because they fired 1-5 after each other. They later in the 351s to a 1 -3-7 firing order and of course they used it in the 5.0 liter. It eliminates the “knock “ . GM even changed their firing order on their LS engines. The firing order smoothed the 302 even more. I built a 302 for my father- laws 65 Mustang with a small Lunati Voodoo can and the idle was musical and so smooth and made 325 hp and 340 ft lbs of torque with the AUTOLITE 4100 that was on my 1965 352. My mother in law loved it too. They were both in their 70s and we met them for lunch and they were such a cute couple going for rides together. I had used some 289 heads with 2.02/1.5 valves and ported them and painted a Weiand Stealth, Hi po manifolds and dual exhaust with resonator and the voodoo cam had the smooth 1-3-7 firing order and internal balance. They really enjoyed it until my father in law passed away. We had restored it and she was afraid to put a scratch on it and it was in the garage until she passed. My wife and I treasure that memory. He , me and my son did it all. But they both loved the little chirp from the tires . When the were first married they received a new Buick Special and it had the big nailhead that was so smooth and quiet but would do the same “ chirp “. We are 63 now, but I can’t drive anymore because I lost my vision. We have a 22 Edge ST twin turbo 2.7 and 7 speed AWD that we love, and our granddaughter lives with us and she thinks it is the coolest! Memories.
Takes me back to when my dad bought a new 67 Meteor with the 289. Many road trips we took and my driver when I got my licence. The aqua colour is magnificent!
My dad had the same in maroon. Gorgeous fastback and quite fuel efficient.
I had a '68 Falcon wagon back in the 70's when I was in the USAF and it was just a wonderful machine. My young bride and I arrived to our new duty station (Nellis AFB) on the same day of the Great Flood that wiped out Caesars Palace parking lot. We survived that, but the car didn't survive being T-boned on North Las Vegas Blvd. My fault. I've looked and looked for another and nice ones are rare as hen's teeth. As always, thanks Ford the memories.
We had a '68 Mercury Colony Park station wagon. What a big beast. 12mpg in city, 16 mpg on highway with a giant 390 hi compression premium gas engine at 315hp. A unique looking car I wished I still had it.
One other nice trait of the 289, and 302 that I don’t think I heard mentioned, is they are usually much less thirsty than their big brothers and deliver surprisingly good fuel economy. Terrific engines no doubt. Easy to work on, easy to tune; and although my ‘88 5.0 mustang only had 225 HP, it was still pretty snappy, and required H rated tires, or 150 MPH; I was able to achieve fuel economy numbers of as high as 32 MPG with that car on at least one occasion. That little engine was a really nice piece with roller rockers, and headers straight from the factory.
👍🏻
Love Sadè and the 302... both incredibly talented 😊
Okay, so I'm not so corny. I wasn't the only one.😁 I was born in '74. The second I saw the video title, that song came to mind immediately
I’ve owned 3 full size Fords with this engine, they were a joy to own and drive.
I’d say the 289/302 was the best Ford engine. Drove a 64” Galaxie stick with the 289. What a great easy to drive car. Had a 66’ Mustang with one. Even in 2bbl form it was a strong engine. Then in the 80s it revived the Mustang and had one of the decades best exhaust notes.
I'd have to agree with you on that. I own a 64 Galaxie sedan with the 289. It's been built a bit, but still has the 2100 2v carb. 18mpg at 70mph isn't bad and it's also significantly lighter than the FE. So I can actually corner at speed.
My mom has a mustang with the 289. Swore it would outrun a 302 every time.
The meteor is like a junior Park Lane. Love it
"The Boss" and "The Judge." What great names cars had then.
What You didn't like the 90s PROBE or 80's ESCORT? - Or the Buick Lacrosse in Canada....Lacrosse is slang for Masturbation....LOL
The way the car was geared and the transmission setup is designed to ensure that it was smooth and perfect for the take off and the top end for the freeway was FOMOCO's claim to fame.
My grandfather bought a 1970 F100 Farm and Ranch Special with a 302 2bbl, three on the tree and a 4.12 rear end. That truck could pull a mountain and take corners in the neighborhood in third gear and just chug its way up to speed no problem. Smooth running little engine.
Of my 80 some cars, my first cost me $2828.00 "out the door" in June of '68! Choosing between a '68 Camaro Conv. & a '68 Cougar "Dan Gurney Special", the Chevy had a weak 307 compared to the 302 I purchased, and of course, a weaker roof, a shorter wheelbase & and NO very cool special interior!! Love for you to report on that "Dan Gurney Special"! Might not have a lot of time to wait for it!! God Bless!!!
One of the best engines ever many by any manufacturer.
Well that depends on what you want from your engine. I can think of better engines for my needs (economy with the highest fuel prices in the world) for example.
@@ronaldderooij1774 Nobody asked you, Ronald McDonald. The 302 is an excellent engine in terms of reliability, durability, longevity & all other aspects.
@@2H2521 The 302 is average, the 289 was a far superior engine..
I have a 73 ltd hardtop (green/green with a white vinyl top,) it has a 400 and drives so amazing. I absolutely love driving it!
302 was one of the best engines Ford ever made
@WhittyPics One of the best engines ever made, period.
The 289 was a far superior engine to the 302..
@@matthewq4b They’re both excellent engines.
@@2H2521 The 302 was an average engine. The 289 on the other hand was an excellent engine and easily out lasted the 302's in the era..
@@matthewq4b Virtually the same engine. I had an explorer 5.0L with a mustang COBRA camshaft. 10 full throttle laps around a circuit, oil or water temp didn't even flinch! 😱
I worked at ford brookpark engine plant and my first job i signed up for was casting the 302/5.0. V8 , worked on the last one that came off. Worked as a corefitter/coresetter. Was a great motor, my aunt had one in her bought new 1969 mustang
In 1980 I purchased a 71 Mustang convertable with a 302 2 barrel carb. The only modification was a real dual exhaust system. I bought this as a daily driver since my 56 Chevy 327, 4 speed, 4.11 posi rear was not the best car to drive in suburban traffic. It was fun on the hiway!! My first car was a 71 Mustang hardtop with a 250 6 cyl and I loved the style but was too slow to wear Mustang emblems. The first time I drove the 302 I was amazed at how peppy this car was. It wasn't 1/4 mile material but I had no problem merging onto the highway and could do a nice burnout by just flooring it from a stop, no powerbraking necc! The car was fun to drive and very reliable. Now this was a car worthy to be called a Mustang. I payed 2400 for the car and sold it for 2800 5 years later. My 6 cyl hardtop cost my father 3000 brand new. I wonder what its worth today? In my opinion Fords 302 was a good rival to the small block Chevy, both in stock form. I'd love to have another one but they are probably out of my price range!
What a beautiful car. The blue with the white top is perfect.
🙌🙌🙌🙌 This Meteor and the '65 Bonneville are my two favourites from Adam's collection. As a Canadian, I will have to side with the Mercury.
Wow, that really is smooth and quiet.
I also had a 4 door HT about 40 years ago, Ford LTD -67 with the 428 4 barrel. It was originally ordered here in Finland by big forest company CEO, and he has had a clear vision what to order : 428, C6, 9" with a LS, bigger gas tank, "police suspension",and only driver's side electric seat. All other things manual to save weight. It was a rocket ship... There were only 3 similar in Finland that time, but mine was the best equipped. I still miss that car, I literally cried when I had to sell it while studying. I just could not afford to keep it then...
Serious wheels!
Had a few Town Cars with the 302. Absolutely bulletproof.
1980s town cars were the nicest, best designed and reliable cars from a domestic manufacturer at that time . They felt bank vault solid and always delivered. They were absolutely reliable and I view them as the last true iteration of the American luxury car ideal. Everything after has chased the Europeans and Japanese with less than great success. I recently bought a 1980 Lincoln Mark VI sedan and drove it after decades of wonderful Mercedes ownership. The magic carpet ride float and superbly comfortable seats shocked me. This was a completely different design philosophy
@@bernardboka4277 I want to find another one soon. 100% agree
@@sweetdaddy77 they are out there… the best examples are not cheap but I would say they are beyond reasonable for what you get. Use good synthetic oil and maintain them and they will give you 400+ thousands of miles of reliable service. All the potential failures are easy to diagnose and repair and parts are over abundant. If I were to recommend a driver European car it would be the W123 or W126 Mercedes diesel up to 1985. And Domestically the Lincoln town car/ mark VI 1980 to 1989
Buy the best example you can afford. You will never regret it.
Biggest cosmetic flaw is cracks in the dash speakers. They make dash coverlays that sell for $100. Buy one, spray paint it your needed color and the quality of the rest of the interior speaks for itself
Your '67-'68 Mercury's are absolutely beautiful. Rare, smooth, and great styling. Truly envious. Love your Ford posts.
Great video, great engine. My mother's '68 Cougar, which became my car after college, had the 302-2V engine. These days I drive an F150 with the 5.0L V8. It was the only engine I would consider.
Thank you Adam. I enjoyed the 1980's Sade reference. This was a engine used in a lot of Fords over the years. I think about the Crown Victoria, Grand Marquis, and Town Car and Mustangs, Thunderbirds and Cougars that used the engine.
I owned a 1985 Mustang GT with the 5.0 l V8. It was the last year they placed a 4V carburator on the HO engine. Granted it had around 210 hp and around 250 ft-lbs of torque. It was also mated to a 5 speed transmission. It was a fun car to drive with a wonderful power on oversteer. My first car was my grandfather's 1968 Meteor with a 302.
I just purchased a 1969 Mercury Meteor brochure from the man who had acquired it that year. Was your grandfather's a Le Moyne, Montcalm, Rideau 500 or Rideau?
@@rightlanehog3151 It was a Rideau sedan. A typical grandpa car complete with whiskey dents.
@@juliamiller2299I live about a mile from the river it was named after. 😉 I had a 302 in my 1991 Grand Marquis.
You have a great car there. Respect the originality
The 302 is a beautiful sounding engine, for sure. And I like the Canadian Meteor shown in this video. I'd bring Rush and Triumph along for the ride, maybe April Wine, also.
Fan shrouds (as opposed to a fan guard) are mainly there to ensure positive air flow through the radiator. Keeping cars cool in Canada is only a concern during the two weeks of summer.
The 302 2bbl was a workhorse but they responded so nice with the common hop-up practice of the day, headers, dual exhaust, aluminum intake, 4bbl carb. With stock internals they revved very well, but it was common to spin en too high in racing, you could harm them
Oh man, my favorite car to date was my 1970 Ford Torino with a 302. I'd give my left kidney to have it back running now.
I had a 68 Fairlane 500 2-door with the 302 Windsor. White with black interior. Tough little engine, but the power brakes were so sensitive nobody could drive it. Got it dirt cheap back in the day
Adam is the absolute best auto historian. 👍
My first car was a '67 Custom 500, like the police cars at the end of the movie "Deliverance", with the 289-leisurely performance, but very smooth and reliable-enjoy your videos-thanks!
My best pal in high school had a '68 Cougar XR7 with a 302 4V and duals. Man, that was a great engine - smooth and powerful. Great memories of cruising in that beautiful car. I had many company cars with a 302, I loved that motor. Thanks for the memories!
Small fact, when Ford engineers were tasked with developing what later became the Coyote V8; they immediately knew it had to have the 302 displacement so they could bring back the 5.Oh name. The 302 is probably Ford’s most iconic engine.
I'm still waiting fot the 1966 7 Litre badge.
@@Johnnycdrums how about a 7.3 Liter badge. In 2020 Ford introduced the 7.3 Liter Godzilla V8 (got to love their engine names) for the Super Duty trucks.
@@khakiswag:: The new SOHC 6.8 Litre is going to be ticlet, I hope.
They are a truly great engine. I have one in my extremely rare 1970 Mercury Montego MX Brougham, complete with concealed headlights. It will actually lay rubber. Not bad for a relatively small engine. 👍
Adam , you're killin' me with all this 1960's Ford nostalgia, and especially the 302. Everything you say about them is spot on. I'm turning 73 and you're reminding me of my youth, which for the most part, was bliss...I miss our family's cars from that era, and my beloved '68 Galaxie. Growing old is a DRAG!!!
You have good memories ❤
Hi Adam, Thanks for this video as this is a topic worthy of discussion. My father was a long time Top Notch mechanic back in the 1960's and his favorite V8's were the Chevy 283 and Ford 289 as well as the Chrysler 318. Indeed all of my cars being a 1987 Crown Victoria with almost 250,000.0 miles, a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis LS and a 1991 Crown Victoria LX all have the 302 5-liter fuel injected V8's and all run like a swiss watch. Horsepower is only 150 but torque is 270 foot pounds which still allows them to pull strong.
Adam's comments are spot-on. Dad got company cars back in the day. He had a 68 Galaxie with a 302 V8 (2bbl). It was a very pleasant car to drive, the small V8 felt more than adequate. A few years later he got a 73 Torino with a similar 302 V8. The Torino was a dog, felt dreadfully underpowered. Not sure if the Torino was heavier, if the 73 engine had lower hp due to emissions or some combination of the two.
I really like the Windsor small blocks. Great engines are more compact than the Chevy small blocks, also very good engines. I have a 1979 E150 van I bought brand new with the 300ci six. After I put an Offenhouser 360° dual port intake, a set of Clifford research headers and an Edlebrock 400cfm carburetor on it, and put 4:11 gears in the 9" rearend i surprised a lot of V8 powered rigs. Still have the van and six, but have installed a built 460ci engine from another project I had. Really enjoy your videos, I am 74 years old, and they bring back fond memories from my younger days. I am saving the 300ci six for a future project and plan on making it a little hotter this time around.
Adam. I owned 2 Ford vehicles several years ago with the 302cid in them. A 1969 Falcon 4-door, and a 1972, Custom 4-door. The 72 fortunately had dual exhaust, so it gave it a little more power. The Falcon was pretty quick, weighing around 3,000 pounds. It would lay rubber with ease.
Sweet, and beautiful neighborhood you drove through. Thank you for the ride.
Adam, I'm with you! I'm a Cougar guy, and have owned a number of them, almost all with a 289 or 302. I currently own (31 years!) a very stock '68 with the 289. It is smooth, quiet and has quite a bit of power for being the smallest of 7 engines offered in the Cougar that year. I love driving it.
That 302 sounds just like the 289 2 bbl. I had in my 65 Fairlane 500. So smooth. Great engines!
The SBF is truly a small engine, and can fit into almost any engine bay, width-wise. It's also very light (one of the features of the design, thin wall casting technique) and a design that had very strong initial development thrown at it from not only Ford, but Shelby and the aftermarket. This engine is a real winner, IMO, and hits way above its weight in output compared to a bunch of other American V8's.
Back in 1990's I owned a 1977 F-100 & a 1979 F-150 (both were the Freewheeling edition with the wild graphics) that both had the 302, C4, 9 inch rear driveline. They were both great running trucks. I used to get a lot of compliments about them.
I grew up with this engine, 3 of my Aunts drove ‘80s Grand Marquises. It wasn’t the fastest but it was quiet, silky smooth and reliable. Those old panthers were all around great cars. I currently have the current 302, 5.0 Coyote, in my F-150. Still smooth but also powerful. Ford has always managed to make a small displacement engine competitive with their larger displacement rivals.
Agreed 100% brother, I have a 201q Ford F150 with a 5.0L Coyote V8 in it with 161,000 miles on it and still going strong and its a beast and it sounds like a beast with the Borla ATAK exhaust on it as well.
The Panther platform with both the SBF and the early Modulars was a fantastically smooth, sturdy and reliable platform. I've wanted to do a sleeper with one of these for a while, similar to the Mercury Marauder from '04.
One thing I will say Ford is always built some pretty solid engines. Everything from the 2.3 L up to the V8 even the modular engine. I have had a couple of those and had no trouble the only time I really had a problem was with the eco-boost, and it seem like things have gone downhill though. Can’t say I’m surprised even Toyota’s head is fair share problems with oil burning due to low tension. Piston rings.
@@renj6531 Avoid the EcoBoost engines at all cost.
That's a nice, tidy engine compartment - stock, no less.
My dad had a '77 Ranchero with all of the smog equipment, and it couldn't get out of its own way.
Thank you, as always.
My first car has a 302. Wonderful little powerplant.
No other channel on you tube lauds the 4 doors like this one.
Fun fact: Ford made 4 different 351 designs; the 351W, 351C, 351M and... The 352 FE (yes!).
All of them had the same bore and stroke.
If you calculate the dimensions, the displacement is actually 351.86 cu in, meaning all Ford 351s are in fact 352s if rounded up correctly.
Everything about that car is beautiful. Great video.
Great engine! I got 220,000 miles out of a 1968 302 in my Mustang GT/CS (until the block cracked). You could set the timing by turning the distributor and listening to it smooth out. Bolted a Cobra intake and a 600 Holley on it and it ran beautifully!!
I’ve had at least 10 Ford Windsor V8s over the years, have ever had to put a dime into any of them. From a ‘69 Montego, several Mustang GTs to an old Econoline with 3-on the tree, these engines just keep on running. An old neighbor had a Galaxie 500 coupe with a 302 that had almost 300k miles on it last I’d heard, still running great with only routine maintenance to keep it going.
There is no such thing as Windsor V8's There are Small Block Fords of which the 351 Windsor is a family member..
Awesome engines those WINDSOR'S. @@matthewq4b
I owned a '71 Comet with a 302-2V... I put on a 4V manifold from the bone yard and headers... with 2 cherry bombs and it was a little pocket rocket.
Smoothness is attributed to how well the engine is tuned, and balanced. The tune is only thing your average owner can mess with. Ive has many impalas with the 307 and 305 engines.
With proper tuning, very smooth and torquey. Not the power of a 350 but still very enjoyable to drive..
I think people had a hard time with Rochester carbs, i enjoy them.
My 5.0 1989 F-150 does well w it's 5.0. Same engine as the Fox Mustangs but with a better intake and simple EFI. Added shorty headers and a 3" single exhaust. Took off the top and bottom intake manifold and port matched. It has surprised some of the newer cars. Torque for days.
Here in Australia Ford produced the 302 Windsor from 1991 to 2002. They also produced an Australian only 302 Cleveland from 1971 to 1982 alongside the 351 Clevo👍
Australia didn't produce the 302 W or 5.0 in the 1990s they were imported complete from Mexico , intake removed and a mirror image one put on because of our right hand drive ! 302 Cleveland's were produced at the Geelong Casting Centre Australia from 1974 to 1984/5
Had a ‘79 Ford Econoline van with a 302 in it. Very dependable. I had 176,000 miles on it before I traded it in. No issues at all with engine.
Here in Brazil we had this engine too, in f series, maverick and galaxie line up, in galaxie line up we had an alcohol powered 302 version, with 11:1 compression ratio
I'm a big fan of the Ford 302. The 1969 Mustang Boss 302 is a really cool car. The Fox Body Mustangs from the late 80s are awesome muscle cars with the 302. The Lincoln Mark VII LSC is a sweet hot rod with the 302.
The power and torque for such a small engine is also amazing. A Ford 302 can outrun a Chevy 305.
A really nice thing about the Ford 302 is there's lots of aftermarket parts available for it, making it a great engine for tuning.
If you were to do more videos on American small block V8's, 3 you should mention are the Chrysler 318, Pontiac 301, and Oldsmobile 307.
Noted your comment about the fan shroud and safety. I was peak teenage driving age in the late sixties, and a dedicated, brochure studying card nerd prior. My recollection, at least in the States, was that the shroud originally was installed as part of the optional AC. It may have become a safety feature in later years, though.
Yes the 302 was in my dads 1971 ford fairlane here in Australia he loved the fairlane!!
You are correct! The 300 straight 6 was as durable as it gets!!!
To me it seems that Detroit had 3 primary v-8 engines that were outstanding for reliability and overall use - GM's 350, Ford's 302, and Chrysler's 318.
I have no Idea how smooth a small block V8 it is I’ve never had Or been around one. From what I saw there was a NO shake there period. I could only imagine. My 48 year old SD455 T/A Runs Rough you feel it you see it all at Idling. The closest I can get is a V6 3.0 95 sable very pleased with the car. Have not bought a car now in years and will not just making these last me till my end. Beautiful car you have there once there was quality in cars in and under the hood of coarse that dates back to the 50’s & 60’s.
When you started talking about 80's music I swore you were going to reference Vanilla Ice and his 5.0!
These are the famous "Quiet" Fords. My '79 T-bird has a 302. Has pep.
I had a 77 T-bird with the 302. Acceleration was just good enough for the on ramp. Torque was good so it went up hills. I was never going to win any drag races with that car.
Yes, low end torque, but no guts above 80 mph. But I added dual exhausts, and a k&n air filter, adds a few ponies. If easy on the accelerator, can sip gas.
My father had a '79 T-Bird with a 302 also, however turning into the main gate at the base one morning he didn't realize the battery wasn't held down properly. One of his coworkers brought the smoke coming from around the front of the car to his attention, but by that time it was too late. the entire engine compartment was engulfed in flames from the battery tipping over and shorting out. He had it fully repaired but there was an incredible amount of damage that occurred so he sold it, worried about the future reliability.
Never heard of that one, although batter hold down bolts and cover is important piece, I think LMC truck has them for sale, restoring a '78 Jubilee edition w/ 351M and Moonroof. Needs battery and hold down.
My first cars were a 69 Fairlane coupe and a 69 Mercury Montego MX 4 dr. Then came a 69 Falcon Station wagon. I had those engines tuned so perfectly..they would start within a second no matter what the temperature, though -40 put the batteries to the test. I Would give any one of several bits of my anatomy to have one of them back today. On a lighter note, I did buy back my 1968 Bonneville 35 years later. The years weren't kind, but we grin at each other every morning when I open the garage..
A truly great little V8. Inexpensive and relatively easy to build. Hard to go wrong. I would argue that the the roller cam late 302s with E7 or GT40P OEM heads are superior to the early 302s. Especially the ‘86-‘91 forged piston HO variant.
The later ones were absolutely superior engines, primarily the roller blocks.
GT 40 HEADS, CAM, Cat less exhaust, intake, ran great.
Of the two main small blocks. The SBC snd the Windsor. These are probably the two main engines used for engine swaps. For several reasons. Availability, aftermarket support and overall size. Especially the Ford. Definetly more compact than the Chevy. Mainly due to its low deck height. Just look at a Windsor intake manifold vs on for a SBC. The Ford is narrower simply because of the deck height.
Cant wait for your video on the indestructible 300cu inch inline 6. That engine refuses to die. Probably Fords most reliable engine ever.
The quietest engine I ever had was a '65 Chevy Belair with a 230 six and manual transmission. The standard idle speed was 500 rpm. At a stop the only way I could tell that it had stalled was the oil pressure light.
I've owned 302 powered cars from the 68 to a 90 and mostly in 4 door cars. A couple of pickups. They suffered in the 70's but still powed on.
Adam, For all your Ford V8 needs, trust the people of Windsor to build them for you. 😉😉 Although I don't personally remember Sade endorsing FoMoCo's 302, I will take your word for it.
Maybe she had the 302 in mind when she sang, "....moves in space with minimum waste and maximum joy" 🤩🤩
Sade!
I loved Sade remark !
I believe he was referring to the song, Smooth Operator, not her actually endorsing the 302.
Using the city of manufacture in the engine name ...a nice way to recognize those who built them.
I remember my Dad driving home in our brand new 68 Ford Ranch Wagon which did have the 302. We lived just 2 hours east of Windsor.
My dad had a 67 Mercury Montclair that same color and it shared most of the body panels. I overhauled my 68 302 in the late 70's at 85,000 miles, which was considered typical back then. Funny how you remember details like the #1 cylinder was the front passenger side, and where to loosen the distributor clamp, and the rubber hose connecting the fuel filter. The 302 was indeed a good engine.
I have a 1968 Torino GT with the 302 (Built in Atlanta) and it doesn't have the fan shroud either.
I also had an '88 Mustang GT 5.0 for 25 years: legitimately great car! -yes it was fast and could certainly get around a curve, but it was hugely reliable, it was great on a long drive and got pretty decent gas mileage with the 5-speed stick!
As luxurious cars go in Australia the Ford Fairlane and GMH Statesman with of course those v8 that you had mentioned 203,351, and GMH with 254,308,350 I miss those cars with sound they made
Those are beautiful cars and well made / well engineered. Thanks for sharing 😊
I'm a diehard GM engine guy, but Ford had some awesome engines too. Never was a MOPAR guy. I also liked the AMC motors as well.
There was also a 302 Cleveland which was sold in Australia.
we had a 302 in our '71 4-door maverick. it was peppy!
200 inline six was a nice little combination that couldn't be killed either.
I had a buddy that had a 302 in his 71 2-door Maverick in the middle 1980's ( By the time he got it the car was all old and all rusted out) With it's open differential he had great times smoking the rubber off of the tire. He would throw a spare in the trunk and go out into the country and burn rubber until the tire blew out. 😆 He thought this was the greatest fun. I still call by the nick name of him "My Crazy Friend Scott".
89 GT with Cam and intake, full catless exhaust.
Would run hard!
Fast car for what it was.
I had an 86 Ford Club Wagon with a 302, loved it. It had p.s., p.b., ac and dual gas tanks.
I love the 289s and 302s. I also love the Ford FE. The pre-smog engines are awesome. The beautiful bore to stroke relationships of the 289 to the 428s are all great iron castings compared to any other group of engines. I love them. The 289 with headers and the Shelby solid cam and the Shelby aluminum intake and the 715 cfm Holley that would make 310 hp. Sweet engine for the street. The 427 FE was needed for LeMans but the 289 was a sweet little engine.
Old man Ferrari knew he had his hands full against the 289.
Carrol Shelby: "He always lied about hp. anyway."
Henry Ford II; "Thank you, yes."
"Welome to my world... of the 427 side oiler, and my new young Italian wife."
I had a 76 Granada Ghia 2 door with a 302 . It had a Canadian body works mark. I don't know for sure but that 302 ripped. I even burned out the diff. and replaced it. It was even better after the change.