12's combo

The engine alone is easy but it will not get you there. A fresh rebuid on a V8 C4 will last for awhile but you will need an aftermarket torque convertor,( a couple hundred dollars). You will probably want a 9 " and 3:50 or higher gears,( $300- $3,000 depending on what you have or can find in a junkyard). You will need some kind of traction device and new springs if you haven't already repalced them,(0- $1,000 again depending on what you have). As you can see, the engine is only part of a combo. You could build or have the engine built with good aftermarket aluminum heads, intake, and carb for 3-5,000 dollars but by the time you get done with all of the "little stuff", most people have closer to seven or eight grand in their engine, The story goes like this: my new engine is running hot so I need an aluminum radiator and some hi-tech fan,($200-$600), my exhaust has to be redone to take advantage of the power,($200-300), I need a billet MSD dist. and ignition,($300-$1,000), and I have to have some hi-flow mandrel bent ceramic coated headers,($300-?), and so on it goes.

at least 300 rwhp in a car that weighs about 3000 pounds. and this is with everything else being very good suspension trans and good traction. And good driving skills.

I think this is a very feasable goal but yes it will cost you some money in the drivetrain also. My car currently runs 13.0 and this is the first engine I have built. So IMO go for it. Also fastcoupe88 is right on with his 300hp estimate. This is what my engine pulled on the dyno.

You can easily get 12’s with a 302, you just have to spend the money getting the right parts, and don’t forget the suspension. It might be more of a hassle on six conversion then it is worth, however. You may want to look around for a vehicle that already has a V8 and a 9 inch rear-end.

Speed takes money. www.fordmuscle.com has a write up on a 67 coupe, 4-speed, 331 stroker that they got into the 11's. I saw a 289, 65 coupe also run 11's at Pomona a couple of years ago. With all the technology available, it just takes money and driving skills.

I am shooting for 12's in the future with my 66 coupe. I am sure I will be in the 13's for a while though.
Right now my engine is in many pieces with only the 71 model 302 shortblock in the engine compartment.
I have already installed a comp. cam XE268H and will be bolting on some twisted wedge heads this weekend. The rest of my combo is/will be a set of 1 5/8" hooker headers, 2 1/2" mandrel bent pipes with flowmasters, RPM intake, K&N, electric fan, edelbrock carb (for now), 3.55 gears with posi (lower gears will get you to 12's faster but I didn't want to rev too high on the road) and a C4 with transgo shift kit.
The last major and very important piece of the power puzzle that I have yet to purchase is a stall converter. I am guessing a 2500-3000 would work well and greatly help E.T.'s.
Then it's only suspension and tires and good driving away from running good times at the strip.
I am hoping to hit the strip next month and improve on my 15.2 I ran this summer with stock '71 heads and cam, stock C4, and 205/75/14's.

I went 12's with a 302, but suspension is done, with a complete 9" in back. Plus, I totally rebuilt my c-4. My car dynoed with 260 rwhp.

Check my sig.

11.44 @ 118 66 Coupe

Just ran my car this past weekend and for the first time I uncorked the exhaust which help me to pick up another .10th.

My 66 Coupe is driven on the street on a regular basis and is reliable as the day is long. I'll give you some info on my build in a minute but first here are a few comments I have, some based on experience, some on speculation. There are ways to go fast for cheap (I have NOT figured them out) but as 2nd Mustang and Mustang Dave stated below, speed does cost money. I know I can get a few more .10's out of my combo (stall - gears) but it will cost reliability and will probably force me into a bigger tire which would force me into a tub job.

1. 12's on a well built 302 with the right gears I think is very realistic

2. moderatley built 347 should not have any problems with 12's considering the weight of your car.

3. Your starting with a six which is not such a bad thing if your just going to use it to drag (i.e light springs in the front) but a front suspension change would be required if your going to drive it on the street after the V8 conversion

4. depending on the build (and your luck) you may be able to get by with less than a 9" rear end, but when you start getting into 300+ rear wheel HP your going to eventually frag it, especially launching on slicks and hooking up

5. If you go auto, a C-4 will demand some attention if you want it to last

6. Gears - depending on your tire size and how hig you can rev. For me running 26X9.0X15 Hoosier slicks with my stroker e/w an XE274R that only revs to 6200RPM, I am perfect with 3:70's

Lastly the money thing - When I got my motor completed I though the major expenses were done (wake up time)
headers, radiator, fan, MSD box, MSD distributor, fuel pump to feed it, regulator, 9" rear end, new drive shaft, heavy duty leafs, and on and on and on......

Here is my build for reference to answer what I think is a good head cam combo that can run on the street and get respect at the track. I think 65-66 coupes are the best sleeper cars on the street and at the track. I was in your shoes with a stripped coupe just a few years ago and it all takes time. There are a whole lot of guys on here that know a whole bunch so ask questions. I know I did and I could not have done it with out the help.


• Lunati Iron Crank, Lunati street / race rods
• KB hypereutectic flat domes w/ 6.5cc reliefs
• Clevite bearings
• All ARP hardware
• BHJ billet crank damper
• Pioneer flexplate
• Probe girdle
• Canton 7 qt pan
• Comp cams aluminum roller rockers 1.6:1
• Holley laser shot 9mm plug wires
• Comp cam Xtreme Energy 35-518-8 hydraulic roller Cam Duration @.050 224 – 232, valve lift .555 - .565, lobe separation angle 112 degrees
• AFR 185 heads ported and polished by Joe Mondella (documented flow charts)
• MSD Pro billet distributor
• Hooker super comp ceramic coated long tubes 1 5/8” primary, 3” collectors
• Weiland aluminum water pump
• Port Matched Victor JR Single Plane intake manifold (Plenum opened up big time)
• Elgin high volume pump and timing set
• Holley blue fuel pump w/ regulator
• Mighty Demon 650 carb (flows 753CFM wet)
• MSD 6AL, blaster 2 coil
• Currie 9” w/ 3:70 Detroit true trac
• TCP Upper control arms w/ 620lbs Mustangs Plus 1” coils
• Sway Bars (front removed)
• TCP Sub-frame connectors
• TCP Solid Motor mounts
• 2500 Stall, C-4 massaged tranny
• Street Wheels – Vintage Wheel Works 16X8 Vintage 50’s w 245/50/16 & 225/50/16 Comp T/A
• Strip wheels Drag light w/ Hoosier 26X9.0X15
• 10.8:1 COMPRESSION

65straightsick said:

I want to know how hard it would be to get a 302 into the 12's. Yes another 1/4 mile times thread but with a twist. I plan on building my engine up long before i swap it in and I want some performance. I would put on a stroker kit for a 347. But what heads and cam could I use for a combo that is low 13's high 12's? Money is an issue so it will take a while to do this. And if there is no combo to get it there...I was thinking about FE anyway. Just needed to know what would get the closest to that milestone on a budget. Thanks

Click to expand...

Building an FE will cost roughly twice as much as a 302. And it will be hard (ie...expensive) to put it in a 65-66 car.

Stick with a 302/347 or even a 351 Windsor for a 65-66 car. Eventually I will go to a 347 stroker or just swap in a 351 short block with a set of conversion headers. More cubes will definitely help out in your quest but it also gets expensive as everyone else has already mentioned.

The 8 inch rear and stock C4 may be fine for a warmed over 302, but a 347 351/408 will make much more torque and parts breakage will be eminent.
Some say you gotta pay to play. I believe them....

check my sig..... basic rebuild with 9.5:1 flat top hyper pistons. held together by ARP's. eldelbrock rpm heads 2.02/1.60 valves, custom cam, 1.6 rockers, windage tray, rpm intake, 750 carb pushin through an AOD with a 9" rear.


look at the numbers.... ... and no porting done...yet!

65straightsick said:

Well I was telling someone about what I plan to do with the car today and he took me to the school parking lot and showed me his yellow 72 beetle. He took out the 60 HP engine and threw in a turbocharged 190 HP engine and a four speed from a VW bus and said he wants a race when I get done. He said it ran 14's. with the torque from a basic rebuilt 302 i could easily make that a close run. But with a 347 i could dust him right? At the track of course before anyone says it...i'm not streetracing idiot.

Click to expand...

On the track is a wise choice. Don't sell the beetle short though. Way back in the 70's, the bus transaxle was really popular because of the gearing. There were some home brew bugs running in the 12's, and that was just with two barrel carbs.