302 performance

SBFswap said:

So you dont think a stock 5.0L could run a 12.2 if it were 900lbs lighter?!?!?!
What do stock 5.0L stangs run?

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Maybe if it was going into a car that was 900 pounds lighter. The numbers I keep seeing for the 280Z is 2800+ for the base model and 2900+ for the 2+2.

The brutal truth about the stock 5.0 HO Mustang is about 99% of them would be lucky to run a mid-14 on a good day. And that's a number for the LX at 3200 pounds. The GTs heavier weight slows it down even more.

If you're seeing any stock Mustang running low 12s you're seeing

The mid to low 13 Mustangs were notches with weight savings like spare tire and sway bar removal and everthing else perfect and optimized. Those cars usually weighed around 3000 to 3100 pounds.

So if you use the common equation of .1 sec reduction in ET for every 100 pounds in weight reduced your looking at a max of mid to high 13s for an average driver. If you get everything perfect and drive it like you stole it you may break into the 12s.

Don't forget, you're not just going to be able to drop the engine and tranny in the car and go. The 280Z was never designed to have even 225 HP in it and will need to be beefed up in the sub frame department, rear suspension and rear end. All of that adds weight to the car. Before long you're looking at over 3,000 pounds.

If you want a nice lightweight car that will give you high 12 second ETs pretty reliably try a Mazda Miata instead. The parts for the conversion are readily available.

1989 Ford Mustang LX - Fox Buildup


Tells how to get a stock engine into the 12's on a fox.


If it were me, lighter the better for weight transfer in the Z.

Aluminum heads are the way to go and for a lighter Z, you would more likely want upper end hp than low-end grunt.

Max lift on stock pistons is .535 with the rocker ratio factored in. 87-92 has forged slugs and 93-up has hyper slugs.

If you want to build a track car, I suggest high rpms; leaves more room for exiting apexes. If you want a drag only car, stick with 6500 and under rpms. I know of plenty of guys revving into the stratoshpere on 1320 cars, it's not out of the question...

anyway I beat a 12.7 ls1 with stock cam, gt40x heads eddy intake, and bolt ons and ALOT of weight gone, basically my dd race car lol. With better exhaust and a nice cam the car SHOULD go around a 12.0-12.2 I have 4.10's and a tremec 3550 sfi flywheel, clutch and no ps, a/c heat/ swaybar/coilovers/upper's and lowers/ basically alot of ****.

however my buddies 84' turbo 300z hooked up helluva nice and would scrape the back bumper on launch, stock everything around 12psi, no intercooler.

SO! I think If you still have the IRS in the back of that thing with some good tires and a clutch, and something stronger than a t5 it should be a fast little car.. I think it should run 10's with a built 302 and like a 125 shot..

Notchbck93 said:

]Max lift on stock pistons is .535 with the rocker ratio factored in. 87-92 has forged slugs and 93-up has hyper slugs.

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This is a rule of thumb maybe, but not a fact. I ran .5556/.5600 lift on a custom cam with the stock pistons.

Chris

I have a friend that had a 306 w/ AFR 165's and an e-cam in a Factory Five Cobra kit car. It went 11.00's at 2400lbs with the driver. He has a SC 331 in it now that made about 475rwp but wont be able to get to the track till spring. The math say he should be able to go very low 10's if not a high 9 in it. I would imagine that a 2600 lb car with a high reving 302 and a top end to support it would have a shot at what you want, but we're not talking small heads or off the self cam either. just my opinion.

2600 lbs is light. That's 100 lbs over what a Fiero weighs IIRC. Stroke it or SC it.

NikwoaC said:

By the way, Unless you strip anything and everything out of the car, run 13:1 compression and spin the motor to 7000, you ain't gettin a NA 302 into the 10s.

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You sure about that?opcorn:

StangGT1995 said:

You're lucky if you hit 11's with HCI with a nasty cam, gears, and a good tune. Getting into the 10's is going to very likely require some sort of power adder.

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Nah, just can't run 3.55's and a e-303.

Pure Stock said:

You sure about that?opcorn:

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I'm not saying it CAN'T be done, but it would require a very serious build to do it, and one that would likely end up being unenjoyable on the street.

I also made that comment before I knew he was planning on dropping it into a 2600lb car. That makes it much more achievable. As does stroking it, 'charging it, or spraying it.

As mentioned earlier you have to factor in adding a TKO600 transmission and at very least a 8.8 rear to the OP's 2600lbs estimate. A 10 second car even as light as 2600 lbs will tear the T5's 3rd gear a new one. Not to mention if you add sticky tires and dropping the clutch near redline to the mix. Which imo you will have to do to get even close to 10's with a 302.


351w is probably the better bet. You can use stock 351w rods and 302, 1.605-1.608 compression height pistons and have a 393CI engine extremely cheap once you factor in the fact that you will probably need new pistons anyway and your crank at least turned down. All in all it's a gain of at most 91ci and at least 46 if you do a 347 stroker for a modest 50lbs.

factory stock can run up to 313cu in flat tops heads shaved to 52 cc .480 custom cams lightweight internals aluminum flywheel etc. not just a bone stock 5.0 so try some of that and tune well and a lil spray [150 shot]and u can run 10's most fac stock cars turn low 11's w a 3000lb weight minimum i beleive