looking for opinions

[tannerc91gt]

ok so i FINALLY got everything settled with insurance and got my money. ive been going over a few ideas, considered turboing and all that and have narrowed it down to a few affordable options. just looking for opinions as i know everyone on here has their own preferences.

1. refreshed 302, gt40 heads/intake and a centri blower
2. 347 with gt40 heads/intake
3. rebuilt bottom end, AFR 185s, Holley intake, custom cam

with all these options ive already got the CAI, TB, and all that (as well as nitrous ). just wondering which is my best route. will be mostly street driven but id like to be able to slap some DRs on it and take it to the track from time to time.

 

[S&B]

no replacement for displacement, but i dont see why you cant do heads and 347 b/c its only a couple hundred more bucks to go that route

 

[tannerc91gt]

no replacement for displacement, but i dont see why you cant do heads and 347 b/c its only a couple hundred more bucks to go that route

go gt40 top end? ya i guess that wouldnt be too much more expensive, but im figuring in having the block worked over, the rotating assembly being not so cheap, and then id probably need to have the heads redone (hard to find a set of gt40s in decent shape that dont need hot tanked and what not)

 

[rbonella]

I say 347 with gt40's/intake. Then....you can always upgrade the heads later,(AFR's) custom cam, then centri. Since you already are gonna need the block re-worked, put the stroker in while you are in there...just makes more sense to me..

 

[1991notchbackLX]

choice 3 is ideal, gt40 stuff is early 90's technology... why not go for the most power with the best available parts? you can spend 3k on a gt40 hci (buy why?) or 3k on a trick flow top end kit with a custom cam, then go forced induction later if you want

 

[90lxcoupe]

option 3 with a 357 instead of a rebuilt bottom end and a small turbo

 

[tannerc91gt]

Thanks 90lxcoupe haha. Why spend 3k if I caN spend 9?

 

[blackened88lx]

Option 3 with a 150 shot. You can only go so fast with a stock block, so why waste extra money doing it? I wouldn't spend a penny more than you have to on the rotating assembly in a stock block.

 

[tannerc91gt]

Option 3 with a 150 shot. You can only go so fast with a stock block, so why waste extra money doing it? I wouldn't spend a penny more than you have to on the rotating assembly in a stock block.

ive got the nitrous already so that parts covered. as far as stock rotating assembly, id most likely be reusing the internals because i dont think ive got the funds for new pistons and rods and all that and then still have money for a H/C/I. unless its cheaper than im thinking it is

 

[tannerc91gt]

anyone know anything about the liberator short blocks? from fordstrokers.com seems like a pretty good deal.

 

[blackened88lx]

ive got the nitrous already so that parts covered. as far as stock rotating assembly, id most likely be reusing the internals because i dont think ive got the funds for new pistons and rods and all that and then still have money for a H/C/I. unless its cheaper than im thinking it is

You don't need any of that stuff anyway. The stock pistons are forged, and the stock crank and rods are stronger than the block. The factory rotating assembly will long outlive the block. If you plan on pushing the limits of the stock block (450-500rwhp on spray), then any money spent in the bottom end is going up in flames. The extra power you would have by going with a stroker can be overcome by changing a nitrous jet.

 

[90lxcoupe]

Thanks 90lxcoupe haha. Why spend 3k if I caN spend 9?

you can actually build 351 stuff pretty cheap, ive seen them on CL for under $500 bucks for shortblocks, and in the long run you will be better off cause the 351 block will handle much more HP.

 

[89stang1]

347 and spring for a better set of heads and a nice cam do it once do it right all u will ever need on the street and still kick some at the track. Make sure u use some good forged internals just incase u wanna add a juice sprayer down the road

 

[NIKwoaC]

You don't need any of that stuff anyway. The stock pistons are forged, and the stock crank and rods are stronger than the block. The factory rotating assembly will long outlive the block. If you plan on pushing the limits of the stock block (450-500rwhp on spray), then any money spent in the bottom end is going up in flames. The extra power you would have by going with a stroker can be overcome by changing a nitrous jet.

+1

you can actually build 351 stuff pretty cheap, ive seen them on CL for under $500 bucks for shortblocks, and in the long run you will be better off cause the 351 block will handle much more HP.

+2

A LOT of guys are making 600+hp on stock block, stock crank/rod 351 Windsors. Throw in a forged crank and rods and these guys are pushing some 351 blocks to 800+. IMHO, spending a lot of coin on an aftermarket rotating assembly and putting it into a stock 302 block is pissing away money.

I'm currently planning an engine build and these are my findings. Ultimately, in the end it is up to you and what your goals are. If you are perfectly content with never making more than 500hp, then there isn't any sense in getting rid of your 2-bolt 302.

 

[tannerc91gt]

I'm leaning towards rebuilding the shortblock, and then going with a stout top end, and stepping up the spray.
I figure AFRs, a holley or edelbrock, 30# inj., custom cam?, my 75mm tb/spacer, CAI, 3.73s and figure out something different with the spray and I might have something decent.

 

[tannerc91gt]

I'd like to break the 300 mark off the bottle but idk if that will be enough. This will be my first motor so I'm pretty excited to get something going.

 

[blackened88lx]

Sounds like a pretty good plan. Make it at least 10:1, AFRs, a Systemax and a custom cam and it will easily be over 300rwhp on motor. Spray it with 150, 200 if your kit can. I agree with the others though that topend on a 351 would be even better. Then spray it with 300.

 

[tannerc91gt]

Not sure that I'd have the funds to build a 351w as that's a lot of basic parts to buy as well. I've been doing some research today and have heard REALLY good things about Jim wood at fordstrokers.com as well but I know a stroker won't do me much good with a gt40 top end choking it.

 

[tannerc91gt]

ive decided to go rebuilt with the H/C/I. im putting together a parts list and am trying to match everything the best i can. i figure since im spraying ill go with the 58cc AFR 185s, and then flat top pistons for a little higher compression. but that sparks the whole high or low compression for nitrous debate it still shouldnt make it too much higher either way.

ill be starting a progress thread in a few weeks when i can get ahold of a cherry picker.

 

[blackened88lx]

Nitrous loves compression, it just makes it a little more dangerous. Make sure you are using forged pistons, and make sure it's tuned right on the spray and you shouldn't have an issue. Don't go more than 10.5 or 11:1 with the way gas is nowadays though. I would do all this research and figure out exactly what it's going to be before you get the parts.

Also, not sure if you're building it or having it built, but make sure you check piston to valve clearance on assembly. The pistons will most likely need clearancing for those heads unless they already have big valve reliefs.

Why aren't you using stock pistons?