Motor swap question

[DarkMesa8]

I did the search, but the results didn't answer my specific questions.

I'm looking to do a V8 swap into my 1991 2.3L. Here's the thing, this car will be my daily driver and I want to go carbuerated for simplicity of the swap, and I really don't want to deal with another fuel injected 5.0L (my 95 GT which is my weekend cruiser is fuel injected, and its always got problems with sensors, etc). Plus, I don't have a donor car.

Is a carbed 302 practical for a daily driver? This will NOT be a race car, just a daily driver. I live in Florida, so cold starts won't be freezing starts like in the north.

I already have the complete longblock ready, but that's ALL I have.

Can I retain AC with a carb setup? How about cruise control? I've driven carbed cars before, never had problems with them... but they were carbed from the factory.

 

[04sleeper]

Is a carbed 302 practical for a daily driver? This will NOT be a race car, just a daily driver. I live in Florida, so cold starts won't be freezing starts like in the north. .

You can build one for a daily driver no problem. Just don't go overboard when it comes to getting a carb. Get something small like a 600.

Can I retain AC with a carb setup? How about cruise control? I've driven carbed cars before, never had problems with them... but they were carbed from the factory.

You can retain the A/C with the carb setup but you will have to switch over to the 5.0 setup for that with the front assecories from a 5.0 . Then cruise control you might have to try to make something to adapt it or go with a factory 85 cruise setup. Not sure it will work though.

 

[DarkMesa8]

Yeah, my big desire is that extra 200 ft/lbs of torque, if I have to sacrafice 5-7 mpg for that, I'm willing (4 banger only gets 20-23mpg).

Do you know if the evaporator in the dash is different between a 4 and 8 cylinder?

 

[04sleeper]

Do you know if the evaporator in the dash is different between a 4 and 8 cylinder?

Not sure about that one. I would assume it would be the same to make things easier on the assembly line.

 

[DarkMesa8]

Thanks for your replies!