DanofTroy

My brother, his son and I are attempting to restore a 1965 Mustang coupe for my brother's son, who is 13 and this will be his car when he is 16. We want to do it right.
This is where we are at: We have done a complete deconstruction, and we are now planning for future phases.

We have removed a 302 engine with automatic transmission.
According to our VIN and Warranty Number:
The original Engine was a 200 1v I6
The original Axel was a 2.83:1, Conventional
The original Transmission was a C4 Transmission.

It was our hope to have the engine rebuilt, the transmission rebuilt, dress it up with engine paint and chrome and be done with it.

However, today someone with far more experience and knowledge that we trust greatly recommended that this engine would not be best with today's type of motor oil and fuel efficiency, and would not last very long even if rebuilt, and that we did not have the correct rear end in now for the 302.

His recommendation was to get a 1988 or newer 302 V8 maybe from a Crown Vic or Grand Marquis that would include an overdrive transmission.

All this being said, what are your thoughts and advice to help us learn as much as we can about this important step.

We also will consult another gentleman or two that we also have great trust in, one which will likely be our main engine mechanic on this project.

Estimates for the following, although wide-ranging I am sure, would be appreciated.

Cost estimate of used V8 302 Crown Victoria or Grand Marquis engine:
Cost estimate of used overdrive transmission to match V8 302:
Cost estimate of used V8 rear end to match engine and transmission:

Then once the above are purchased, I know all three will require rebuilding to some extent, unless we can buy each one already rebuilt.

Thank you very much for your time and input to these questions.

jlg2002

You can buy zinc additives or oil that will allow you to continue to use the early engine so I personally wouldn't spend the $3500 for a newer well built engine.

As far as the other two questions, my 66 289 came with a 2.80 rear axle axle code WCZ-E) and a green dot" C4. So it is a factory set up for V8's as well as the original I6. The key thing, more importantly, is the use of 5 stud hubs, axles, and brakes. I agree that a later trans and rear end would be nice, but do they need replaced because they won't last - I doubt it highly. IMHO-you can burn a the fuel with what you already and have just as much fun for the cost of new trans, engine and rear axle.

1slow67

I've had no problem with the oil or fuel in either of the engines my 67 has had, including the original.

MustangFTW

same i just use the cheapest oil and its been fine, i opened it up this summer and the inside looks pretty much perfect. i would certainly replace the rear end and suspension if it hasnt been done, since they wont last long with a v8 instead of the I6. if its a C4 transmission then its practically bullet proof (unless you break the pump while mating it to the engine ) as for replacing the engine its not necessary at all theres a reason ford used the 302 for so long and in so many vehicles, because it withstood the test of time.

as for the transmission, getting a t5 matched up to the 302 isnt hard, the more difficult part is converting from auto to manual. with a t5 you would get right around 20-22 mpgs. alot better then the 13 from my 289 with the c4 lol.

1slow67

I get 12 mpg with my 302 and T5

I also don't feel like tuning it since it runs great right now.

MustangFTW

bahaha do you have yours heavily modified?

Jonk67

The 302 you have will go 100K mi., you just need to use an oil with enough ZDDP in it (~1200ppm is the general concensus) or add ZDDP to your oil of choice to get to that level. There are plenty of companies making ZDDP additive - Zddp plus can be found at any parts store, walmart normally, Compcams sells it as well as other brands. The red bottle of STP oil additive has some in it but they won't say how much.

I have swapped from a C4 to an AOD, it will give you an overdrive gear for interstate driving which I do a lot of. If you or he will only be driving on roads up to ~50-60mph it may not be worth it to convert yet. The original rearend in the I6 car would have been a 7.5" with 4 lug axles which is a little weak for a V8 as they came with a beefier 8" and 5 lug axles. Has the car been converted to 5 lugs on all wheels? The 2.83:1 rear gear wouldn't be an issue, my stock V8 came with 2.90:1 so not a huge difference in ratios there.

If you are building this for a kid, have you looked at front disc brakes and 3pt. belts?
Jon

andrewmp6

I have started running amsoil z rod oil its got the zinc in it works good so far in my truck.

GT350R Klone

There is nothing wrong with your vintage 302/C4. They will last just fine. I wouldn't create more work for yourself, unless you have a specific reason that is worth the time and effort.

DanofTroy

Guys this is some excellent input and I appreciate your help.
To answer some of the questions posted above for me:
We do have four-lug all the way around, although we definitely will be putting power disc brakes on the front.
While it came originally with a C4, it now has the 302 AND an automatic transmission, although I have been told it is not Overdrive.
This being said, do I need to be looking for a T5 transmission?

I am very interested in the 20 mpg mentioned above.
We also want to go to fuel injection and other possible engine modifications that might improve gasoline mileage and just make it run better, if possible.

Thanks again,
Dan