jimbancroft

I'm going to rebuild a 302 for a kit car and wanted everyone's input on how to do this. The kit won't be raced at all, just for highway driving and city streets.

I have neighbors and don't want to wake them up or set off car alarms whenever I pull into the driveway. I'm pretty new to the rebuilding process but was thinking of getting a 1996-00 Ford Explorer V8 302 since they tend to have fewer miles on them (rollover accidents). But if the right mustang comes along I have no problem going with that either.

So, I'd like to keep things as stock as possible. Can anyone reccomend what I should get and where? For instance, crankshafts/heads, headers-- most of what I see online at summit and elsewhere is with an eye toward racing, and that's fine, but are there close-to-stock units for sale on jegs and summit? I'd hesitate to go to Kragen or PepBoys for important stuff like this.

Assume I stick with a pulled engine and keep the block and heads. If it's from, say, a 1990-94 GT, what would a machine shop charge for new valves and seats, springs etc, machining and magnafluxing? If the engine has 80k miles on it but ran well when pulled, should I think about new pistons and rings?

I'd also want to stick with EFI if possible, since that's what the engine came with. Again, no racing will be done. What would a replacement wiring harness run and what else do I need to think about (and replace) when keeping the EFI?

Sorry for the basic questions. I'm still early in the planning stages and was hoping for your input and suggestions. Thanks a lot

FivePointOhh

sounds like you have some more thinking to do. you have to many directions you can go. if you want EFI your best buy is to buy a car thats already set up for it.

if you go carb you can slip that into any car relatively easy. i noticed you said kit car...so it wont be a mustang for sure?

mjr46

what's the kit car???

jimbancroft

It'd be a Factory Five Roadster or GT Coupe.

Thanks for the replies-- I know I've got a lot of thinking to do, just trying to get my head around all the options at the moment.

EFI vs carb-- if you pulled a stock engine w/EFI, what do you need to do to install it in another vehicle? I've heard that doing a carburetor is a good deal easier but if you already have an EFI setup from the other engine why not use it? I guess a carb is much better for racing?

Other reasons why you'd go with a carburetor and dump EFI? Is it that hard to transfer from one vehicle to another?

A question about pistons: if I got a used block (60-80k miles) that looked good and was magnafluxed, do the piston walls necessarily have to be rebored and larger pistons purchased? If it has to be done then so be it, just wondering how often it has to be done with mileage like that, assuming the car hasn't been abused.

Thanks again



Thanks again, sorry for the newbie qs...