Service Tech

you can get 400 hp from a 302, its just costly. IMO, i like the comp cams extreme energy 272. i had one in a 302. it has a 110 lobe seperation and sounds great as well as performs great. 400 horse is asking alot from the 5.0 but it can be done. get a good set of heads. AFR 185 or 195 is a good start.

rmodel65

you can get 400 hp out of 165's...185 and large you gotta cut the pistons for valve clearance

Service Tech

agreed...

frdnut

The older (28 oz balanced) stock 302 cranks can handle quite a bit of power and some serious rpms....I know of a guy on another forum that ran somewhere around 9000 rpms on a stock 302 crank in a drag car..You can get 400hp from 302 cubes fairly easy these days with any of the good aftermarket heads..The original RHS heads you chose are very good heads as well...

Zimbo

so the 28 oz is the one I want? I don't want the engine to shake itself apart!

rmodel65

anything 1982 and newer should be 50oz and everything 1981 and older is 28oz. if you order an all new crank you can pick if you want 28 or 50 normally.. factory for your 66 is 28oz

toybreaker

If you are going to go the stroker route do not piece it together.

Look at ALL the KIT options. Buy a COMPLETE stroker assembly from a reputable vendor/manufacturer. It will all be there crank/rods/pistons/rings/bearings, all you have to do is take the block and the kit down to your automotive machine shop of choice and tell them to bore/hone/clearance for your reciprocating assembly and when they call you take it home, clean it 2 or 3 times and assemble it.

I went for the same thing as you. "around 400hp at the crank" but I used world products cast iron heads. I have $1200 in the top end of my engine including the cam, rockers and push rods. (not all bought new obviously)

kenash

You do know "balancing" an engine whether it be 28/50 will preclude it "shaking itself apart"? Not to mention, attention to detail during assembly phase, as in "blue printing" the tolerances. Have you researched "Scat" products.
Good Luck!

drewsky

It can be done or at least close to 400 to the crank. But it would be maxed out and almost non street able at that point. Edelbrock performer rpm heads would help a lot with long tube or try y headers. I don’t think you will get 400 out of the E street kit. I have 385 hp and 420 tq to the crank on my 331 stroker with E street heads and other performance bolt ons. So that will not happen with a 289 to be realistic. Cobra automotive by Curt Vogt sells a 500 hp 289 but it’s 35,000 bones! So that should give you a good idea of what it will take. Stoke it to a 331 or 347 and it’s doable and street driveable. My 331 has a 289-302 fireing order and badged as a 289 under the hood. Nobody would know if I didn’t tell them it’s stroked.

MonsterBilly

This is very true. Buy an assembled kit. And from my knowledge, most all stroker kits are 28 oz imbalance. Unless it is a very high dollar kit which sometimes use a zero oz imbalance.