the new ford repo boss 302's aint very fast.

if you want a real boss replica engine, i can tell you how to make one no prob.

if you want to keep the displacement small and want to rev the crap out of it, i would consider a 331 but if you go to 7,000 rpm i would get a dart shp block or ford 302 block but the dart has longer cylinders.

you can use arp 185 heads or put clevelands on it and have a "boss 331".

 

I have a never torn down 289.. still at the standard bore and the crank hasn't been turned (the tear down was today).. would any of this be useful?

I have a car with more power than I need and it's fun. But this car.. I want it to replicate the 66 I had with a Boss 302, top loader, and 9" with a locker. I remember that as the most fun driveable car of all time. (my time).. so I'd like to recreate it. I might be disappointed compared to more modern cars I've driven, but I'm okay with that risk. In the past I've had scores of 289's and 351's and nothing sounded or responded like that Boss 302.. It was stock but for long tubes and an Accel distributor. Building this car is something I've wanted to do for a long time.

 

Boss 302 in a 65 or 66 is a little trickier with headers. There are a couple of makers out there but Windsor type exhaust ports are much easier to deal with in the earlier chassis.

 

If you go 351w remember to keep the intake manifold in mind. Some idiot had to buy a cowl hood because he put a victor jr intake manifold in and now the air cleaner sticks clear past the fenders... Don't know who would do something so stupid though...

 

We struggled with that in the 70's.. I figured by now there would be more choices. Thanks!

 

Hmm.. sounds like you know this person well.. Thanks for the warning, this is the sort of thing I could end up doing..

 

I have a chance to buy a 351w from a mid-80's Bronco for $250. Supposedly it was freshly rebuilt before the rusted out Bronco met it's demise from a rusted out frame. The engine turns over by hand and appears to build compression in all cylinders. As it sits it's complete minus a manifold and carb.. its a greasy lump.. Worth the $250 risk?

 

Bought my "302" with a c6 still hooked to it for 300. Of course I was smart enough to know what I was looking at and knew it was a 351 but the seller had no clue. Sold the c6 for 250. But if you are planning on rebuilding that motor it's still a good deal

 

I'd definitely rebuild it.. unless I opened it to find a lot of quality parts barely used.

Are the stock heads worth keeping?

 

If you are trying to make any power lose those heads for sure. No matter what aluminum head you get its gonna sting in the pocket area. But cheap decent aluminum heads will make worlds of difference then the stockers. I saved up and bought AFRs because I knew they are the best bang for the buck. Well lots of bucks