Is it possible to build a daily driver 302 with 300BHP & 350 lbs. Torque from the block for $3,000? Including buying a junkyard engine to build off of.

How much would it cost for 450/450?

 

Doing your own work, yes. You could even buy a crate motor for just a little over $3k. Doing it yourself, you should have a couple bucks left over, if you do it right (cast aftermarket heads instead of aluminum, for example). A non-roller cam setup would be the most budget conscious.

For the extra power of 450, you're going to start looking at upgraded internals to make it reliable, along with an aftermarket block...so, pretty much double that $3k...if you do it yourself, anyway.

BTW, with either combo and 302cid, you're not likely to get those torque numbers, but you can get the HP numbers.

 

You can get 350ft-lbs out of a 302 that's streetable if you pick the right parts. But plan on buying good high torque yielding heads(AFR 165's, TFS TWs, Edelbrock Performers etc). I'm pushing around 370hp at peak, which comes out to around 320-325ft-lbs at peak hp, peak torque is obviously higher, perhaps as much as 380ft-lbs. But mine wasn't a $3,000 build either. 300/300 is very attainable for a street 302 on a budget if you're careful about parts selection and do the work yourself. You could do that for $3,000 if you assemble it yourself. Heads, good pistons/rings and a cam, maybe some replacement rods, Scat makes a set you can get with floating pins for less than $200 for a set of forged lightweight i-beams. Then the typical bearings and gaskets. If you want reliable power plan on having a larger budget though.

A 450/450 302 COULD be done, but in a streetable package would be VERY difficult and VERY expensive(if not impossible). In naturally aspirated form that would require a mean cylinder pressure in excess of 220psi, which would put it in the same league as most naturally aspirated race car engines. It's unlikely you'd get that kinda power out of a 302 and have it streetable, if you could even get that kinda power out of it. It would require a stroker application or a power adder if you want it streetable and cost effective.

The best advice, is rather than shooting for a certain power goal, shoot for a performance range goal. Decent peak hp, good torque streetable 302 etc, then pick the parts within your budget that will get you into that range. Whatever the hp and torque are, is whatever the hp and torque are. Pick parts that match the rpm range you needand budget you have.

 

Cool thanks!

I will be doing what I can on my own. No one in my family has ever built an engine, so I don't know if I will even be able to get it running, but I will try. It seems like it will be a good learning experience.

I should only have another week until the rest of my body work is done, then I will start looking for an engine.

Do you have any suggestions for someone who has no hands on experience? My brother and I have been reading about doing this for years now, so we have some idea what we are doing.

EDIT: How long do 347 strokers last(mileage) compaired to 302's? Since that crate engine is $3300, I should be able to build something like that for about $3000 then, right?

 

It'll depend on the stroker kit, the problem many people see in the 347, is the short deck height combined with the long stroke, equals a not so gread rod ratio, so there's increased cylinder wear. That being said, good kits and a well put together 347 can run for a while on the street, and a lot of it is in the build and the maintenence. All things being equal, a shorter stroke engine in theory will last longer. You can build a healthy 302 for 3 grand

 

Which engine would be best for me? Carb or EFI? Which is easier to get running? Which is easier to make power with?

What would you suggest for building a 200,000+ mile engine with 300-350hp and torque? (how do you build an engine so it will last a long time?)

How much should I expect to pay for an engine from a junkyard? What should I look for and avoid? Do they usually have tools there to use to get engines out of cars? I don't have a lift or anything.

Thanks!

 

As far as carb or EFI, if you have/find EFI use that, if you have to buy all new stuff and wanna save money, carb. Good heads, quality parts(bearings, rings etc) and properly put together and tuned, it will last a long time, as far as junkyards etc, I dunno

 

Thanks for all your help!

I'm sure I'll have hundreds of questions when I finally get the motor, but I only have one more right now.

Any idea approximately how much a 302 with all it's goodies weighs? My dad is renting a truck from Home Depot the 9th, and the only option of moving it is by lifting it by hand. Would 3 people be able to move it? Any tips?

 

You're looking at around 500 pounds fully dressed. Rent/buy a cherry picker. Your back will appreciate it.

 

Yeah, 500lbs tops. It COULD be lifted by 3 people, but you'll be way better off with a hoist. Especially since you don't wanna drop it