Dressing up a 302 - Cool Vintage Gear?

A few people have suggested that there are some great items you can find to dress up a 302 to look a bit older than it might actualy be. I'm also wondering what you can do in the way of tricky intakes to mount multiple older carbs, etc.

Pictures would be great, as well as manufacturer info and dates. I would really like to make my 302 older, and I'm sure some folks would love to see a reference on what they can do to do the same.

And if you have something laying around you don't want, and want to part with--send me a PM.

Thanks!!!

-Scott

 

Lots of cool vintage stuff you can use...but alot of it gets kinda pricey!

Aluminum Cobra "T pans" are awesome oil pans for small block Fords, and the early front timing covers with the breather in them give an early 60s look as well.

Cal Custom or various factory aluminum valve covers look cool on these motors...and intakes such as the old low rise Cobra dual quad set-up, tunnel rams, Webers, cross rams, tri-powers, and different factory and aftermarket aluminum 4v intakes make for neat period correct induction systems.

Tri-Y headers were the hot ticket for stout small block Fords in the early-mid 60s, but they are tough to get and to fit into many applications.

With the distributor being right up front, don't ignore that...get an early dual point or maybe a mag for it to keep it all retro cool!!

 

cost wise I would stick to a offy 4bbl

those intakes that hack listed are not only more expensive than the motor but really hard to find... I know I've been on the hump for about 3 of the intakes on his list.

Cal custom valve covers are spendy too... but theyre on ebay all the time, get a pair.

-i think its cheaper to dress up a flatty lol

THATS A JOKE FOR ALL YOU HUMPERS OUT THERE.

Tuck

 

find yourself a Man-A-Fre 4x2

or 2x4 like in the last issue? of Rodder's Journal

you can only make it look as old as the sbf anyway

nothing wrong with the mid sixties look

Paul

 

O'Brien Truckers has some finned stuff.

 

Ive got cal custom covers on mine, and will run twin 94's on a vintage speed adapter, on top of a cheapy 4 barrel alloy intake, and an old mallory twin point diz. i guess itll look kinda early sixties...its a 65 289 block.

 

I agree with Tuck, an Offy intake and Cal Custom valve covers would probably be the least expensive vintage combo. I've seen either piece go for $50, although they seem to go in the $80 range more often.

I dig the Offy valve covers, but it's very difficult to find a vintage set. I have two sets from the 60s--they didn't cost too much, but it did take me a full six months of asking around, scouring the local swap meets, cl***ifieds, and eBay to find them. Offy sells them new for $180, but it's my understanding that they wait for a bunch of orders to come in before they produce any.

Edelbrock makes a nice set of finned valve covers, both back in the day and a current version. The new ones go for less than the new Offys.

A couple of Offy manifolds on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7918994003&category=36474
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7918743180&category=36474

 

Offy sells new 2x4 intakes still. Get a PAW catalog and take a look through it. I have a 302 in my 69 Mustang with a Offy 4bbl, finned "Powered by Ford" valve covers and a Duraspark II ignition using the points cap. On my 56 I have a pair of no script valve covers and a new E-brock intake, because older 351W intakes are hard to find.

 

I run the Cal Custom Finned aluminum valve covers on the coupe. I like the Hollman Moody intakes but they are expensive...I like the three duece set up's but with solid hood sides it doesnt seem worth it...crab distributor caps are available and that will be the next upgrade to mine.

 

Ahem.

 

pigiron that intake is cool...
- but costs as much as I paid for my shoebox after you get the carbs and linkage...

 

Pigiron, did you make your headers? If so, how did you mate the header tubes to the flanges? I got a SBC kit with ford flanges and i think im gonna have to bend em and slice em just to get em in the holes.

Not trying to hijack the post. Sorry. Im prolly gonna get some Edelbrock Finned Valve Covers for my 302.

Nick

 

Here's my Old 302 that was in my 54 ford...

I added a Chrome Carb and blue striping to the scallop on the air cleaner...
it looked alot better when I sold it with the car...


evel

 

Clean up the castings on the intake and exhaust manifolds with a grinder. Get a set o'them old-timey "Powered by Ford" stamped steel valve covers, paint the whole engine red and then pick out the lettering in black. Get an early- to mid-fifties Ford air cleaner and convert it to dry-element, it should drop right on to a 4150 Holley. You'll look like the first kid on the block with an OHV, circa 1954. 8 out of 10 aren't going to know that the engine they're looking at didn't come straight out of a chopped up restoration.

 

check out this link to Holman Moody, intakes, valvecovers, pans, performance stuff http://www.holmanmoody.com/parts/hardpart.htm

Richard

 

Cal customs are the nicest looking valve covers. The intake is the hardest part to find for a vintage look, and the 351W is even worse. I ended up using an old torker intake, the carb sits on the intake at an angle rather than parallel, Edelbrock valve covers and an O'Brien Truckers air cleaner, accessory drive is all 65 Mustang parts, more of a 60's look, but it's what I had sitting around.



I've got another motor going together with cal customs and a tunnel ram, but still has a 60's look, I'll try to get a pic of the other motor up as well. I don't know that you can get a SBF to look much older seeing how they came out in the 60's.

 

Here's the motor in another vehicle I have. It's a bit dirty right now. A factory dual point or Mallory distributor would look better for a more cl***ic look. A nice solid lift cam goes good in these for that cl***ic sound. This is a Offy 360 degree highrise with dual Carter 500 afb's.

 

Hey,

I know that *cough* Vintage Speed *cough* sells a 4bl to 2x2bl adapters. A friend or mine is using one and it looks great with two 94's on top. Cap them off with some old school velocity stacks or scoops and instant retro cool. Cheep too.

Danny

 

Nick, I used a set of flanges from old beatup headers, cut them off with a 2" stub and welded to that.