V8 - not what you think
 

I know its rather popular to throw an LS series engine into FD's but I don't like chevys, so I was wondering if a Ford 302W would fit. They fit in Miatas, so is it safe to assume it would fit in an FD?

thanks fellas,
Brian

What would this 302 be commin out of? Fuel injection? Why put a far less superior engine in and take all the time+money to do it if you could put an LS1/6 in? There is a reason why so many people do it...Cause its the most cost effective way to get lots of reliable hp...

the 302 would come from a Fox Mustang. I could get EFI or Carb. And so you know, the 302 easily makes 385rwhp in a 3400lb car, with basic bolt ons, so I really wouldn't mind that at all. my question is wether or not a 302 would fit, not if its the most cost effective idea. If I wanted cost effective, I'd buy a honda and not an FD.

With the distributor in the front I think you would have a problem with hood clearance. I think the it is taller and heavier. It's a little narrower as well.

Why go with a 5L when you can go with a 5.7-7L motor with much more power and better gas mileage for less money.

thanks for the input on the hood clearance, that is the kind of info I'm looking for. Again, to say that a 5.7 is greater than a 5.0(or 4.9 as it would be) is not only off topic, but ignorant of the 5.0 motor. I can get a 302 for easily $500, and again, cost is not an issue, and again, I don't want a chevy motor. why get a 5.7 when you could get a 5.8 or a 429?

anyway, the point is, if the motor can fit in the early model Miatas, could it then fit in an FD? does the Miata have a larger engine bay, taller bonnet, or is the FD's engine bay adequate?

edit: I realize I am coming off indignant in these replies, and I don't mean to. Just please stick to the topic of the 302 and get off the LS motors. If you do not have knowledge of if a 302 has clearance or not, please, no need to reply.

if the distributer becomes the limiting factor on if it can fit, i know msd offers some very low clearance distributers for many applications.

If anybody is going to have the best idea, it's likely Granny's Speedshop. They've probably attempted it, or at least did some research on it, but such a conversion doesn't seem to be listed on their site. Be warned that at least one of our forum members (jimlab) have had problems with their engine cradle fitting correctly, IIRC.

http://www.grannysspeedshop.com/

thanks for the link, I didn't know this forum was here. thanks to the mods for moving it :)

that site has a lot of info on fitting the ford motors into FB's and FC's but i didn't see anything about FD's, as you said. Being a Mustang guy, I see 1 mistake on their website already...88 5.0's were still SD motors, except for the california ones. Not that that matters, to convert those engines from SD to MAF is like a 2 hour $50 job...

I haven't seen one yet. I've seen an awful lot of people tossing the idea around, and even a few declaring they were going to. I've yet to see a finished one yet. Kinda makes me think that it doesn't fit very well. Either that, or there are a lot of guys considering that swap that don't know what they're doing.

The other thing to consider (since you mentioned carb/efi) is that the motor has to be younger than the chassis for the swap to technically be legal. That rules out the carb option unless you don't care about legality.

Personally, I'd rather see a 351W (legality be damned) in an FD before a 302. By the time I got rid of my mustang I hated almost everything about it.

thanks for the support. I don't know that the age of the engine vs the age of the car is a federal law, I think its local. I haven't heard of anyone with problems carbing their 87-95 5.0's localy. I know last year they enacted a law that is basically a fine of $100/year for not having the original engine in the car(such as swapping a 2.3 to a 5.0 in a mustang, not a blown 5.0 to a new 5.0) and that law was local, county govt, not state.

So, I have no clue on legality, perhaps I'll do it to an FC just to be safe...if I'd do a V8 swap, the car wouldn't be streetable anymore, anyway...:) get a huge carb/roots blower sticking outa the hood...that'd be sweet.

You may not know it, but it is indeed a federal law.

https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...3&postcount=45

http://www.epa.gov/Compliance/resour.../engswitch.pdf
Plenty of people speed at 5 to 10 mph over the limit with no repurcussions too. That doesn't make it legal. If your local area doesn't enforce the restrictions put in place by the EPA, more power to you. Around here all it would take is one by the book inspector to ruin your day. :(

That's lame. :( Also covered in the EPA pdf I attached a link to. Unfortunately there's nothing preventing local and state government from imposing limitations that are more stringient than the federal standards.

V8 swapped cars are plenty streetable, unless you do something stupid like put tiny hard compound tires on it, or use a transmission without an overdrive. There are a few 10 second street cars (swaps) running around.

To each his own. To me that would defeat the whole purpose of the RX-7 though. If I were going to go that route I'd drop the motor into a solid axle chassis.

I must ask, why you would cut a huge hole in the hood and add the weight of a blower, carbs, cast iron, and so on, to such a perfect car as an FD. The front suspension, helmet bulges in the roof, and ultra stiff chassis all point to this car's intended purpose being an autocross/roadrace car. I think I could build a better drag car out of another chassis. Is it just the awsome looks of the FD or what? I agree, the rotary is an underdeveloped and inferior but how is a Ford Windsor small block "better" than GM's ultra-modern and super light Gen III or Gen IV V8s? I am really curious about this because I am considering all sorts of engine options, but I can't find a better one than the GenIII unless you wanna spend the money on a new Gen IV. The 5.0L rollers seem like good motors but they are heavier and the intake manifold is taller, putting more weight higher up. I can't get passed the milleage and the new firing order of the Gen III. Its got such good results in every category. I am curious about the 5.0L and why it is the right motor for you. Do tell, what advantages does it have over the new GM stuff? Can I get 30mpg with a 5.0L that puts 308 HP to the rear wheels and powers a chassis that weights less than a fully equiped Turbo II to a 12.50 quarter mile, drive back from the track using no gas, add a little air to the tires, then go dominate an autocross. I am thinking that the Gen IV + FD + slicks = cheap super car.

Do you have the capabilities to make the motor mounts etc...to fit the $500 302 into the fd? If not it's going to cost more in the long run than buying a kit for the lsX that is already around and proven. Just thought i'd throw that out there since it wasn't brought up yet. If you have the money and the passion then by all means go for it. I personally don't have anything against any of the V series engines.

-Destin

Chevy power=Hinson FD (I hope I speeled that right)

I would not cut a hole in an FD. I've decided that an FD deserves a rotary motor, and should never be insulted with a V8. The blower/carb comment was directed at my changed attitude wherein I want to swap the motor to an FC not an FD. I'll leave the FD intact.

As for the rest of it, http://www.corral.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=55 you can read there all of the aspects as to why the windsor blocks are awesome, however, of course, you'll never make 30mpg with a windsor block. ever. they just don't do that, but it will crank out 300hp on 87 octane pump gas.

Nice attitude. I guess I "insulted" my car. I'm sorry I wasted any of my time responding to your bullshit. I won't make the same mistake twice.

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely appreciate the help I've gotten from everyone, especialyl you. you were basically the only person not rasing hell that I wanted to put a ford in and not a chevy. I just, personally, would rather leave the FD with the rotary. No disrespect whatsoever towards you or anyone else who has done a V8 swap with an FD.

When you start making 350rwhp+ with your turbo rotary we'll see how long it lasts. I think rotaries are great aside from longevity. Big power they don't last long.

How many engines have you had in your FD and what power level are you making?

hes still an FD wanna-be :)

;) what would you know? you haven't kept up wit me in a while, punk.

damned jersey people...oh wait, thats me...

when did a car ever deserve something? it doesnt ask what it wants its an inanimate object with a bunch of wires and gizmos when did these things ever get feelings?

Hehe. Why not a 460? Oh, yeah, probably not as easy to fit, and not available for 500 bucks. But, supposing it were.. Imagine. Overbored. Stroked. Turbocharged. Shoehorned into the engine compartment. LOLz what a sleeper. 750 lazy, loafing HP. :) Probaly not so good for cornering, however. And.. hood clearance. Hmm... Engine setback?

http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2...er/index.shtml

anyone think that would fit in an FC?

Doesn't the Ford Windsor iron block have a nasty habit of cracking in half along the lifter galley when pushed over 500hp or so? That doesn't exactly give my warm feelings toward that engine

And no, http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/...mer/index.shtml all of Ford's modular series engines that feature overhead cam design are WAY too wide to fit into most of not all RX-7s.

I have hardly any posts on here but I DO read and try to search around before asking questions.

I'm actually putting a 302 bored .030 over so a 306 in my 85 gs. Throw an aluminum intake and a 650 holley on it and you'll do fine cause the distributor will fit under the hood. And go out and get the small block ford kit from grannys speed shop and it will bolt right in. And take the crossmember and flip it 180 degrees and use a fox body oil pan. But try to make the balance of the car 50/50 so you might have to relocate the battery to the hatch.

And another thing the 302 is not a winsdor thats the 351w which brings up another idea take the 302 and put windsor heads on it for more airflow.