Thread: 302 Stroked to 347?

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I am thinking about doing a 347 in this 302 of mine in my 66 when it is time for a rebuild... Any pro's or con's I should look at with a 347 stroker kit, etc? Is boring the 302 this much to make a 347 too much to make the block not last so long or what? I have a Ford book I bought all on stroked small blocks and am really considering doing this once I learn more about them.

Thanks a lot for any info.

To me, it's a matter of return for the money. Yank the 302, bolt in a boneyard 460 and you'll have way more power for way less money. That's just how I look at things.

Right, factory cubes are much cheaper. A 351 Windsor, for example.

Well reason I ask this is because I have a lot of money just put into this 302 now. Well not TONS but I just bought a new intake manifold, new carb, all new hoses, valve covers, it has a big cam in it and some other things. Would kinda suck to just buy a big block and then have to start over again. Plus this is my everyday driver, I dont need a huge gas guzzler. Just something with a lot of HP but good for street and on gas. The 48 is going to have the big block in it....

"big cam"........."this is my everyday driver"

Whoops!!!

Yeah I know but I didn't put it in. Two owners before me did it and I don't even know the size of it. All I do know is that it's not like a more mild edelbrock performer cam... bigger than that because it rumbles pretty good. My dad said he had some radical cams in his cars at times and that mine is pretty big it seems.

The 347's are a nice motor. Nothing sez you couldn't run the 347 in it til you find and build a 460 (or whatever). Then save the 347 for another project. In that year of pickup an FE motor would be nice, but I guess I just like the FE's

How much more gas does a FE motor drink compaired to a 302 or 347, much more or not too much of a difference.

FE's are notorious gas hogs. Don't go there if you want double-digit gas mileage.

If you want a daily driver, and you want a Ford engine, your better off just doing a good rebuild on your current 302. Is it due for a rebuild? Sounds like someone has already rebuilt it for you, or did they not touch the bottom end when they did the cam/intake/carb swap?

I have no clue on the motor. The guy said the owner before him drag raced the truck some, rebuilt the motor and he had the truck sit. The guy bought it, put it back on the street with 2 bbl carb, stock intake manifold, etc. I put a new intake manifold on it, new 500cfm performer series carb on it, etc and changed new gaskets on manifold and valve covers, etc of course and now I don't gear the cam so much, it's pretty quite now but you can still hear it some and it still rocks pretty good. The headers I am sure have leaks too because they are old crappy looking so that will make it sound more rumbly in a way too (hard to explain the sound). But yeah I think I may stay with this motor and do a rebuild later on. The guy I bought it from said he has had it for about 5 years and he never drives it much, just once in a while (1 time every two weeks sometimes more but not far at all) and said that it should last a TON more miles. I bought it from my old metals manufactoring teacher and I can trust him, it's just he doesn't know much about motors, he said it's been all rebuilt and that's all he knows but the pistons and cam are not stock. I am going to build me that compression test thing that Denny sent me the plans for and see if there are any leaks (leak down test I meant) and see how well they are holding. I am thinking that it's burning a little oil because every 3 weeks or so I am a quart low and I don't leak much oil at all, probably 2 tiny drops of oil on the driveway when I park it and that's it.

I just wanted to know basically if going to 347 is pushing the wall thickness a little too much on a 302 LTD block. Also, any idea if these LTD blocks are any good. My father said he would think that it's good because LTD's were pretty big heavy family cars and they would need a strong block. I have that book here and they have a huge list of different places to buy the 347 kits from and tell the pros and cons of each ones, which ones to use if you run nitrous or a blower, etc but they all run 2000-2500 and I have seen them for 1000 and I think Dave or someone on here told me a guy on Ebay sells them for 800 bucks.

Not sure but I am still looking for more info so keep it comming if possible and I appreciate all the help and time you guys are taking to help me out here. So far today and yesterday I just learned quite a ton of stuff about building top ends because I screwed up a couple times but nothing that can't be fixed with a little time, money and elbow grease (or hair grease if ya got some).

The 347's get all the cubes from the increased stroke, the bore doesn't cause weakness in the block. If you want even better power, use a 351 block and stroke it to either 408 or 427. If gas mileage is a big consideration, then stick with the Windsor. I like my FE engines, but the fuel mileage is certainly not one of the reasons!!!

Ok I see. Yeah well I don't know about putting a different block in it. I plan to get a new and built C4 tranny with a 2300-2500 stall shift kit, etc. I went to a tranny shop next to the local speed shop here and a older guy that owned the place was pretty nice and talked to me about what he would do with it, etc. He has a drag racing background, etc so knows what he's talking about it seems. He was even nice enough to say that I can go and help/watch him put the tranny in my truck and all so I can see how to do it and learn. He said he will build a complete tranny with the stall, etc for around 500-650 bucks. That is building the tranny, taking my old one out and putting the new one in, hooking it all up and have it ready for me to just drive it straight home.
So basically what I am saying is, if I have all this stuff done to the motor and will have a new tranny in it already then not really a point for me to change it all out all over again.

Originally posted by FMXhellraiser
Ok I see. Yeah well I don't know about putting a different block in it. I plan to get a new and built C4 tranny with a 2300-2500 stall shift kit, etc. I went to a tranny shop next to the local speed shop here and a older guy that owned the place was pretty nice and talked to me about what he would do with it, etc. He has a drag racing background, etc so knows what he's talking about it seems. He was even nice enough to say that I can go and help/watch him put the tranny in my truck and all so I can see how to do it and learn. He said he will build a complete tranny with the stall, etc for around 500-650 bucks. That is building the tranny, taking my old one out and putting the new one in, hooking it all up and have it ready for me to just drive it straight home.
So basically what I am saying is, if I have all this stuff done to the motor and will have a new tranny in it already then not really a point for me to change it all out all over again.

You'd have much more fun with a toploader 4spd.

And even more fun with a Tremec 5 speed!!!!

Sounds like a good price on the C-4, the guy is obviously quite experienced in tranny building. The price for the work is certainly a good deal, I'd go for it!!!