I have a 76' f-250 4x4 with 4.56 gears and a grannny 4 speed and a 300-6. The 300 is pretty much shot and I have located a 78 302-2bbl for $175. I've never had a 302 that I was very happy with power wise (except EFI) and I was wondering what I could do to make this thing actualy move my truck around a little better than the 300 did. I have a 600 edelbrock laying around so a 4bbl swap is deffinately in order. What makes the mid 70's/newer carb'd 302's so weak? is it the compression ratio? I knew a guy that had a 70 f-100 with the factory 2bbl 302 and it would run all over my 72 f100 with a 351 windsor out of a 78 ltd. Can I just throw some flat top pistons and a edelbrock performer rpm cam/intake at it and get some descent power? i am not real worried about off idle tourque do to the 4.56 gears. I run about 2800/2900 rpm at 55 mph! I dont want to spend a fortune as funds are limited at this time and I would like to eventualy go to a 460 whenever I can find/build one but I know that will be a long time as I have built one many years ago and it wasn't cheap. Seems that SB ford stuff is dirt cheap though. Any advise would be appreceated. Thanks.