Jack Halton's 302 GMC

Here is Jack's almost-complete 302 GMC engine. 

Acquired as a NOS short block in April 2000

Fitted with Venolia 9:1 forged pistons, Stovebolt "Bulldog" dual
pattern cam (212 intake, 220 exhaust duration @ .050" lift, .430" net valve lift), head rework by Paul Bond with Chev V8 valves, SW dual wound valve springs,  Clifford water heated intake, VDD headers, 600 Edelbrock carb, HEI ignition. Soon to be installed in my '51 GMC 1/2 ton with a T5 tranny, Chev V8 flywheel and clutch.

 

The block has been modified for full-flow.

Update as of January 2004:

Finally the engine is installed in my 1951 GMC pickup after a long period of "Might-as-Well" body, paint and interior work. Some more details: The air cleaner is a diesel intake stack with a K&N filter element. Headers are the old "Nicson" design from the late Charlie Baker (now available from Wayne Mfg. Co.) Intake and exhaust have been ceramic coated. I use a 2-1/2" exhaust system with dual 48" glasspack mufflers mounted side-by-side and exiting behind the rear-wheels on the passenger side. I've tried many different exhaust and muffler combinations, and this seems to give the nicest combination of sound and performance. Somebody once told me it sounds like a Jaguar on steroids!

This is the second 302 I installed in my truck. The first was a military block fitted with a more radical cam and I never liked the loss of low-end torque. When a piston failed at 50K miles, I discovered the block was not rebuildable due to cracks in 5 cylinders from long-ago freeze damage. I acquired a NOS shortblock and built this new engine for driveability and torque. Paul Bond (Inliner #348) from Jacksonville, FL port-matched the head and did some "blending" of the pockets after a 4-angle valve job. The cam specs were determined by many discussions with Tom Langdon and others, it is a dual pattern design with less intake duration but a little longer exhaust  timing. I completely disassembled the new short block and it's a good thing I did - the cam bearings were poorly installed by the factory and had to be replaced! The block was drilled and plugged for remote full-flow oil filtration (see "tech tips" page on this site) and carefully re-assembled after having the crankshaft modified for a V8 flywheel. The cam was degreed in and required a 2 degree offset key in the timing gear to be "right on". The 9:1 Venolia forged pistons were almost too pretty to hide in the block but should eliminate any possibility of failure. I located a NOS 302 damper pulley and added timing marks while the degree wheel was still in place. This damper is somewhat bulky but I am able to drive a power steering pump from the second groove. It fits OK in the 1/2 ton by moving the radiator slightly forward, outboard of the core support channel. I also changed the starter to a solenoid type, eliminating the "kick-start" button on the floor, which was long a source of water leaks and drafts up the pant-leg.

We'll see how all this works out before long. After finishing the driveline installation and re-wiring, the truck should be hitting the road again, and with any luck at all, ready for a drive from Florida to Bonneville in August. See Y'all there!

Thanks to:
Patrick's, Langdon's Stovebolt Engine Co, Don Ferguson Jr and many others!