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!
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