Ford 302 Engine Specs
by Rick Carlton
The Ford 302 cubic inch displacement (CID) engine was one of the most popular American power plants throughout the "muscle car" era extending from 1968 to 1973. The engine was a V8, and owners and racers loved the power band and its throttle response. The car's configuration was essentially a bored-out small-block Cleveland/Windsor 289 CID, and the original was fairly impressive on its own. But once the final 302 powerplant was fleshed out and integrated with a Larry Shimoda-style Trans Am Mustang body (Shimoda went on to design the Chevy Corvette Mako Shark), things got even more exciting for race drivers in addition to the public. The car was built specifically to win the 1969 Trans Am Championship in order to compete head-to-head in the "Ponycar" marketing wars against the likes of the Chevy Camaro, AMC Javelin and Mopar's Barracudas. The Ford contingent was headed up by Bud Moore, and after nearly winning the championship in '69, got the job done the following year.
302 "F" 2V 1968-1973
The stock 302 "F" variant was produced between 1968 to 1973, at which time the line was closed. This was the dealer showroom stock engine and was the weakest of all of the 302 engines. The power plant was configured as an eight-cylinder, 90-degree, overhead valve power plant with a total displacement of 302 cubic inches. Horsepower ranged from 210 BHP at 4,400 rpm between 1968 and 1970, but the power dropped significantly in the 1972-73 model years to 141 BHP at 4,000 rpm. To give you some sense of how unimpressive this version was, it ran on regular gasoline (below 100 octane).
302 "G" 8V 1968 Tunnel Port
The 302 "G" 8V Tunnel Port variant was produced in 1968 and was sold as both a dealer showroom accessory engine, or "off the shelf" racing power plant for use in the development stage of the 1968 Trans Am Series. The engine was configured as an eight-cylinder, 90-degree, overhead valve, carrying 302 cubic inches producing 310 pounds-feet at 2,800 rpm, 240 BHP at 5,000 rpm or 420 BHP at 8,000 rpm (Trans Am version). The higher compression of this version required premium gasoline (100 octane or better).
302 "G" 4V 1969-71# Boss
The 302 "G" 4V 1969-71# Boss variant was produced between 1969 and 1971 and was the "big dog" of all the 302 engines. The power plant was offered as both a dealer upgrade showroom car and as a "crate" racing engine for direct use in the Trans Am Series. This is the engine that won the Trans Am Championship in 1970 and was a very impressive piece of power plant technology in its day. The power plant was configured as an eight-cylinder, 90-degree, overhead valve engine offering 302 cubic inches, 290 pounds-feet at 4,300 rpm, 290 BHP at 5,800 rpm or 470 BHP at 9,000 rpm (Trans Am Racing version).
References
Writer Bio
Since 1984, Rick Carlton has authored more than 450 articles on the principles, application, analysis and deployment of interoperable enterprise technologies. Additionally, he has written more than 150 feature articles on aviation, auto and motorsports topics including work for The Auto Channel, "Automobile," "Flight Training" and "On-Track" magazine. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in music from the University of Missouri at Kansas City.
