Thread: 302ci sbc

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I have never heard or seen a chevy 302 run. I hear they were the baddest things around in the late 60's. i am just wanting to know from the older guys who were around, if the 302 was really a screamin' machine?
nick

the 302 Chev was a little screamer, not very torquey obviously...but very revy.
In its stock form, it wouldnt perform very well on the street today...high compression.

Considering the company it was travelling in, the original Z-28s with the 302 were not all that quick. In order to get them to perform with the big blocks on the street you needed to run 4.10 gears at least. They only came with 4 speeds as I recall. They would spin to 6500-7000 without a problem. But when you could get a 375 hp 396, or if you knew the right people a 425 hp 427 in the same model car, that also carried 4.10 gears and would rev too, then the Z-28s were not all that impressive in the street wars. They were built originally so Chevy could compete in the Trans-Am series which had a 5 liter (305 cu in) limitation. For 1970 they changed the rules in Trans-Am and allowed the manufacturers to destroke production engines to meet the 5 liter rule. So in '70 1/2 the Z-28's came with the 350/370 hp LT-1. Now that motor had a bunch of respect on the street. Hope that gives you some perspective.

Pat

In August, 1969, I ordered a new 70 1/2 Z-28....it didnt arrive until Feb or March of 1970. It cost $3376 brand new. On the way home from the dealer, I stopped for gas at a Conoco station. The guy at the station had a 1969 Z-28 for sale for $2000. It was a late 69 car with a 302. I bought the darn thing. Therefore, I had both a 1970 350 and a 1969 302 at the same time. The 70 would spank the 69 in an acceleration race; standing or rolling start. Both had 2.20 Muncies, the same tires, solid lifters, Holley 780 carbs, etc. The 69 would bog from a start unless the revs were brought up a little. The 70 would rev to 7000+ just as would the 69. The 70 would light the tires from a standing start in second gear but the 302 would not. Plus, I think that the 1970 was a slightly heavier car.

mike in tucson

They also have a distinctive sound. Not like a normal SB chevy. They were built to meet the SCCA rules and were poor street performers. Camaro guys go nuts over them if they are building a Z28 clone that they want to be as correct as possible.

Doug

i dont know what you guys been smoking but the 302 chevy's ive seen have kicked the 70 z's asses!!!!!!! the 302 is not a lousy street performer u have to know how to drive one. 350's are like buttholes everyone has one. and so what if it has high compression who the f*ck give a s*it about gas lol........scooter

Gasser, I don't know where your coming from, but I was around small block Chevy's when we called an overbored 283 to 4 inches a 301, and even then a properly tuned 327 would kick them in the A$$. Been there and done that.

i have a 301 thats where i am coming from......scooter

Gasser, I know that's what you got and I am not putting you down but ......There so many better small block Chevy's that live in every day driving and racing that put out more torque and HP that it isn't even funny. And this is coming from a Ford fanatic. Course, I ain't always owned Fords.



P.S. When I was talking about building 301's I meant back in the 60's.

so its tastelss nowdays almost everyone has a 350 thats boring. there are other options that are just as good if not better. 283's built right can make an easy 450+ they may not have a shitload of torque but so what they still can kick some ass.......scooter

Friend of mine builds motors for the dirt trackers. Around here they have a new "low budget" class. Stock configured Chevys with limited displacement. The biggest motor you can run is an overbored 305. But the hot dogs are running 302s. Hard to find.