Healey Sports Cars

mods & upgrades for Healey (Nash, Austin, or Jensen) cars, including engine swaps

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Skip
Skip Burney

(4 posts)

Registered:
01/16/2015 08:59PM

Main British Car:


302 in a 3000
Posted by: Skip
Date: January 16, 2015 09:11PM

I finished a numbers matching AH 3000 a few years ago and I have enough spare parts to build another car but I would like to replace the inlne 6 with a 302 Ford I have in my shop. I haven`t seen anyone who has done that, I have seen 289`s but no 302`s. Is there some reason why a 302 won`t work in a Healey.


Jim Stabe
Jim Stabe
San Diego, Ca
(830 posts)

Registered:
02/28/2009 10:01AM

Main British Car:
1966 MGB Roadster 350 LT1 Chevy

authors avatar
Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: Jim Stabe
Date: January 17, 2015 02:30AM

Externally, the 289 and 302 are the same


Skip
Skip Burney

(4 posts)

Registered:
01/16/2015 08:59PM

Main British Car:


Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: Skip
Date: January 17, 2015 06:19PM

I know I just have never seen a 302 Ford in a Healey tons of Chevrolets and others but no 302`s. It seems like such a good swap was wondering why no one has ever done it. I can build a good strong streetable 302 with a carb and intake put a 4 speed behind it and be good to go.


BlownMGB-V8
Jim Blackwood
9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042
(6507 posts)

Registered:
10/23/2007 12:59PM

Main British Car:
1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS

authors avatar
Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: BlownMGB-V8
Date: January 18, 2015 01:24AM

Interesting. The one Healey I looked at closely was a SBC and had a header interference problem that looked largely unsolvable. At least I didn't want to tackle it. Is the 302 a little narrower?

Jim


mgb260
Jim Nichols
Sequim,WA
(2482 posts)

Registered:
02/29/2008 08:29PM

Main British Car:
1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8

Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: mgb260
Date: January 20, 2015 12:10PM

Jim, The SBF is a lot narrower than the SBC, even narrower than the 215. Plus about 100 lbs lighter. Years ago they weren't too popular in street rods because of front sump pan, long water pump and oil filter location. The newer rear(actually twin) sump pan, Explorer water pump and either Econoline swivel oil filter or remote setup solved those problems. The popularity of the 5.0 in Mustangs also brought the cost of aftermarket parts down.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/20/2015 04:04PM by mgb260.


HealeyRick
Rick Neville

(491 posts)

Registered:
12/19/2007 05:01PM

Main British Car:
1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Ford 5.0L

authors avatar
Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: HealeyRick
Date: January 21, 2015 07:05AM

Look no further: [forum.britishv8.org] Feel free to ask any questions you have.


Skip
Skip Burney

(4 posts)

Registered:
01/16/2015 08:59PM

Main British Car:


Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: Skip
Date: January 31, 2015 10:53PM

That's exactly what I needed Rick thanks a million just as soon as I finish this airplane I am doing I am going to get started. Did you flare your fenders any? I already have a set of Mike Lemperts rear end gears that I was going to use so I can use them in this car. My swap should go a little easier as I have both front and rear shrouds off, fenders, hood trunk lid interior and everything out and in my toy box where I keep things. My engine is a fuel injected 302 with no fuel pump pad so I will use an electric pump in the trunk. I already have an Edelbrock performer manifold and 600 holly. I will go back with a Comp Cams 270 HR and just do some port work and gasket matching on the heads, flat pistons and balance it, just a good street motor. I have to do some frame repair to the frame so I will toss the stock engine towers and either use Tiger manifolds or make up my own headers. Hopefully I can get the frame sandblasted and get started in the spring.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/31/2015 11:59PM by Skip.



HealeyRick
Rick Neville

(491 posts)

Registered:
12/19/2007 05:01PM

Main British Car:
1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Ford 5.0L

authors avatar
Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: HealeyRick
Date: February 02, 2015 08:17PM

Skip,

Nope, my fenders aren't flared. Only reason I went with the Tiger manifolds was because I wanted to keep the engine towers. They are getting kind of rare, might not be that easy of a find. One of them is a standard Fairlane manifold, but the other side (sorry, I don't remember which side is which and I'm away from the car right now) is a Tiger-only piece. If you can build your own headers, I might go that way. Enjoy your build.


IaTR6
Dennis Costello
Central Iowa
(192 posts)

Registered:
12/29/2007 02:53PM

Main British Car:
'73 TR 6 '97 Explorer 5.0

Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: IaTR6
Date: February 03, 2015 12:20PM

Skip, and others,
I am putting a 302 (97 Explorer) in a TR6, and wanted a header that didn't have the four tubes going to the collector in one location. I stumbled on the Patriot H8482-1 on a hotrod site. The port tubes each angle to the rear before connecting at the collector. They are available through Summit, but searching their site doesn't seem to bring them up, use the part number to find them. They are coated, and fairly reasonable (as if there is such a thing) at $375.97.
In my case, I had a conflict that angling the header slightly toward the starter would help, and I found a machine shop with a "platen grinder", or "table grinder" and he ground the port surface slightly on an angle, which gave me what I wanted. Anyway, have a look at the part and see if it would help.
Dennis


HealeyRick
Rick Neville

(491 posts)

Registered:
12/19/2007 05:01PM

Main British Car:
1963 Austin-Healey 3000 Ford 5.0L

authors avatar
Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: HealeyRick
Date: February 03, 2015 03:04PM

One other thing to consider with headers is the tube size, You'll probably have to remove more of the footbox to make them fit than with something narrow like the cast iron manifolds, which in turn narrows the space available for your feet. Not so big a deal with an automatic, but if you're going three pedal (like every hot rod sports car is supposed to be) it can get a little tight. I had to move my high beam control from the floor to the dash and as it is, I don't have room to rest my left foot besides the clutch. A bit annoying on a long trip, but a small price to play. Everytime you change something, there's always about ten more changes downstream you never considered.


Skip
Skip Burney

(4 posts)

Registered:
01/16/2015 08:59PM

Main British Car:


Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: Skip
Date: February 09, 2015 12:43AM

Once I get the chassis blasted and on the stand in my shop I will get a dummy block and heads and go from there. I will remove the mount towers and weld in new engine mounts and set the block and heads. In restoring antique airplanes and cars over the years I am lucky to have my own machine and sheet metal shop in my restoration shop. I am going to replace both frame rails with 2X3 box tubing. I have a 1/2 thick sheet of steel that I lock the frame down on to keep everything in alignment so it all goes back together like it is supposed to.


uncle cracker
Robert Lummus

(21 posts)

Registered:
06/04/2008 08:06PM

Main British Car:


Re: 302 in a 3000
Posted by: uncle cracker
Date: April 29, 2015 08:22PM

See my last post for 302 AH3000


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