The V8 Owners Forum -

hi guys newbie here looking for some info. want to v8 my capri but dont have a clue which engine to choose so i need some help. i do want to eventually supercharge the engine on a carb setup was going to use a 3.5 rv8 but u can get bigger engine such a 4.0 4.6 etc. would it be better fitting an american engine maybe ford or chevy v8 as with a little bit of reading seems that the american v8s are stronger and more durable. my final bhp figure would be 450-500 bhp but that would be a long way down the road as i dont expect my ford special lsd axle could handle that lol. i dont want to waste money on a smaller block if it's going to cost more money to get the power rather than using maybe a 5.0 yank short block as a starting point. any help would be great. are the yank engines more to rebuild and can you supercharge the rover enines. sorry for all the questions but i know nothing about v8s so your opinons would help alot. just want to no what you think the best engine and manual box would be best thanks guys

Ford 302 for a capri, been done loads of times, (including by ford in S/A) it mates straight to the ford Mustang version of the T5 gearbox, it is very tunable (the power you want with a blower is easily in reach with the 302 where as you will be into big expence to get over 350 with a rover oawever you do it). You cam get short or full crate engines over here (Real steel british american engines , worth a check with the forum sponsors). The 5.3L LSX version of the gen3 chevy would be nice but you will have to import it yourself which scares most people off.
Mike

450-500 bhp from a Rover V8 you're looking at £10k easy.

But a chevvy LS-x engine, fit and forget 350bhp approx out of the box, 400bhp with a cam change. You'd be able to get a cut out (engine/box and ancilliaires) for a few grand if you shop around.

thank you for the replies very intersteing to here the expierianced opinions. so is there a best 302 option i take it engines have changed over the years is there models to stay clear of

A few weeks ago a I was asked by a friend to help him put a 302 in a Mk1 Capri, with T5 bolted on the back, I think it had a Bronco sump and Pickup, and a Audi100 rad fitted into the front panel, bearing in mind this was a mock-up and no engine mounts were made, but there was a gearbox mount, the engine and box fitted into the bay without a problem and the B&M shifter tower came right thru where the original gear lever had been previously, I would guess we were on out way to MacDs for breakfast within 25mins of opening the garage doors,
the main problem with fitting the Rover is its shape, and the Chevy , its weight, I did find you can even get short waterpumps from Summit for the 302, which makes for an even easier fitment, if you are going for Big HP from a 302, get a 302, not one of the later 5.0 injection engines, the early to mid production injection engines are thinner thru the lifter valley, which I have seen split the length of the block a couple of times under hard usage.

thanks for advice dont want injection engine would you be able to give me a year range so i get the right one. dont no best option to source a 302 engine from ebay etc and rebuild it or get re con or possible brand new from real steel but it is all money at the end of the day. other question is supercharges what ones fit the 302 and do u need a special type of carb and ignitoin system to run a blower

Now your supercharging it! the small block fords are mostly turbocharged for big power, for supercharging, since they have been injected for so long they are mostly blown using a centrifugal blower not a roots or screw type and generally plumb into the standard injection manifold.
If it is to be a roots blower I take it it will have a Madmax paint job to go with it!
Mike

The reason people opt for the centrifugal blowers rather than the roots type is the front mounted dissy gets in the way, you can buy offset dissy drives to get around the blower drive, the other way to drive the dissy is off the end of the cam, its probably easier now to go with coilpacks, crank trigger and ecu mapping, which has to be a better way alltogether.

lol already have a mad max paint job lol

That deffinatly needs a 6-71 on top of a 302 I don't know of anyone getting a clutched supercharger to work though.
A 6-71 is really a bit big for a 302 but you could go for a 351 windsor if you can find one as a base which should work.
Mike

you f-kin legend! I love mad max!!!!!!!! lol

never been called a legend lol. so i take it 351 windsor is still a short vlock think it will be hard to fit. what gbox fits a 351w

i just found this for a 351W its f$%^ing awsome


http://www.alsblowers.com/theblowershop ... tonkit.htm

If you are going to stay Ford and want big power then you need a Cleavor
It is a Windsor block with Cleveland heads and special cam Huge numbers in normally asperated can be had.
Or for a bit more you could get something like a Man-o-war engine - they make ali blocks so will also save a whole lot of weight.
see http://www.worldcastings.com/

Ian

A 351 windsor is basically the same block as a 302 but with an extra half inch or so of deck height and the clearance for a 3.5 inch crank. The heads of a cleavland will go on with some modification and flow very well (especially the V4 heads) you will need a modded inlet off a cleavland. Don't try and fit a whole Clevland though, it is big and heavy and though I think it has been done it is a tight fit!!
Mike