No 302s at Pick N Pull

gregski

Active Member
Mar 13, 2010
577
0
28
Sacramento, California
Over the last 6 months I have been visiting the Pick N Pulls in my area, around Sacramento CA and I have yet to come accross the 302 V8 engine. I have looked for it in Mustangs, F Series Trucks, Granadas, LTDs, Econolines, Broncos, Falcons, Torinos, Cougars, Mavericks, etc...

So I'm thinking, it's a good engine and no one wants to part with it, or they ****** it when it is there, cause there were some empty engine bays there. However being as popular as it is, you would think I would see some there.

Well maybe I am looking in the wrong place, and what the heck am I looking for anyway, don't I know parts are interchangeable?

I like the Pick N Pulls for two reasons: First they are cheap, second I get to pull the part myself and see what type of vehicle it came from and how to put it back, (handy for those parts that I am missing).

After having exhausted my search at the PNPs I plan on visiting the traditional "junk yards" however I bet those places pull the parts for you and won't let you in the yard and are generally more expensive.

Then there's the local Mustang specialty places that have both used and new parts, but those are third tier because they are even more pricey.

I was looking for an intake manifold, cylinder heads, exhaust manifolds, alternator brackets, radiator, etc...

I decided to share for those newbies considering getting into the "hobby" I too thought I would just be able to pick up everything I need from the PNPs, well now I know. PNPs are the Costcos of junk yards, they have on hand the cars people drive today, late 90s and early 2000s cars mostly, (trucks are the exception, they stick around longer) they believe in turnover.
 
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So I took a friend of mine with me to the Pick N Pull, paid for his admission ($2.00 bucks, lol) and made a bet with him that I will give him a dollar for every 302 he found, 5.0s not included but would get honorable mention. The kid is pretty resourceful and I can sum up his findings in two words: GRAND MARQUIS as in the Mercury Grand Marquis the 83-91 sported the 5.0 Windsor.

I guess the 5.0 crowd overlooked this hidden gem, so there you have it, and here are some photos, (by the way did you know the PnP does not allow cameras on the lot, apperantly some pin heads were taking shots of cars and then claiming them with their insurance companies, so now good people like us get to suffer) so how did I get mine in there, let's just say I went to a lot of Rock concerts back in the day ok. LOL

91%20Grand%20Marquis%201A.jpg


91%20Grand%20Marquis%201B.jpg


91%20Grand%20Marquis%202A.jpg


91%20Grand%20Marquis%202B.jpg
 
you do realize that the 302 and the 5.0 ford engines are the same right?

yes sir, BUT... the 5.0 has a different distributor, EFI instead of a carb, so different intake manifold, computer, so different wiring harness, quirky headers instead of exhaust manifolds, you know the drill, I also wanted to see how some things were mounted back in the day, circa first or second generation Mustang's and all the yards have is 79 gen III and up and they are stripped with empty engine bays