'69 302 into an 89 5.0 (fox body newbie)

[65stang311]

You could however take the route I took with my build.
Sence all the issues seemed to fall on the balance weight I desided to go with a C4 tranny.
all the other stuff will work timing cover ect.
I just used a 87 model cover with no hole 4 fuel pump and got another holley red pump to feed a 4barrel.

What did you do about the dipstick?

 

[bobcatv8]

The first couple years of Fox body rear sump pans {78-80 I think} had the dipstick in the left rear of the pan. Other than that the only other way is aftermarket Fox body pans that specify dipstick in pan. They are usually extra capacity pans too. I put a '72 302 in a Ranger that used the early Fox pan with pan dipstick and it works good. They are getting hard to find, discontinued from Ford years ago.
Your swap is doable but may cost you more $$$ and hassle than it's worth!

 

[MrKwik]

Damn, this is getting to be expensive. What would happen if I ran the old balancer and the new flexplate? would the engine tear itself apart? Or will the old c4 flexplate work with the AOD? I know lots of guys have put AOD in the older cars, but never knew what flexplate/crank/balancer was used. As for the cam problem, I dunno what to do with that one. I really dont want to have to rebuild the 89 5.0 but its lookin that way.

You really really really wnt to match the crank, balancer and flexplate. Really not that big of an issue really. The aftermarket is well prepared for poeple wanting to update older cars with new transmissins as well as the other way around. Like to put the C4 in my vert I had to buy a flexplate for a C4 but with a 50oz imbalance to mate up to the late model 5.0. Its made by TCI but I think B&M and a couple others also make them. You can get an AOD flexplate with a 28oz imbalance (I believe thats what the 69 is but dont quote me on that) to match your earlier block. You would use the 69 balance unless for some reason that Im missing it wont work, such as having a different bolt pattern than the later pullies or different alignment etc. The timing cover from the 69 should work since I believe that its the same one used on the 85 carburated cars. As far as I know the stick will clear because the accessorie drive setup on the 85 is the same as later 5.0's. It will have a spot for a mechanical fuel pump but you can easialy build or buy a lockoff plate for that. The cam I think you will find is a different story. If you are hell bent on using that 69 block then you might consider just getting a milder hydraulic flat tappet cam. You would need to make sure it is ground for the HO firing order which I believe most aftermarket cams are but again dont quote me on that. You really dont want to use that 305S. That cam is a monster and you will hate it. Vacuum will be almost nonexistant and power brakes wont work, low end torque will also be long gone and the car will be a turd. I speak from experience on this. I once had that cam in a 70 Camaro...for about a week.

 

[Clownfish]

Wow, I didn't realize you had to use a small base curcle cam. I was thinking for some reason that the lifter bores in the block were taller so that the little H-bars wouldnt fit. Thats why I was thinking that you might have to use the aftermarket lifters that are tied together. So if you use the small base circle cam you CAN use stock lifters? That just seems odd to me because I would think the lifters would sit even further down in the bores. What is the reasoning behind the small cam?

You want the lifters to sit farther down. On the non-roller blocks the larger roller lifters would stick up too high and the spider holddown and hardware wouldn't work. A few companies sell the smaller base circle cam, CHP, Crane, and Comp IIRC as well as most custom grinders can do it.

Crane also sells lifters that don't need the spider hold down/small base circle cam but at $500, the other method is cheaper, but limits your choices of cams.
http://www.cranecams.com/?show=browseParts&lvl=3&prt=117&action=partSpec&partNumber=36532-16

I haven't done the conversion myself, just done some homework on deciding to use a mexican block for a new shortblock.

 

[65stang311]

I haven't done the conversion myself, just done some homework on deciding to use a mexican block for a new shortblock.

Yeah, thats why I have this '69 short block just sitting in the garage, It was a Mexican 302 that I had built with KB281 pistons, and pete jackson gear drive, I was going to put it in my 65 coupe, but thought it would work in the new car just as easily. Evidently I was wrong, so I think I've decided to just got with the cheapest forged piston rebuild kit I can find for the '89, and save the '69 motor for a rainy day when I start back in on the 65.

Thanks everyone for the info/advice!!!

 

[MrKwik]

Yeah, thats why I have this '69 short block just sitting in the garage, It was a Mexican 302 that I had built with KB281 pistons, and pete jackson gear drive, I was going to put it in my 65 coupe, but thought it would work in the new car just as easily. Evidently I was wrong, so I think I've decided to just got with the cheapest forged piston rebuild kit I can find for the '89, and save the '69 motor for a rainy day when I start back in on the 65.

Thanks everyone for the info/advice!!!

If its just the one piston thats damaged and it didnt hurt the block, you might just be able to do a cheap rering and replace the one piston. The stock pistons in that motor are decent forged pistons. If the bores arent real worn then dont bore it if you dont have to.

 

[pisgahhiker]

What did you do about the dipstick?

I've not goten to that part yet.

I did however locate the flywheel you need lastnight.
Ebay sells a aluminum 28oz that should work for u.
Do a search on "mustang flywheel "
will find it. although it's kinda high$
But owning a mustang can be expencive @ times.

 

[pisgahhiker]

Ok on the dip stick issue
personaly I would just drill out the hole on the block to accept it.