Ford 302 V8 Conversion

 


Engine compartment.  Looks like complete crap.  (old photo), but its clean now, I just have to post the updated pics.

This page is going to be choppy until I get things sorted out. Anyway, I did the Ford 302 conversion, I basically made it up myself since I couldn't find anybody else that has done the conversion. Yes it is true I did the whole thing for under $1000.

 Main points of interest should be:

Oil Pan


Bi-Sump pan, front of the car is to the right.
It is true that the Ford front sump oil pans will not fit unless you cut a notch in the front of them so it will clear the crosmember of the car. I found an easy way around this. I went to a wrecking yard and bought an oil pan and oil pickup off of a mid '80s 5.0. These are the bi-sump (one small sump in front and a large sump in the rear of the pan) oil pans. It clears the crossmember by about one inch.

Cost: $20

Motor Mount


Dead Center is the bronco style mount, and the custom bracket. picture taken from the front,
and is showing the passenger side mount.
The motor mounts were fairly simple. I bought late '70s bronco style motor mounts for the engine, these have the bolt sticking out of the rubber piece. This allowed me to fabricate my own motor mount brackets, which basically is a 3/4 inch thick steel piece that has a mild 'S' curve and has a hole at each end. One end bolts to the stock motor mount towers on the crosmember, and the other end bolts to the bronco style engine mount on the engine.

Cost: Bronco style mounts $14, fabricated motor mount brackets $60 at most (mine were free).

 

 

Exhaust Manifolds


The steering shaft clears the driver-side manifold!
I went the cheesy route and just had exhaust manifolds. If you get headers, I believe you will need shorty headers so it will clear the steering bar. But if you are willing to go the cheap route like me, then you will need a manifold on the passenger side off a 351Windsor, this has the extra 45 degree bend at the end of the manifold so it will be easier to have the exhaust installed.

Cost: $5

 

Exhaust

I had an exhaust shop do this, H pipe and dual glasspacks. It is true dual exhaust all the way back, and it even comes out on the stock place, so it looks as if I still have the 6 cyl with dual exhaust:)

Cost: $220

 

Tranny Mount

I have a C4 3 speed automatic tranny in my Z. I am still using the same Datsun Tranny mount, all I had to do was drill two holes in it.

Cost: Free

 

Speedometer Cable

You have to get creative on this one. What I did was spliced both cables and welded them together, amazingly it's still correct.

Cost: Free

 

Shift Linkage

Remember, the car was originally an Auto. so is the new tranny I installed, the linkage was a trick, because Fords linkage setup is on the opposite sides of the tranny than Datsun, so I disassembled the Datsun shifter, and ironically, the lever can be turned 180 degrees placing the linkage on the correct side of the Ford tranny.

Cost: Free

 

Differential

The rear end holds up okay, but I burned out mine and had to get an R200 from a wrecking yard. If you do decide to install the R200 (mine bolted right up), I strongly recommend getting the urethane bushings for the mustache bar, and solid steel diff mount from Motorsports, otherwise your going to bust that rubber damper every time you give it half throttle!

Cost: R200 $60, urethane bushings & solid steel mount -CALL MOTORSPORTS-

 

Driveshaft

This will have to be custom made, I had a Ford yoke & U joint in front, and Datsun U-joint & yoke for the back.

Cost: $120

 

Electrical

This was a direct match, it was so easy I don't remember how I did it. If anybody has any problems wiring up their Datsun, just e-mail me. I am using a Ford alternator, regulator, and starter relay, it does wire directly into the Datsun electrical.

Cost: Starter relay & regulator about $25.

 

Oil Filter Relocation Kit

The z-car motor mount towers will get in the way of the oil filter, so you will need an oil filter relocation kit for the 302. It was real easy to find and install, you shouldn't have a problem getting this.

Cost: $35

 

Cooling System

I went ahead an installed the 4-row radiator from Motorsports to ensure better cooling. Although the stock 2-row did fine, but I live in a cold state (WA), I don't know if the 2-row will work in a hot state such as CA. I got 2 cheesy electric fans, because the clutch fan would not fit height wise. I have heard rumors that a radiator out of a camaro will fit(I haven't investigated this), which will save LOTS OF CASH!

Cost: radiator $235, electric fans $30

 

SubFrame

This is totally optional, I had one installed because the 302 was twisting the car pretty bad! This was done professionally.

Cost: $400

 

Obviously I kind of went to extremes on the cost issue where I could have gotten things way cheaper. But if you only buy what you need to get the conversion done, it should come out under $1000.