Looking for a donar car

[ZmanM3]

If you guys know of any 88 - 95 mustangs with a 302 in it near or in WI for sale I'd be interested in knowing more. I'm looking for a donar car to lift an engine and EFI from to put into my 65. I know this isn't s197 specific but I figured you guys are car guys and might have some leads for me.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

Search Corral.net and craigslist, I'd look for a wrecked 89-93 (so it comes with a MAF) or an 87-88 that has been swapped. 94/95 computers are unique and a bigger PITA to deal with.

How much of the stock stuff are you planning on using?

 

[Josh@PMP]

If you guys know of any 88 - 95 mustangs with a 302 in it near or in WI for sale I'd be interested in knowing more. I'm looking for a donar car to lift an engine and EFI from to put into my 65. I know this isn't s197 specific but I figured you guys are car guys and might have some leads for me.

Hey Matt look for it in a 87-93 Trunk Car. Ill buy the car off you once you get all the drivetrain/wiring parts! I have been looking for an 87-93 Notch roller for a while but everything I can find that is decent has a drivetrain and I don't want to have to go through the trouble of parting it out.


What kinda price range are you looking at?

 

[1Fast05Turbo]

Josh, check this out.

http://www.motorsportmustangs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7504

or this

http://www.motorsportmustangs.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7487

 

[ZmanM3]

I've been through the Craigs list, the problem is that most of the cars are not close to where the shop is in WI. Wouldn't be a big deal if I was home as I don't mind driving but my buddy Mike doesn't have the time to do all that driving LOL. As for price range it depends on whats on it. I found a couple with a built engine and Kenny Bell S/C on it, I'd pay more for that as it would be more of a direct swap. Found one for 4,500, but the guy didn't email back, that was a '90 Josh. If I do end up getting what your looking for I'll deffently haul it down to you and give you a deal.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

Matt - What exactly are your goals?

Personally even with a donor car, I'd be looking at using a wiring harness from Painless (new, clean and unmolested) with a stock harness you'll end up removing so much from it that you would have a ton of time invested in it and it would never be as clean looking. I would get all new sensors (new, clean and you know they all work). Used PCMs are easy to come by.

Stock intakes are ugly, so for me I know that would go. Stock heads, well they are stock you can figure out what would happen to them. Stock fuel lines won't do you any good, you could use the stock fuel rails although I'm not sure why you would want to.

Basically there isn't much worth using off of a donor fox body IMO. Does your car currently have a running small block? If so what is it?

Give me some more info, I'd be glad to help you out.

 

[ZmanM3]

Hey Kevin
Mostly I'm looking for the engine block from the donar car. Unless like I said, I find one with most of the stuff I want already done. May use the lower intake with the Kenny Bell S/C. The basic plan is that I'm going to get a 5.0 block built with forged internals, probably going with AFM internals and heads. Also would be using the painless wiring harness and PCM. The goal is to make the car a EFI 301 or 331 stroker with a Kenny bell S/C. However, I was crusing Craigs list and saw a 90 noch back with a built 302 and kenny bell S/C for 4,500 which is much cheaper then building a bare 302 block and buying the S/C. I do have a budget for this project that covers the cost of building the 302 and the S/C but if I can find a donar car with a lot of that stuff done already I'd be able to same some $$. If not I'll just get a 302 built when the time comes. I do have a 289 that is highly and misteriously modified, would have to take it apart to know what was all done to it. It was however a drag racing engine and now leaks like a sive. Runs pretty strong though, just need to add a quart of oil every tank of gas or so.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

From my perspective, I wouldn't mess with building a late model 302 block, they are weak. Why put a forged rotating assembly ($1500+) in a block that can't reliably take 500hp? Personally I would build a stroked 351W, a 393 is CHEAP to build, stock 351W length rods, standard 302 pistons, only thing special is the stroker crank. Using decent parts a 393 could be built for less money and handle a lot more power in the end. Heck even a 408 or 418 are pretty cheap to build. With a 393 or bigger stroker 500rwhp is easy even n/a.

If you want to keep the 302 deck height, keep your 289 find out what all is done to it and put new gaskets in it. It is considerably stronger than a late model 302 block, girdles will help keep the caps from moving around but in the end they just hold the pieces together when the block splits. I'd hate to see you spend $1500+ on a rotating assembly to have it destroyed when the block splits.

I really like KB blowers but on a 302 they leave a lot to be desired, they aren't intercooled and there is no easy way to do it, you are limited to less than ideal lower intakes, they support very limited HP and to get a 302 to reliably take 500+hp you need a $1600 aftermarket block.

I would do a stroked 351W, leave it carb'd and have a ton of fun. If you want to do an EFI swap then that would be fine also but a properly tuned carb can see 20+ MPG with OD on the highway.

What are you wanting to do with the car?

 

[ZmanM3]

Well I know that I deffently want to go EFI, starts easier and it is different. Can I stick a Kenny Bell on a 351 or a 393? Part of my wanting to go with a 5.0 HIPO is all the aftermarket parts that are available for it. I don't know how very high I want to go HP and TQ wise as then I'll have to really build up the trans. Then again I may just spring for a T56 and widen the drive tunnel. I don't really plan on making insane HP with this car though, that is what the 05 is for. Thanks for the advice though, you have given me something to really think about. Hmm how about Kenny bell on a 289? I wounder if it can be done? I'll have to look at their site.

 

[ZmanM3]

I am also looking to keep my shock towers so I can keep my street force coil over front suspension. Another reason to not go too big on the engine.

 

[ZmanM3]

Hmm, I was considering Snow performance meth injection to cool inlet temps on it.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

Well I know that I deffently want to go EFI, starts easier and it is different. Can I stick a Kenny Bell on a 351 or a 393? Part of my wanting to go with a 5.0 HIPO is all the aftermarket parts that are available for it. I don't know how very high I want to go HP and TQ wise as then I'll have to really build up the trans. Then again I may just spring for a T56 and widen the drive tunnel. I don't really plan on making insane HP with this car though, that is what the 05 is for. Thanks for the advice though, you have given me something to really think about. Hmm how about Kenny bell on a 289? I wounder if it can be done? I'll have to look at their site.

The 2.1 KB is only rated to 675hp, it would be pointless to stick one on a stroked Windsor although it could be done, not sure why you would want to though. It's relatively easy to make 600rwhp n/a with a stroked 351W which is more than that 675bhp will make at the tires. You do know a 351W and 302 are the same family of engines right? Most of the parts are interchangeable, the only ones that aren't are the lower intake for a two piece EFI intake or carb intake, distributor, and rotating assembly (due to the difference in deck height).

Use a 302's front dress and the 289 will easily work with a KB, they are the same motor, just a 289 has a shorter stroke.

I am also looking to keep my shock towers so I can keep my street force coil over front suspension. Another reason to not go too big on the engine.

A 351W will easily fit between your shock towers, it is only about 1.5" wider than your current 289, even a 351C will fit between your shock towers although it is tight and they are MUCH bigger than any Windsor headed motor.

Hmm, I was considering Snow performance meth injection to cool inlet temps on it.

I'm not a big fan of meth especially if it is your only means of cooling the air charge.

 

[ZmanM3]

I knew they were the same family but didn't know that most parts were interchangable. You have deffentally given me something to think about.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

Personally I'd do a stroked 351W, if you want EFI I would do a Victor Jr intake converted to EFI, big set of heads and a healthy hydraulic roller cam. If you must have boost I'd do a centri blower or custom turbo setup although that would probably exceed your goals for the car. Or cut a hole in the hood and run a 8-71 or that new 5.0 liter Whipple that is designed to replace 6-71 to 14-71 blowers

 

[ZmanM3]

LOL stop tempting me, I shouldn't be changing plans this late in the game.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

I'm telling you a nasty stroked 351w is better than anything you can build with a stock late model 302 block. In the long run the 351 should be cheaper to build also and no worries about splitting the block all the time.

 

[ZmanM3]

The question would then become finding a 351 block, I haven't really researched that.

 

[Kevin@PMP]

351W blocks are reasonably easy to come by, they came in plenty of cars and trucks up till the mid-90s.

 

[US-1]

I'm telling you a nasty stroked 351w is better than anything you can build with a stock late model 302 block. In the long run the 351 should be cheaper to build also and no worries about splitting the block all the time.

Kevin is right. A simple, low-buck 393 with Dart Sr. iron heads in a 3000# hatchback can go 10.80-11.00 with a small roller cam and a C4. The Mod/Comp car I'm driving next season has this combo. The owner split a 302 roller block earlier in the season and decided to go stroker windsor. The 302 with the same cam/heads/intake/carb was only good for 11.75-12.00. Swapped everything over and instantly picked up almost a full second. I will be redoing the heads with a 2.08 intake and a bit of port work this winter. Should be a 10.50 player with no problems.

 

[ZmanM3]

Cool.