I have a 97 F150(4.2, 5-speed, 4 wheel drive) it's short cab, short bed and I've beat it to death off road and on Mountain Top Removal coal mines (my profession) and the power is just embarrassing. Its on its second 4.2 and I'm currently unemployed but drawing benefits and hopefully this economic slump were in at the moment wont last forever and ill go back to work shortly. But anyways, I'm gonna throw together (as cash permits) a fresh carb'd 302 and throw it in since i have all the parts to do so except a rebuild kit (spun a couple bearings in the motor while it was in a mustang I built in high school back in '02) and build a fairly mildish fuel injected 351 as money and time permits and transplant it in a few hours time once its completed as all the real work wouldve been done on the 302 transplant. I figure since this is a 97 it doesn't have all the PATS and other extra electronics the 99's up have this shouldnt be much of a problem. I live in WV and we've never heard any talk of smog inspection so thats not an issue. This truck will not be a race truck or beat on too awful bad, but it will be abused off road and I've done learned the mazda 5 speed dosent like to shift fast so I think it should handle the engines O.K. as long as i dont try to power shift it. so what do you guys think? BTW this is not my first completely custom build, hell, we've put a 2.8 and 5 speed from an S10 in a BMW one time lol dont ask why.

 

other then doing custom exhaust, i'd be concerned with ignition, if its distributor, no big deal there

make sure you have the motor mounts for the 351, then weld up some new mount horns onto your engine cradle.

i have no idea if the trans will bolt up, and i highly doubt it

 

Sounds like fun.... if you are near the hatfield/mccoy trails I'll even coem by to help, and ride!

 

Patman---yea the 4.2 and SBF share the same bell housing pattern, done researched that...And why wouldnt it have a distributer, its the same basic engine fords been using for 40 some years? ill probably use the DUI HEI ford distributer in the 302 and a Ford TFI in the 351.

tatertoughnuts----Which trail head are you closest to? I live in the West Hamlin/ Hamlin area, Lincoln County specifically.

 

I'm from Indiana but I'm due for a late fall trip to Gilbert. I haven't been on the Rock House for a couple years now.

 

Ive never even seen the H/M trails, but ive driven past a few of the trail heads goin to different job sites and such on the interstate. Gilbert...thats logan county right? if so its not far from here

 

Awesome! I Would go with a dual plane intake and a 600 manual secondary carb for the best torque. You can get an HEI for under $100. Smart thinking!

 

Exact intake and and carb i was thinking...Probably an edelbrock Performer RPM and a 600 holley with vaccum secondarys and electric choke. I drove my 86 4 banger Mustang turned hot rod with this same set up everyday rain, shine, snow, whatever, and never had a problem and still got 18 MPGs with a toploader 4 speed and 3.73's.