Boss 302 - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Chris Nee · 01-15-2003, 02:39

Guys,

I have just heard that if you throw clevo heads on a windsor, you are looking at the base of a Boss engine?

Anyone got more info?????

ebxr8240 · 01-15-2003, 03:06

Basically YES.The inlet is a special one.But can be bought. But why bother you can buy REAL good aftermarket heads and inlet these days for the little Windsors...Canfield,Holley, Edelbrock, A.F.R, T.F.S For starters..http://www.totalengineairflow.com/pr...ndex.htm#heads

66_mustang · 01-15-2003, 03:27

The Boss 302 as used in the 69 - 70 mustangs was a Tunnel port 302 engine (4 bolt mains) and used 4V cleveland heads, with a aluminum high-rise intake manifold.

Carb was a 780 CFM holley, It used a solid lifter cam with 290 deg duration and .477 inch lift and was equiped with dual point dizzy.

These engines in street form were to put out over 300Hp. I think those are rather mild figures as well.

What exactly do you want to use the engine for? remember these were an engine that worked high up in the rev range and a doggie down in the lower end.

I know several people who own Boss 302 Mustangs and they will say the same thing.

Remember even 351C with 4V heads do the same things, work well in the higher rev range and are unhappy in the lower rev ranges.

I am not sure on after market manifolds but Boss 302 manifolds in original form are very hard to find and very expensive to buy.

Take your heads to someone like superflow in Sydney, give them a call and talk to them. Get them done by someone in the know and they will be able to give you the right spec cam to match the heads.

Thats the secrect to HP is the heads and everything else works around them. Also be real on what you want to use the car for.

Jase_ELXR8 · 01-15-2003, 04:14

4V heads are way too big for a street car these days. You lose too much bottom end with them. If you really want to put a set clevo heads on use 2V.

xacoupe · 01-15-2003, 05:04

Quote:

Originally posted by Jase_ELXR8
4V heads are way too big for a street car these days. You lose too much bottom end with them. If you really want to put a set clevo heads on use 2V.

on a 302 you are correct... but careful cam choice will mean the 4V 351 will be fine...

JG33PY · 01-15-2003, 12:37

yes they will bolt on but after a few mods to heads and block, due to different water passages. the '69 had 2.23" intake valves while the '70 were reduced to 2.19". you don't need an original boss inlet manifold, because there are a few after market ones. but as above why bother when there are some good heads around that bolt straight on
then again the little windsor with the canted valve heads look excellent when you pop the bonnet.

gravelrash · 01-15-2003, 13:05

and dont forget the screw in welsh plugs.

xacoupe · 01-15-2003, 17:07

personally, as someone has said.. there are plenty of windsor heads that are damned cheap (compared to cleveland alloy heads) that will probably make more power and be a lot easier.
Having said that... if you want to be different GO FOR IT!
I always wanted to make my own boss.. but I only ever owned one windsor powered car and it was fuel injected so it wasn't worth it.

66_mustang · 01-15-2003, 21:25

xa,

Cleveland alloy heads, mate now your talking big bikkies I remember see a price of around $2300 for a set bare heads. I think they were $4500 complete.

I agree with you, go for a set of GT-40 alloy heads of a newer XR falcon range as they get some great figures out of them.

01-16-2003, 05:13

Quote:

Originally posted by 66_mustang
The Boss 302 as used in the 69 - 70 mustangs was a Tunnel port 302 engine (4 bolt mains) and used 4V cleveland heads, with a aluminum high-rise intake manifold.

Actually 66-stang,
The Tunnel port 302 was used (unsuccessfully)in the '68 Trans-am series. It was still a wedge head that had huge intake ports with tubes in the middle for the pushrods to go through. It was basically a torqueless engine and required very high rpm to make the car move. The '69 Boss 302 was similarly lacking in torque with its 2.24" intake valves. In '70 they went down to 2.19" intake valves which along with some other changes improved things and allowed them to kick ass!
We now know of course that the 2V cleveland head would have been and is a better choice all round.
It is certainly easier to buy a set of aftermarket windsor heads but of course if you want something slightly different there is no denying how well it works.

Pete.