[66mustangguy]

I have a 1966 Coupe with a 302 V8. I want to get more hp out of my car, but i dont really know what to start with? Thanks in advance.

[GCKHAN]

I would start with a good exhaust system. Headers, pipes, your choice of mufflers, etc....It's a good basis for all the other mods, intake, heads, cam etc...

[blueracecar]

if you plan on changing the heads any time in the near future, which is one of the best ways to boost power although not cheap, you may want to wait on changing headers because they may not fit your new heads.come to think of it the intake may not either. i guess my advice would be start with the heads and then everything else will fit.even if you change intake, cam, and put headers on it your heads will hold you back.

[66mustangguy]

Originally Posted by blueracecar

if you plan on changing the heads any time in the near future, which is one of the best ways to boost power although not cheap, you may want to wait on changing headers because they may not fit your new heads.come to think of it the intake may not either. i guess my advice would be start with the heads and then everything else will fit.even if you change intake, cam, and put headers on it your heads will hold you back.

how do i know which heads to get for my car?

[blueracecar]

it just depends on what you want to do with the car. i am assuming you drive it alot so you dont want to get too big on your head selection.i may be wrong but i dont think you would want to go any higher than 185cc intake runners because your power band will be too high. your cam will need to match the rpm range also. depending on what heads you have on it now ford has some good heads and cams that will give it a little more kick and make it sound really nice too.

[.boB]

This sort of thing requires a plan. You don't want to just start swapping parts, and hoping for the right outcome. A good example is heads. Heads alone will do very little. But added to the right exhaust and intake, it will do a lot. But maybe not enough.

First off, how good is that 302? Got a lot of miles? A bit worn? What did it come out of originally? Is the car originally a V8 car?

What are your goals? Snappy street performance, killer strip times, fast laps at Watkins Glen?

Sometimes it's cheaper and easier to replace the whole engine and be done with it. Crate motors are fairly cheap.

[blueracecar]

good point its all about what you want to do with it.i have a 89 gt thats a drag car and didnt have anything to start with (like a good short block or heads). i put a 390hp 302 from ford in it cheaper than i could have built it.ford also has a 345 hp 302 for about 3500-4000 i think. its a lot of money up front as opposed to building it over time but it costs less in the long run

[66mustangguy]

Originally Posted by .boB

This sort of thing requires a plan. You don't want to just start swapping parts, and hoping for the right outcome. A good example is heads. Heads alone will do very little. But added to the right exhaust and intake, it will do a lot. But maybe not enough.

First off, how good is that 302? Got a lot of miles? A bit worn? What did it come out of originally? Is the car originally a V8 car?

What are your goals? Snappy street performance, killer strip times, fast laps at Watkins Glen?

Sometimes it's cheaper and easier to replace the whole engine and be done with it. Crate motors are fairly cheap.

well, the engine is a rebuilt 302 with about 1000 miles on it. no, it was not originally a V8, it was a V6. my main goal is "snappy street perormance."

[.boB]

If the car originally had an I6 (not a V6), did all the right upgrades get done to handle the weight/power? If not, you need to start with that.

Since the engine is in good shape with low miles, it's probably a good foundation to start with. Since it has been rebuilt, it's sort of an unknown quantity. Who rebuilt it, and what parts were used? Anything aftermarket - like pistons, cam, heads, etc?

For snappy street performance, you don't need anything radical. A reasonable selection of aftermarket parts will make the car sound good, run well, and not burn fuel like there's a hole in the tank. For the street, remember that there's more to the car's performance than just the engine.

Edelbrock or Weiand intake with a Holley 600 3310 carb. Short tube headers with dual exhaust. Electronic ignition. Electric cooling fan. 3.55 rear gears with LSD. Lower the suspension. Subframe connectors, traction bars. Fat sway bars, gas shocks. Fat tires with light weight 15" wheels.

Do those simple and inexpensive things (relativly speaking), and you'll have one heck of a street car.