If you’re an older muscle car guy you know the chev 302 was in the Z28 Camaro from 1967 to 1969. It was built for Trans Am Racing. It was under rated at 295 hp because GM wanted to sell big block motors. The 302 was a high reving, 7000 rpm plus and was very durable . The problem was it would out perform the big block cars. They discontinued the motor in 1970 and replaced it with the 350 LT1. In 1971 the pollution legislation started and all of the horsepower muscle cars faded away.
In the 1980’s I came across a 1957 corvette drag car with a 302, Hugh headers, M22 transmission and 4:56 rear end in Texas. It was the craziest car I have ever owned. It weighed 2200 lbs. with street slicks on it, it would lift the front wheels with a standing start. Great fun at the traffic lights, but useless on the highway because in ran too high an rpm at highway speeds.
Years later I built a small block 400 cubic inch, solid lift cam, 11 to compression etc. but it never had the rpm like a 302.
So what was the make up of the 302 and why did it rev and produced all that horsepower? The motor is a 327 cubic inch block with a 283 crank shaft....it’s the 3 inch stroke that allows it to rev.
So what is a 329 cubic inch?
It’s a 400 cubic inch block with a 283 crank shaft.
Ever wonder how much horsepower it would make?
How about 500 hp at the crank!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBjdYC5sMjsImpressive for an old cast iron 329 cubic inch motor. A fuel injection 327 was 360 hp in 1963.
