I have an 83 Ford bronco with a 302. Im looking to make this truck fast. something i can toy around with and race people for fun. The truck isnt a daily driver. I have a edelbrock intake, holley carb, and headers. What are some upgrades that i can do without swapping heads and tearing the block apart? Will Mustang parts fit? if so, what year parts will fit? Thanks for the input
performance parts
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Broncobill78
New member
Well, speed costs $$$, how fast do you want to go ?
Carb, intake & headers are really about it as far as bolt-on's go and you've already got them. Going any further with it is going to involve opening up *something*. How large is the carb and what intake do you have ?
The next logical performance step would be a cam. If you're ******** about not wanting to get into the block then another option would be a centrifugal blower but that's a pretty big step and you'd really want a cam to maximize it anyways. If you're looking more towards racing & hanging around with the go-fast crowd then you might consider gears and in this case you'd only have to do the rear axle for stoplight-to-stoplight stuff but for what that would cost you could just pickup an old mustang or some other 2wd beater and set it up for that kind of thing. don't forget that the whole deal here is your horsepower-to-weight ratio so making the truck lighter has the same effect as adding horsepower. Pull off the cap, remove the rear set, take off heavy things you don't need (a winch bumper would be a good example). replace the tailgate with a cargo net. the tailgate, cap , rear seat & sway bars alone would remove a good 250-300lbs. Strip it down and lighten it up. You can also look at improving your ignition with something like an MSD box & distributor.
Upgrading from a carb to EFI will net you horsepower gains, the Holley ProJection works great and lets you keep the intake without having to go to multiport.
Parts from any year 5.0 mustang will physically fit but horsepower isn't just in the parts you use but also the *combination* of parts. Stuff that works well together as a package will get you more HP than just slapping on performance parts. A Mustang ** block will be machined for a roller cam and that will be an improvement over your flat-lifter block. If this is your goal then you'll probably be better off getting a 5.0 ** shortblock from a junkyard and swapping the parts you already have onto that.
Take a look at nitrous (and please, PLEASE don't call it "Noss"). If used sparingly and not at ridiculous power levels that will definitely give you the best bang for your buck. Lighten up the truck as much as you can (dump your steel rims for aluminum), put in the best ignition you can and add a 75-100hp nitrous kit. those would all be bolt-on's that will make it dramatically faster.
Carb, intake & headers are really about it as far as bolt-on's go and you've already got them. Going any further with it is going to involve opening up *something*. How large is the carb and what intake do you have ?
The next logical performance step would be a cam. If you're ******** about not wanting to get into the block then another option would be a centrifugal blower but that's a pretty big step and you'd really want a cam to maximize it anyways. If you're looking more towards racing & hanging around with the go-fast crowd then you might consider gears and in this case you'd only have to do the rear axle for stoplight-to-stoplight stuff but for what that would cost you could just pickup an old mustang or some other 2wd beater and set it up for that kind of thing. don't forget that the whole deal here is your horsepower-to-weight ratio so making the truck lighter has the same effect as adding horsepower. Pull off the cap, remove the rear set, take off heavy things you don't need (a winch bumper would be a good example). replace the tailgate with a cargo net. the tailgate, cap , rear seat & sway bars alone would remove a good 250-300lbs. Strip it down and lighten it up. You can also look at improving your ignition with something like an MSD box & distributor.
Upgrading from a carb to EFI will net you horsepower gains, the Holley ProJection works great and lets you keep the intake without having to go to multiport.
Parts from any year 5.0 mustang will physically fit but horsepower isn't just in the parts you use but also the *combination* of parts. Stuff that works well together as a package will get you more HP than just slapping on performance parts. A Mustang ** block will be machined for a roller cam and that will be an improvement over your flat-lifter block. If this is your goal then you'll probably be better off getting a 5.0 ** shortblock from a junkyard and swapping the parts you already have onto that.
Take a look at nitrous (and please, PLEASE don't call it "Noss"). If used sparingly and not at ridiculous power levels that will definitely give you the best bang for your buck. Lighten up the truck as much as you can (dump your steel rims for aluminum), put in the best ignition you can and add a 75-100hp nitrous kit. those would all be bolt-on's that will make it dramatically faster.
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well the truck was my grandfathers toy. (29k miles on it) all the emissions stuff was taken off so its just motor. truck is mint condition so I dont plan on taking off any parts. as for speed, just a little pep, something to toy around with. My grandfather put all the parts on so im gonna take a shot in the dark and guess what they are (he passed last year and i never really looked) I believe its an edelbrock Victor Jr intake, Holley 600CFM carb and long tube headers. I was thinking about doing cam. when i said i didnt want to tear into the block is basicly big $ stuff and that will come later. I plan on swapping heads, pistons, etc later down the line. But for now really just looking for some bolt ons and little things i can add in (cam, nitrous, ignition, etc)
a cam could really get you some really good power try comp cams i have the extreme off road cam with headers intake throttle body spacer i have elderbrock heads with 12.5/1 compression pistons and racing crank bored 60 over. I have easy 400 hp and 500+ torque
sweet, yeah heads, crank, etc will come later most def. just not sure which cam to go with for future application (nitrous,super charger, etc)
Broncobill78
New member
It's not so much the heads you have to worry about it's the pistons 
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I don't recall the exact number off the top of my head but as a general rule you can't go much over .050" of lift without flycutting the pistons or ordering a set with a larger valve relief. You can install a pretty decent cam without doing *anything* to the heads & it'll run. It won't maximize the HP available from the cam but it'll run. With a new cam you'll at *least* want new valve springs & if you can swing the cash upgrading to roller rockers with a better ratio will net you some performance gains but the but improvement will be in reducing the overall amount of friction in the engine. Stock stamped rocker arms add a lot of friction & heat, getting rid of it improves both horsepower and durability. Beyond upgrading the valvetrain you can also have the stock heads ported. Ford has this strange neurotic need to put unnecessary doglegs in the exhaust ports of almost everything they build so stock heads usually see very good gains on the flowbench after they're ported. You can do a lot with your stock heads and pick up some HP/torque or you can swap in a cam & leave them alone, whatever works for your wallet.
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I don't recall the exact number off the top of my head but as a general rule you can't go much over .050" of lift without flycutting the pistons or ordering a set with a larger valve relief. You can install a pretty decent cam without doing *anything* to the heads & it'll run. It won't maximize the HP available from the cam but it'll run. With a new cam you'll at *least* want new valve springs & if you can swing the cash upgrading to roller rockers with a better ratio will net you some performance gains but the but improvement will be in reducing the overall amount of friction in the engine. Stock stamped rocker arms add a lot of friction & heat, getting rid of it improves both horsepower and durability. Beyond upgrading the valvetrain you can also have the stock heads ported. Ford has this strange neurotic need to put unnecessary doglegs in the exhaust ports of almost everything they build so stock heads usually see very good gains on the flowbench after they're ported. You can do a lot with your stock heads and pick up some HP/torque or you can swap in a cam & leave them alone, whatever works for your wallet.
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well all the upgrades r gonna be done, just takes time. im gonna get a part here a part there. i figured i would start with a few basics then later on tear into it and swap pistons, crank, bore etc. do you have any recommendatons on any parts?It's not so much the heads you have to worry about it's the pistons
rockers and springs are no prob. ill def swap those with the cam. I also plan on changing the lifters with the cam,
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American Thunder
New member
The hottest cam you'd want to use with stock heads is around 224 degrees duration @.050 lift. Especially with stock Ford heads, you want 10 degrees more duration on the exhaust side, due to the tiny exhaust ports on those heads. The dual pattern cam will help that to some extent.
The best intake for a truck is probably a Performer(not the Performer RPM) Long tube equal length headers with 1.5" primaries, into 3" collectors. 2.25" or 2.5" dual exhaust with flowmasters. Holley 600 carb, jetted for the motor. You'd need to play with the timing curve, too. The motor will want more timing than it did stock, especially initial timing.
Or you could just buy my Mustang's stroker 302, which is for sale. It's 530 hp and will rev to 8500. It likes to eat transmissions, too. Hungry little critter. /emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
The best intake for a truck is probably a Performer(not the Performer RPM) Long tube equal length headers with 1.5" primaries, into 3" collectors. 2.25" or 2.5" dual exhaust with flowmasters. Holley 600 carb, jetted for the motor. You'd need to play with the timing curve, too. The motor will want more timing than it did stock, especially initial timing.
Or you could just buy my Mustang's stroker 302, which is for sale. It's 530 hp and will rev to 8500. It likes to eat transmissions, too. Hungry little critter.
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
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American Thunder
New member
Here's a simulation run of the 302 additions I mentioned above
I vote save your money, yank the 302 and swap in a 460. Start from there. Then add your add-ons
Broncobill78
New member
I don't think you're going to get any better advise than that
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> I've done two 460 swaps already and I'm fixing to start on a 3rd. I don't waste $$$ building small blocks anymore (not for a 6000lb truck anyways)
American Thunder
New member
Have you considered a 5.9L Cummins swap? They make swap kits for it so it's relatively easy. If I had the money, I'd go for it.I don't think you're going to get any better advise than that
bronco410w
New member
you could put a set of 1.7 rockers on the truck ... it will give you more lift = more air+more fuel= more power!
if it has a set of cast pistons on it you can spray the thing with a 100 shot... "just take some timing out!"
or go with a supercharger!... i know that they make them! "vortec or paxton"
but if you relly want to make some hp #'s id look into a heads, cam, intake package! and use your bottom end!
but there are alot of good deals on short blocks! check out these sites!
http://www.dssracing.com/
http://www.coasthigh.com/
http://www.competitionproducts.com/
if it has a set of cast pistons on it you can spray the thing with a 100 shot... "just take some timing out!"
or go with a supercharger!... i know that they make them! "vortec or paxton"
but if you relly want to make some hp #'s id look into a heads, cam, intake package! and use your bottom end!
but there are alot of good deals on short blocks! check out these sites!
http://www.dssracing.com/
http://www.coasthigh.com/
http://www.competitionproducts.com/
Broncobill78
New member
Nah, I'm not a diesel guy. Besides, those 11qt oil changes would **** me & just *how* much does that damn engine weigh ?
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
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American Thunder
New member
If I recall, the 5.9L weighs 900 lbs.Nah, I'm not a diesel guy. Besides, those 11qt oil changes would **** me & just *how* much does that damn engine weigh ?
The full size 5.9L pickups get over 20mpg, I'm curious how much a Bronco would get with higher gearing and a ton or more less weight..
And the ability to crank it up to nearly limitless torque output is interesting. I wouldnt go too crazy, maybe 400hp and 800 ft/lbs would be sufficient. For now.
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" />
Broncobill78
New member
If I was going to stuff a half-ton of engine into my truck I'd invest the time & money in one of those old GAA tank engines. All aluminum 1100CID 60* gasoline V8. For a sense of scale take a look at the size of the bellhousing on the bottom left.
American Thunder
New member
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