Optik's 65 Sportvan V-8 conversion

[Optik]

follow this thread as i convert my 1965 Sportvan Deluxe from a 6-cylinder to a 302 ci. v-8. i will be changing the doghouse to a 2nd gen, also have a 4-core 2nd gen crossflow radiator to install. i've already installed a fresh th350 tranny with 2800 stall converter so that's good to go. rebuilt rear end last year, all new bearings and seals and new moser axles, good to go.

right now the project is stalled until my dart is on the road again, at this point i would say three weeks from the date of this post should see some progress on it. i hope to take this thread all the way from beginning to end including dyno numbers on the motor once it has been installed and tuned, etc.

here are some of the parts....









as always, comments, criticisms, and advice are welcome.

stay tuned for further updates.

cheers,
-tim

[G-Man]

Very cool Tim!!! Look forward to future updates. Don't think I have ever heard anyone here putting in a 302. What is the motor out of a Carmaro ???

[Rcollins]

Tim, just when I thought your van couldn't get any more bad ass... that is going to be down right SICK to say the least! That 302 is going to be an awesome motor. should put a little "302" badge off a comaro under the sportvan emblem that would be sweet.
can't wait to read some of the posts that are going to follow all the way through this thread.
Good luck with everything man!
RC

[gregw98]

Sweet. Is that a Vespa buried under there?
greg

[DCOLLINS]

Tim: sounds like a lot of fun.
What will you be doing with your inline six?
I would be interested in the intake and exhaust manifolds and the carbs if you plan to part with them.
Dave

[BILLS66]

Tim, Thats COOL looks like some awesome parts going in tell us more. My conversion is a 60 over 283, came out real nice. can,t wait to see it in progress! Bill

[Optik]

this 302 was originally a junkyard 220hp 327 out of a 68 pickup truck - $300. was gonna run it as a 327 until i got it opened and found #1 rod wadded up around the crank. happened upon a really nice 10/10 283 forged crank at the swap meet for the right price and started thinking....gonna need a high-revver to keep up with the 3.36 rear on the highway. the block casting would be correct for a 67-69 302 so i decided to do something a little different. the heads i have are the small camel humps from a 300hp 350 so they should do pretty well on this motor. price was right on those too - $350 for the pair with all the machine work already done, ready to bolt on. they were some left-behinds at the machine shop i use. also have a pair of vintage holley finned aluminum tall valve covers for it - $10. rods were a steal at $250 - they dug them out of the back room of the speed shop and there was like a 1/4" of dust on the box. still need a rocker arm setup but i think i am going to go all the way and convert it to a jesel-style shaft setup, like mopars have, for good hi-rpm stability.
taking the rotating assembly in to get balanced next week, i'll keep you posted.

i'm going to be doing the 4/7 cam swap on it too. this is supposedly 20-30 free horsepower. changes the firing order so unfortunately this motor will sound like a ford, but oh well.

dave, i think for now i'm going to be keeping the six and all the parts. its still a low mileage motor and i will probably use it for another rod down the line.

thanks for the compliments guys. hopefully soon this van will perform as mean as it looks.

-tim

[This message has been edited by Optik (edited October 02, 2007).]

[Optik]

oh yeah those pistons are the correct dome for what the original dz302 camaro motors had. a whopping 11.5:1 compression!!! hopefully i can keep it in check by backing off some timing but, man, its gonna be crackin!
-tim

[BILLS66]

With that engine and the 2800 stall converter wow cannot wait to hear how it comes of the line, should be a rocket! Bill

[Optik]

well, after last weeks electical fire fiasco, i decided to do a complete re-wire of the entire van. i'm using an American Autowire Hiway 15 harness. it has become quite the project, as the pictures will reveal. I'm taking the pics with the project almost completed because when its done hopefully most of the wiring will be out of sight. anyways here's some pics of the mess in progress....

what got burned....


out with the old...


in progress shots....


my roommate and guru brad helping out...






-tim

[planetvear]

looks like someone threw a grenade into a box of wire and put it in your van! john

[This message has been edited by planetvear (edited October 17, 2007).]

[Wookee]

Next to paint and body work,automotive wiring can be very intimadating to some people......

A couple of the companys making replacement wire/harness sets do put what each new wire is for right in the outer insulation of the wire to help things out a bit.

Good job Tim, keep the pictures coming......

........Wookee

------------------


Its a "van thing" A life style you have to live to understand!!!!

[This message has been edited by Wookee (edited October 17, 2007).]

[VankyPanky]

Great job Optik! vp

[gotavan]

Tim, what kind of intake were you going to use on the 302? I have one that I used on my 327 for years, I got it back in the 70's for 10 bucks. It may have came from a 302, I'm not sure the gm # is 3917610. I do know it works very good.




------------------
gotavan Dan
vannin since 1970

[Optik]

yep thats a 302 intake apparently:

"3917610 4BBL Holley 1967-68 302 290 (Z/28)"

dan are you selling it? i'm interested if you are.
-tim