T5Malibuwagon

A few years ago I looked into building a modern 302 like your talking about, sounds like a lot of fun. I have a buddy thats building a afr headed, solid roller cammed, 302 sbc for a 240Z he has. I have a fondness for high rpm small ci engines, I know they arent the most practical thing but no hot rod is.

LS1 Coupe

If your looking to try and get maximum HP, bigger cubes is pretty much the only way, my build is more based on fuel economy and still be able to have fun, the only real advantage of a 302 vs 283 is the ablility to have bigger valves for better breathing, even then If I do the build I may stay with the smaller 1.94 valves just for the economy purpose, I don't want to go to any of my boys funerals.

T5Malibuwagon

What, the only guys I know trying to get max hp are racing top fuel. Ive met guys that run for tens of thousands of dollors on the street and even they seemed to have a limit to what they did for hp. All of my freinds build cars for fun on the street and arent after evey last hp. Now with that said you can make a 302 make more hp than most of the "fast street cars" out there. Yep, my buddys running 2.08 valves on his 302, and thats not the only advatage, its the most ci you can reasonably get out of a sbc with a 3" stroke. His goal is a high rpm screamer in a really light car, I think he's chosen well.

LS1 Coupe

I shouldnt have said maximum, I have seen and driven some pretty potent 283's, surprisingly with all the cars I've owned, driven and worked on as a professional mechanic twisting wrenches for 20 years and getting out of it back in 1991 I have never driven a 302. And as I stated the engine is more of something that can be daily driven and probally redline no more than 6500rpm max. I think the 302 has a lot of potential in this area especially trying to acheive fuel economy and very descent performance.