Tunnel Port 302

Rick Parker · #1 (**permalink**) 02-19-2011, 10:41 PM

When have you actually seen one of these?

http://www.race-cars.com/engsales/fo...82699480ss.htm

tnewland · #2 (**permalink**) 02-19-2011, 10:54 PM

Jay Bittle has one in his TA Mustang notch back vintage racer.

marcocsx3121 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 06:48 AM

Car and Driver had a comparison test of one in a '68 Mustang and a Z28 Camaro with the dual quad option. Damned if I recall the results, but I do remember their commenting on the lack of low end on the TP engine.

gsharapa · #4 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 07:17 AM

I saw one in a 67 TA Mustang at Vintage race. Also saw one in a California Special at a car show in Dallas about 15 years ago. Pretty rare motor...

FIA-ERA · #5 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 09:12 AM

Yep here it is too http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWAX%3AIT. For some reason you will have to pay $2K more for being on ebay!! Pretty slick engine but unfortunately only belongs in one car and there's not too many of those running around. Great find! Matt

Rick Parker · #6 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 12:04 PM

I seem to recall reading the head bolts for the this series of engines were not propperly hardened and caused several head gasket failures during the 1968 season. Before they discovered the problem the Boss 302 engine was on the horizon. I can imagine the pushrod tube being in the center of the intake port would hinder its effieiency. They attempted to run the RPM scale up considerably and ran into valve train reliability issues also. Essentially a lateral engineering idea from the FE Tunnelport. Neat concept but .....

CARWARS · #7 (**permalink**) 02-20-2011, 01:54 PM

For what its worth in 70 & 71 we ran a tunnel port Pontiac 455ci in a 65 GTO in NHRA & AHRA without much success. Great idea but we never could get it to run right even when Pontiac tried to help us. Not that it has anything to do with the 302 but same basic idea.
Just my 2 cents