302 Windsor
1968–2001 family productionVaried by era
Long-running small-block used across cars and trucks.
Ford 302 / Boss 302 enginePhoto: Morven · CC BY-SA 3.0 / GFDL
Ford · Windsor Small-Block
Ford 302 / Boss 302
From the long-running 302 Windsor to the canted-valve Boss 302 built for Trans-Am.
302
Cubic inches
The 302 spans two very different legends: the everyday Windsor-based 5.0 that powered millions of Fords and the Boss 302 homologation engine built to fight in Trans-Am.
Key variants
All variants302 WindsorBoss 3025.0 HO
Displacement
302 ci
Bore
4"
Stroke
3"
Years
1968–2001 family production · Boss 302 1969–1970
Key Takeaway
Ford's ordinary 302 became one of its longest-lived V8s. The Boss 302 was a very different homologation-focused version with canted-valve heads, forged crank, forged pistons and four-bolt center main caps.
Technical Specifications
- Compression
- Boss 302: about 10.5:1 factory reference; ordinary 302 versions varied widely
- Horsepower
- Varied widely; Boss 302 rated 290 hp gross
- Torque
- Varied widely by version
- Architecture
- 90° OHV pushrod V8 · Windsor small-block; Boss 302 uses specialized canted-valve heads
- Block
- Cast iron
- Cylinder heads
- Cast iron in original production versions
- Valvetrain
- OHV · 2 valves per cylinder; Boss 302 mechanical cam and adjustable valvetrain
- Aspiration
- Naturally aspirated
- Fuel delivery
- Carbureted in early versions; later 5.0L versions also used EFI
- Firing order
- Early 302: 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8 · later 5.0 HO uses 351W firing order
- Main bearings
- 5 main bearings
Ford's ordinary 302 became one of its longest-lived V8s. The Boss 302 was a very different homologation-focused version with canted-valve heads, forged crank, forged pistons and four-bolt center main caps.
Internal Specifications
Variant-specific values are labeled. Engine families that span multiple years or RPOs can have different heads, cams, induction and rotating parts, so the exact code/year always takes priority.
Identification & Output
- Engine codes / RPO
- G-code Boss 302, 5.0 HO later performance family
- Casting numbers
- C8FE-6015-B (1969 Boss 302 block reference), D0ZE-6015-A / D0ZE-6015-B / D0ZE-6015-C (1970 Boss 302 block references)
- Power rating
- SAE gross on early engines; SAE net on later production
- Horsepower RPM
- Boss 302: 290 hp @ 5800 rpm (SAE gross)
- Torque RPM
- Boss 302: 290 lb-ft @ 4300 rpm (SAE gross)
Rotating Assembly
- Crankshaft
- Boss 302: forged crankshaft
- Connecting rods
- Boss 302: heavy-duty rods with spot-faced 3/8-in rod bolts
- Rod length
- Standard 302 5.090 in · Boss 302 5.150 in
- Pistons
- Boss 302: forged pistons
- Balance
- Balance method varies by production era; verify exact crank/damper/flywheel combination
- Rear main seal
- 2-piece on early engines; later production differs
- Deck height
- Standard 302 8.206 in · Boss 302 8.201–8.210 in
- Main journal
- 2.249 in
- Rod journal
- 2.123 in
Cylinder Heads
- Chamber
- Boss 302: about 60 cc factory canted-valve chamber reference
Cam & Valvetrain
- Camshaft
- Boss 302: mechanical flat-tappet performance cam; ordinary 302/5.0 versions used very different hydraulic and later roller profiles
- Cam lift
- Boss 302 stock-type solid cam: just over .500 in valve lift reference
- Duration @ .050
- Boss 302 stock-type solid cam: about 228° @ .050 reference
Operating Specs
- Induction
- Boss 302: aluminum dual-plane intake with 780-cfm Holley four-barrel in original performance specification
- Production notes
- Boss 302 Mustang production was 1,628 cars for 1969 and 7,013 for 1970, for 8,641 across the two model years. The Boss 302 was Ford's homologation-focused 5.0-liter Trans-Am package, while ordinary 302 Windsor and later 5.0 HO engines are materially different combinations.
Compatibility Notes
- Boss 302 heads use Cleveland-style canted-valve architecture and require correct coolant-passage/intake considerations; they are not simply ordinary 302 Windsor heads.
- 302 balance factor changed during production; match the damper and flywheel/flexplate to the exact rotating assembly.
Notable Applications
Ford MustangMercury CougarFord MaverickFord BroncoFord F-SeriesBoss 302 Mustang
Strengths
- Massive aftermarket support
- Compact dimensions
- Boss 302 combines strong bottom end with high-flow canted-valve heads
Weaknesses / Watch-outs
- Many production eras mean balance, seal and valvetrain differences
- Boss 302-specific parts are not the same as ordinary 302 Windsor components
Common Upgrades
- Aluminum heads
- Hydraulic roller cam
- Intake and carb/EFI upgrades
- Headers
- Stroker rotating assemblies
Racing History & Legacy
Ford Performance specifically identifies the 1969–1970 Boss 302 as a highly competitive 5-liter Trans-Am engine.
From Boss 302 Trans-Am cars to Fox-body 5.0 Mustangs, the 302 is one of Ford's defining V8 displacements.
References & Image Credit
Engine image: Morven · CC BY-SA 3.0 / GFDL · source
Ford Performance — Basic Engine Dimensions
manufacturer specification
Ford Performance — Engine History
manufacturer history
Wikimedia Commons — Ford Boss 302 engine
licensed media
Ford Media Center — 1970 Boss 302 Trans-Am championship
manufacturer motorsport history
Hemmings — 1970 Boss 302 production and Trans-Am race record
historical reference
MotorTrend — stock Boss 302 engine build and factory-spec cam/head reference
technical reference
MotorTrend Classic — Boss 302 specifications
historical specification
MotorTrend — Boss 302 restoration casting-number reference
technical reference
Key Factory / Build Variants
Boss 302
1969–1970290 hp gross advertised
Trans-Am homologation engine with canted-valve heads and competition-oriented bottom end.
5.0 HO
1980s–1990sSAE net ratings varied
Roller-cam and EFI era that revived Mustang V8 performance.
Engineering Notes Worth Knowing
01
Ford Performance lists the standard 302 at 4.000 x 3.000 in with 5.090-in rods and 8.206-in deck height.
02
Boss 302 uses 5.150-in rods, forged crankshaft, forged pistons and four-bolt caps on the center three mains.
03
Ford introduced a roller-tappet high-output 302 in the 1985 Mustang GT and EFI in 1986.
History · context · related reading
The Story Behind Ford 302 / Boss 302
Ford's 302 is both a mass-production workhorse and, in Boss form, one of the company's most serious small-block race engines.
Trans-Am
01Boss 302 vs Chevy 302
Ford and Chevrolet both built 302-cubic-inch engines around racing rules, but arrived there with very different hardware.
Fox-body
02How the 5.0 HO brought the 302 back
Roller cams and EFI made the old small-block relevant again in the 1980s Mustang performance revival.
Documented motorsport results
Famous Race Wins
01
1970
1st overallSCCA Trans-Am · Laguna Seca
Driver
Parnelli Jones
Car / engine
Bud Moore Ford Mustang Boss 302
Boss 302 opened the 1970 season with a dominant win
Jones won the Laguna Seca Trans-Am opener by roughly 40 seconds, setting the tone for Ford's championship season.
02
1970
1st overallSCCA Trans-Am · Bryar Motorsports Park
Driver
George Follmer
Car / engine
Bud Moore Ford Mustang Boss 302
Follmer put the second Boss 302 in victory lane
Follmer won the Bryar round as the Bud Moore Boss 302 program controlled the opening portion of the 1970 Trans-Am season.
03
1970
1st overall · championship-clinching season finaleSCCA Trans-Am · Riverside
Driver
Parnelli Jones
Car / engine
Bud Moore Ford Mustang Boss 302
Jones closed Ford's championship season with another Boss 302 win
Jones' late-season victories, including Riverside, helped secure both the driver and manufacturer championships for Ford.
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