Gt 350 camshaft

[Rusty]

I read that Mustangs started using roller cam shafts in the 302 cid in 1985. Is there any chance than an 84 1/2 GT350 302 cid might have a roller camshaft? Or was it flat tappet for sure?

[83gtstang]

That's a good question. I'm thinking it may be possible to have the provisions for a roller cam on an 84.5 as a roller block can be used with a roller cam and flat tappet as well. You never know until you break it open.

[grabbergreen84]

I don't think anyone has ever found a roller motor factory installed in an '84. And if it's an auto, I'm thinking that the chances are even more nil.
Not sure about if the block itself showed up earlier, but I think it might've.

[84.5crgt]

Camshaft no but roller block maybe. I have a 84.5 gt but didn't think to look when I replaced the intake awhile back. My car was a Feb 84 build

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[83gtstang]

From what I've understand. Everything 85 on had a roller block wether flat tappet or not. I've actually heard a story of an 82 Mustang, possibly earlier, being purchased by a person at a Ford plant. There were plans for the 175 horse 302 with the four barrel carb for the 83GT. He kept the car over, until the engine was available, then had it placed in his car, which eventually got and SVO bi-wing as well. Who knows if this was true or confirmed, but if it's true, it's possible being so close to the roller block update.

[xctasy]

I think my times and dates are close. I've included this since there was an international effort to bring Dearborns finest, the Turbo 2.3 and rejuvinated 5.0 into the Group A arena, where homolgation dates aren't based on actual numbers, but the intention to build 5000 units of one type per your to qualify.


The Aussie press leaked word of the missing roller camed homolgation in April 1985, when it could have been technically included for October 1984 for the Australian 621 mile Mount Panarama Bathurst "1000".

The rule is 5000 similar cars to be built, with Ford easily being able to prove that on roller cams by June 1984 to FISA, but it didn't get cleared by Zackspeed, SVO's European Group A preparation division. Ford Dearborn were still recovering from near bankruptcy, and an easing of credit just ment those dyno room operaters were just working flat out. Group A didn't figure on the road map.


The roller block was phased in on M code four barrel four and five speed manuals, so the discriminator is

the Duraspark with the new drive gear needed in production June 1984, and the roller block as well.

Then everything from the 1985 model year that was manual, was roller cam.

OK I need to correct a couple things here. The roller cam engines made their debut in the US for the 1985
model year, and only in the carbureted 5-speed 5.0s. The CFI AOD '85s initially used the same block as the
'84s. Somewhere after Job 1 for the 1985 model year, Ford finally used up the existing stock of the previous
engine block castings, and started building the CFI engines on the roller block. My '85 vert is one of these.
But none of the Mustang CFI 5.0s ever got the roller cam, or at least not in the US.

fgross2006 has a 1984 model, so the original 165HP version. He is swapping over to the shorty headers. I
would not expect his engine to have a roller-capable block, but this being Ford, I wouldn't stake my life on it.
However, as long as this engine stays with CFI, it's a moot point, unless you can find someone to tune the
ECU to match the cam swap. There is no roller-spec ECU available to swap in.....

It wasn't downward compatibable time wise.

International Group A technically got permission to use the roller cam before the Christmas 1985 because October 1 is the 1985 model year, and SVO eventually filed the missing Roller cam International FISA Group 1 "Group A" paper work to make sure the roller cam GT had the prospect of making 390 hp under the regulations. Which it did with a 650 double pumper 4bbl which was legal, and a near sqaure roller cam, which had massive duration.

Modern Motor Magazine April 1985 Dick Johnson said his Australian car missed out on getting the proper Ford 9" or 8.8" axle, and the roller cam because of paper work slip up (no one at Zackspeed did the paper work, but that SVO had helped out). Year before, 260 hp to flat tappet spec, 320 hp with a few manifold cut and shut tweakes.(cheats). They cut the intake in half, reprofiled it, and then glued and Devconed the parts back together, covered under the 4180c manifold adaptor.


Therefore a pre 5/1/84 rego car to be roller cam, not likely.


Same with the M code automatic only CFi. It required some new stuff that wasn't around before June 1984, and the one case of a January 1985 lone roller cam CFi AOD on the internet, well, its just one. None of the CFi's got roller cams because they would have needed a special later model TFI disributer gear. Its not that the couldn't, just that they didn't.


Well, that's what I've found.

[83gtstang]

Great discussion....