What was the last year of the carbureted 302?
The last year the carbureted 302 V8 was offered in Ford's U.S. lineup was the 1982 model year; Ford moved the 5.0L to electronic fuel injection starting with 1983, ending the carbureted era for the 302 in most mainstream vehicles.
Context: The 302 and its carbureted era
The 302 cubic inch V8, widely known as the 5.0, traces its lineage to Ford's classic small-block. Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, Ford frequently offered carbureted versions of the 5.0 in popular models such as the Mustang, as well as in certain trucks and cruisers. As emissions controls and efficiency requirements tightened in the early 1980s, Ford began shifting away from carburetors across its lineup.
Transition to fuel injection
Beginning with the 1983 model year, Ford introduced electronic fuel injection (EFI) on the 5.0L in the Mustang and related vehicles. EFI provided improved cold starts, emissions performance, and fuel economy, and it quickly became the standard for the 5.0L in most mainstream applications. By the mid-1980s, carburetors for the 302 had largely disappeared from Ford's U.S. passenger-car and light-truck lineups.
Implications for enthusiasts and restorations
Carbureted 302 engines now hold a special place for classic Ford enthusiasts and hot-rodders who prize the traditional carbureted setup, sounds, and tuning simplicity. Restoring or maintaining a carbureted 5.0L involves carburetor work, ignition timing, and fuel delivery tuning, which differ from EFI maintenance. Aftermarket suppliers continue to support carburetor components, and some builders even mix EFI and carburetor elements in custom projects, though such modifications can affect compliance with emissions and vehicle regulations.
Timeline highlights
Key transition milestones
1982: The 302 V8 remained carbureted in most U.S. applications, marking the final model year for factory carburetors in the mainstream lineup. 1983: Ford introduced electronic fuel injection on the 5.0L, signaling the start of the carbureted era's end for the 302 in standard production vehicles.
Summary
The carbureted Ford 302 reached its end in the United States with the 1982 model year. The following model year, 1983, saw Ford fully embrace electronic fuel injection for the 5.0L, establishing EFI as the standard for the 302 in most mainstream cars and light trucks. For collectors, restorers, and enthusiasts, that makes carbureted 302 examples from the late 1970s to 1982 particularly sought after for their classic configuration and driving character.
What was the last carbureted Ford?
Crown Victoria P72
And while Ford switched most of its vehicles (even trucks) to fuel injection in the 1980s, they offered a carbureted version of the Crown Victoria P72 (the predecessor of the Police Interceptor) through the 1991 model year.
What was the last year of the Ford 302?
The design was soon bored to 260 cu in (4.3 L) and again to 289 cu in (4.7 L), then stroked to 302 cu in (4.9 L), settling on the most common displacement offered until the engine's retirement in 2001, nearly 40 years after the basic block design debuted.
What is a 1970 Boss 302 worth today?
Typically, you can expect to pay around $64,900 for a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 in good condition with average spec. The highest selling price of a 1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 at auction over the last three years was $176,000.
What year did Ford stop using carburetors?
The Last Hold-Out Of The Carburetor Era
In the early 1980s, Ford introduced fuel injection on Escorts, Mustangs, and Thunderbirds. But there were still a few vehicles holding out and using carburetors until the early 1990s.
