The Chevy and Ford rivalry is one that has been ongoing since the first Ford and Chevrolet motorcars met on a deserted stretch of highway. As Chevy guys, we talk about our Camaro, Corvette, and Impala, the same way that a Ford guy will talk about their Mustang, Thunderbird, and sometime, even the Edsel. Granted the Thunderbird later turned into a family sedan, and the Edsel was never any real competition for the Impala, but it’s just perspective. Rarely do the two companies create a directly-opposing force like they did with the 302 cubic-inch engine. Although Chevy and Ford used a performance small-block with the same bore size, it’s always been clear that Ford’s 302 cubic-inch engine was never in the same realm as its Chevy counterpart.

Chevy’s 302 cubic-inch small-block was something special, they only built them for three years, and the factory-tested 290 horsepower was always rumored to be an underrated number. Robert, an auto-mechanic and Chevy enthusiast tells us about his experience with 302 cubic-inch engines. “The 302 was always underrated. Rumor has it that the numbers were intentionally skewed. I’ve heard the reason was everything from insurance purposes to NASCAR specifications for production racing.”  While there are plenty of reasons that prove the Chevy 302 cubic-inch small-block is better than the Ford counterpart, here are three that come to mind right away.

Compatibility

The 302 cubic-inch Chevy engine will fit into anything. Walk around any street rod event, and you’ll see more Ford cars with a small-block Chevy under the hood than any other engine. We have even seen Mustangs with Chevy engines in them. Heck, even the Deathtrap Mustang that races on the Street Outlaws television show uses a Chevy engine.

Not all Chevy transplanted engines are 302 cubic-inch versions, but you get the idea. While a Ford guy might say “it’s easier and cheaper”, A Chevy guy will say, “It’s also more powerful.” Just cruise the Internet, and see how many Ford cars are Chevy powered.

The Race

We can expound the virtues of the Chevrolet’s 302 cubic-inch engine, but without proof, we could be accused of blowing smoke. So, if you would like some hard numbers that back up our story, let’s take a look at the results of the twelve, 1969 SCCA Trans-Am series races, and you’ll see who the real winner is. Out of the twelve races that took place that year, eight of the winners were driving a Chevrolet Camaro, compared to only four that were driving a Ford Mustang.

The Penske team with driver Mark Donahue dominated the Trans-Am series in 1968 and 1969 (winning manufacturer’s championships for Chevrolet), while in 1968 Dave Strickler won the IHRA Super Stock world title in a 302-powered Z28. It’s hard to argue with cold, hard facts.

The Legend

When comparing apples to apples, Chevrolet’s 302 cubic-inch engine is the clear winner. While Ford’s little four-barrel-equipped 302 cubic-inch engine carries a compression ratio of 9.0:1, and a horsepower number of 220, the Chevrolet counterpart delivered an advertised horsepower rating of 290, and a compression ratio of 11.0:1. Now who has the better performing 302 cubic-inch small-block!

The reasons listed above are our opinions, and you guys are entitled to let us know yours. So if you disagree with what we have said here, and have other reasons why the Chevy 302 is better than the Ford 302, please tell us more about them in the comments. We’d love to hear from you and keep the stories growing.