Chevrolet 302 Engine Specs

The Chevrolet 302 is a naturally aspirated OHV V8 petrol engine produced from 1967 to 1969, built for a single, specific purpose: to homologate the first-generation Camaro Z/28 for SCCA Trans-Am racing, which required a maximum displacement of 5.0 liters (305 cubic inches). Chevrolet engineers achieved this by combining the small-bore block from the 283 with the longer-stroke crankshaft from the 327, creating a genuinely bespoke, high-revving competition-derived engine available in a road car for just three model years.

Producing 290hp (a figure widely understood to be conservative for insurance and marketing reasons, similar to other muscle-car engines of the period) and 393Nm of torque from 4,942cc, the 302 uses a solid-lifter camshaft, a high 11.0:1 compression ratio, and free-breathing cylinder heads, all tuned specifically for high-RPM power rather than low-end torque - a notably different character from most of Chevrolet's small-block lineup, which generally favored broad, usable torque over outright revving ability. This made the Z/28-spec 302 one of the most track-focused engines Chevrolet offered in a production car during the muscle car era.

Because the 302 was produced in relatively limited numbers over just three years and exclusively for the Camaro Z/28, genuine, numbers-matching examples are now highly prized collector items, and verifying authenticity - including matching engine, block, and casting date codes - is an essential part of any purchase consideration, since the 302's specific block and crankshaft combination has been reproduced by builders creating tribute or replica engines. As with any high-strung solid-lifter engine of this era, periodic valve lash adjustment is a routine maintenance requirement that doesn't apply to the milder hydraulic-lifter engines elsewhere in the small-block family. Parts availability for rebuilds and general maintenance remains strong thanks to the broader small-block Chevy aftermarket, though correctly sourcing period-correct components for a numbers-matching restoration requires specialist knowledge distinct from simply keeping a small-block V8 running.