I will have to put up with the handling, the Ford 302 is the lightest of the iron V8 engines and I may be able to get some aluminium heads etc to keep the weight down.
The problem with every alloy V8 I've looked at is the fact that the casting extends down too far below the CL of the crank meaning the front diff will hit the block
I started off with a 3.9 Rover V8 but that was no good.
The Toyota/Lexus no good.
Audi V8 no good.
LS1 no good and way out of my budget.

The 302 extends only around 3mm below the crank CL, the Rover v8 around 57mm.

Mark