Ford Windsor 302
Ford introduced the Windsor family of V8 engines in the early ’60s. Very soon, it became the “go-to” engine on Mustangs and Shelbys. With its lightweight casting, the 260 and later 289 V8 were very successful on the street and the track. However, in 1968, Ford introduced the 302 aimed at the middle-of-the-road V8 used in numerous vehicles (via Vehicle History).
In 1975, the Mustang II gained the V8 option in the form of a 302 engine. Mustang fans were very enthusiastic about this but were also very disappointed soon after the spec sheet was released. The low-compression V8 had just 140 HP on tap, which is nothing in terms of performance and character. The result was seen as disgraceful for a once-powerful unit that won races. Just compare that to the modern-day Mustang’s 5.0-liter engine. The 2023 5.0 Coyote has over three times as much power.