The Future Of My 289?

n8rfastback

Member
May 28, 2014
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Hey guys, I thought I would post up and see if you guys have any recommendations for my old 289. My car is a 65 fastback, I did a T5 swap into it a few years ago and I'm running the old 8" rear. I plan to do 3.55 gears and a locking diff, and just keep the 8".

I would like to some day just have a fast fun street car for shows and cruising. No strip time.

As of now the 289 has the following:
Tri Y headers
Edelbrock performer rpm manifold
Proform hei dizzy
Holley 4160 carb

Its not the original 289, and I dont know the casting numbers on it, I need to get them. It runs good, but does drip some oil from the pan but I dont think its coming from the pan. I have a small antifreeze leak at the water pump, not even enough to drip off the car. Every oil change comes out black, no matter how many miles I put on it. I think ive put about 15k on the car in the last 12 years or so. And it hard starts when its warm, every time.

I cant decide if I should get a crate motor, or rebuild this one? I would like to eventually do a paxton blower on it like the old school shelbys, and I dont know if this block is up to the abuse. It would be nice to get some better heads that would work with my intake manifold and headers, then put in some better bottom end parts that'll take some abuse from a blower.

What are your thoughts? Oh and I'm very budget minded, active duty military with a stay at home wife and three kids if that helps the perspective!

Thanks guys
Nate
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Would it be worth it to have my stock heads worked up? Maybe a port and polish job, port matched, and some sort of roller rockers? How much of that could I do myself instead of buying a set of aluminum heads?
 
Since it is not an original block, it is better to have the extra displacement. On porting the heads vs. alluminum heads - if you know what you are doing, you can get some nice, fun gains for very little $. But if you are paying someone, the aftermarket heads start looking better. Especially since the aftermarket heads will still flow better. Here is what I am saving up for next after a body kit, and I have ported iron heads.

Electric fans - fox bodies have better alternators to start with and still need an upgrade and wiring change to run them. Do you want to upgrade to possibly lower reliability? A thermal fan clutch is hard to beat. But if you are also looking at an electric water pump, are you just doing strip and other short trips? A good mechanical water pump is reliable and effective.
For a driver, I would leave the fan parts as mechanical parts and maybe add a booster electric fan for AC days.
 
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Well, I dont have AC, and I only drive the car on nice days to cruise and to shows. I would rather have the extra hp, but if its a minimal gain then ill keep the stock components. How much hp is the e fan and water pump worth?
 
Unless the engine is burning oil or has some other problems, I'd save up for the the following: good cylinder heads, a decent cam and a single-plane intake. To choose something that works, call a couple cam tech lines ( I like Comp Cams) and tell them your goals and ask for their recommendations for the whole package. Having used both types of intakes, I prefer single plane intakes myself. Especially with a manual trans. They make more torque by far above 2500rpm and how often do you spend below that rpm when your getting after it with screaming small block? I personally doubt anyone could measure or feel the difference if you swapped from a stock fan to an electric. If your doing it to help with cooling, then by all means it's worth it, otherwise I wouldn't. I think your gear choice is a good one as well, good luck with your project!
 
I have a 270XE in my car along with Comp Cams valve springs, pushrods and roller-tipped rockers as well as screw in studs and guideplates. That coupled with '69 351W heads and an outdated but fun to look at Shelby 2x4 intake and tri-y headers, a t5 and 3.40 gears make a fun to drive, quick street car that pulls hard to 6,800.
 
Well, I dont have AC, and I only drive the car on nice days to cruise and to shows. I would rather have the extra hp, but if its a minimal gain then ill keep the stock components. How much hp is the e fan and water pump worth?
Based on car magazine articles, the pump and fan could be worth 15hp at peak rpm with the clutch hot and engaged. But I always wonder how much of that is taken up by a bigger alternator. I do not see the usual electric water pump being good for highway use. The electric fans have been OEM for years, so if you want to hassle with it and the electrical upgrades, go for that part.
 
One more thought, having the ignition cables bundled so tightly parallel is asking for inductive misfire or crossfire. Bundled up looks good, but some space between wires is a good thing.
I am glad to see someone else using an HEI ignition and the world not blowing up. Is it a Davis DUI?
 
Thats impressive zookeeper. Did the windsor heads go on without any issues? Did you have to run a windsor intake then?
351W heads bolt right on any 289 or 302 with zero modifications. The benefit is larger valves and I think the exhaust ports have more volume and the '69 heads have the same combustion chambers as the 289 heads so compression is the same. BTW 351C heads also bolt right onto 289/302 blocks as well which is how Boss 302's were built. That swap does require using Boss 302 pistons and intake manifold as well as some other stuff I've forgotten over the years (head bolts?) but it's cheap and different in this day of cookie-cutter engines.
 
One more thought, having the ignition cables bundled so tightly parallel is asking for inductive misfire or crossfire. Bundled up looks good, but some space between wires is a good thing.
I am glad to see someone else using an HEI ignition and the world not blowing up. Is it a Davis DUI?
I never thought about the wires having issues being close together. Ill have to find a way to separate them and still look good. The HEI is a proform. It was very easy to install and works great!
 
I bet gt40p heads will flow better, and know about any aftermarket heads will too. At that price, the heads better be ready to go, because the day of 351 heads bring the hot ticket are gone.
 
The Clevor head swap needs coolant holes lined up, plugged/drilled. I think it is only worth it's if you want a better block and Cleveland heads. TW and AFR heads can out power them, cost less to do right, and weigh much less. That is why they are like belly buttons.

351W heads bolt right on any 289 or 302 with zero modifications. The benefit is larger valves and I think the exhaust ports have more volume and the '69 heads have the same combustion chambers as the 289 heads so compression is the same. BTW 351C heads also bolt right onto 289/302 blocks as well which is how Boss 302's were built. That swap does require using Boss 302 pistons and intake manifold as well as some other stuff I've forgotten over the years (head bolts?) but it's cheap and different in this day of cookie-cutter engines.
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