289 hipo heads vs. 302 heads

[Makdaddymac]

simple would ther be any advantage of taking some oldschool 289 factory "hipo" heads in replace of my 91's 302 stockies.I have somone caliming the 289 heads have bigger ports or some ****, but i cant find any info.....

 

[Ronstang]

The 289 heads only have one advantage and that is a smaller combustion chamber size. Other than that the 91 heads are better.

 

[DukeGnarley]

getting ahold of hipo heads will be a problem, and they probably aren't much if any better than the ones you've got already.

 

[headgrinder]

289 vs 302

The 289 hi po heads are the same as stock 289 except they have screw in studs. valve size port size all the same.

 

[rbohm]

The 289 hi po heads are the same as stock 289 except they have screw in studs. valve size port size all the same.

the hipo heads also have cast in spring pockets as well.

between the 91 302 heads, and the early hipo 289 heads, you are going to have an increase in compression ratio with the hipo heads, but you will lose the high swirl combustion chambers from the 302 heads. the likely net change in hp going from one to the other will be very close to zero.

 

[Protowrxs]

Sell the HiPo heads to a HiPo owner owner needing originals and use that money for some AFR's or something similar. Good HiPo heads (original true versions) are worth quite a bit.

I have a pair of original date sequence HiPo heads that have the exhaust opened up and they worked well back in the day but any aftermarket heads are much better performance wise, especially aluminum to save the weight.

My 2 cents..

-Stephen

 

[D.Hearne]

but you will lose the high swirl combustion chambers from the 302 heads..

High swirl on E7TE's? No, only on the E6SE's and some of the GT40 heads is that true.

 

[rob1984]

i heard that the air tube ports cause restriction in flow they can be ground out though.

 

[LMan]

Sell the HiPo heads to a HiPo owner owner needing originals and use that money for some AFR's or something similar. Good HiPo heads (original true versions) are worth quite a bit.

Excellent advice.

 

[Max Power]

Swapping around factory castings is like swapping around deck chairs on the titanic. If you want better heads, go aftermarket.

 

[Rusty67]

Don't the highpo heads also have cast in guide plates ? I've got a friend who used to circle track race back in the 70s-80s. He used those heads. He still holds the speed record for his class at I think its Saugus speedway. Those heads can rev high as all hell, I know that for sure. He use to run them over 7200 during the race all day, consistantly using nothing but factory parts. Are they a good head ? Yes. They have a lot of potential. Do you want to put the work into it to make them perform ? That is your decision.

 

[Hack]

The newer heads are better, unless you're going to run 60s gas in your car. The new stuff runs on 87 octane all day.

GT40s are another big step up from the E7s that you have now. According to the info I have, GT40s were worth 30 hp over the E7s on a 90s 302. Of course your results will vary depending on the rest of your engine components.

 

[LMan]

Don't the highpo heads also have cast in guide plates ?

They have the 'small' holes for non-rail rockers, IIRC

 

[67GTCOUPE]

Any new aftermarket aluminum head will KILL those old heads.

So, DO NOT waste money redoing old school iron heads........unless it is a numbers matching, I want to get money type of thing.....

 

[Az Pete]

Would this apply to the '68 J coded heads also.

 

[danny clemens]

By todays standard the 289 hi-po isn't all that powerful. It's just a very desireable low production car that we would all like to have. I agree with everybody else. If you have the hi-po heads sell them and buy aftermarkert heads. Even the early 351 W heads will out perform them.

 

['69Stang]

Like someone said - "Get AFR 165's and sell the HiPo heads to someone who needs them for a restoration".