ever do a 2.3 to 289 swap?

[legomaniac32]

just curious,
i have a chance to get a 289 and tranny and was wondering if that was a decent swap.
i know alot are doing the 5.0 and turbo, but havent seen a 289 in a 1990 around here. thought it would be different.
im not looking for big horsepower, just for show and some power when i want it lol
figured it would catch some eyes with a 289 badge on it.
can i get some opinions please?
is the 289 just a smaller 302?

 

[Red_LX]

A guy that used to be on this board did that. I think they use the same motor mounts as a 302 and all that...but I don't really know.

 

[tiny4lx]

i did the swap in my 88. Nothing realy different than a 302. Same motor mounts,headers[long tube or shorties],same h-pipe. Sense it will be carb, just get an 85 carb linkage. Now if you want a 5-speed the bell housings are different to the blocks. Or a least on my early 289. I used an msd box for the ignition 6a or 6al. My 289 was worked and it wasnt no joke it would rev. to the sky and pull all the way to 6800 rpm's and some.

 

[Anlushac11]

1965 and earlier 289 are a 5 bolt bellhousing. 1966 and later 289 is the same 6 bolt bellhousing as 302.

The only problem you might run into is that some of the bracket mounting holes might not match, other than that the 289 block is very similar to the 302 block. All parts like oilpans, timing covers, motor mounts and sucha re the same.