need advice for 289 combo

jintfan53 · Jul 13, 2009

Hey guys I have a 68 with a 289 w/ 5 spd. I'm looking to make over 300 streetable flywheel horsepower but would rather not spend a fortune on aluminum heads. Is this possible using some of the more affordable cast iron options (windsor jr etc) on the market now along with a more agressive cam? Would it be cheaper to just slap afr 165's on? If anyone has any good combo ideas i would appreciate it. I currently have a holley 600 4 barrel and an Edelbrock Performer Intake. Thanks a lot!

C0V3R · Jul 13, 2009

TFS TW heads + TFS stage 1 cam, edelbrock 600cfm and a weiand intake on a 100% stock roller block netted me over 250RWHP which would give you your 300fwhp.

The idle is very mild and doesnt have any problems with vacuum. Getting 300hp through other routes may involve more compromises.

2+2GT · Jul 13, 2009

You can pick up a lot of power just by port-matching your iron heads to your headers (or exhaust manifolds). The stock ports are way too small. It'll take you longer to R&R the heads than to port them. Even if you have to buy the gaskets and a cheap die grinder, your cost will be under $100.

D.Hearne · Jul 13, 2009

Look here in the stangnet classifieds. There's a member who ports E7 heads and sells em under the banner "Thumper heads" Never heard a bad word about his stuff. Check him out.

5.0ina66 · Jul 13, 2009

D.Hearne said:
Look here in the stangnet classifieds. There's a member who ports E7 heads and sells em under the banner "Thumper heads" Never heard a bad word about his stuff. Check him out.

I agree. A set of GT40 iron heads from thumper, Lunati Voodoo #61001 cam, PerformerRPM intake and headers should get you well over 300fwHP provided you can get decent quench and fairly high compression. A set of thumper's E7 heads would also work well and make 300hp+ with that combo and be a little cheaper, but wouldn't make *as much* power as his ported GT40s.

rbohm · Jul 13, 2009

my combination going together for my mustang;

world products windsor jr heads. mine are the early ones with 1.94in/1.50ex valves and 58cc chambers. mine also have 171cc intake runners. the later heads have a 1.60ex valve and 180cc intake runners.

i will use a weiand action plus intake with an autolite 480 cfm carb, though i might swap to an edelbrock 600 cfm carb.

my rotating assembly had been balanced for smoothness and longevity. i am using stock replacement flattop pistons.

the cam i will use is a comp cams retrofit roller cam designed for a 351w and uses that firing order. it has .480 lift and 260 advertised duration.

the headers i will use are 1 1/2" primary tube tri-y headers just like shelby used on the GT350 in the 60's.

this combination should put out between 290-320hp, and will have a nice solid street torque curve.

S-Car-Go · Jul 13, 2009

Be careful putting e7s on a 289 since you will lose a ton of compression.

Search for Thumper of Orange Park and see if he will port your 289 heads. I had a set of his e7s on a stock cammed 94 mustang and it was a huge increase, but I never dyno'd the car. The only other changes were exhaust and the lower intake was ported by TMoss.

Stay away from Power Heads. I had a poor quality set from them.

I currently have the Lunati 61001 cam in my 331. Nice DD cam with increase over stock. 18" vacuum at 800 rpm idle. Valve train is a little noisy though. I did use their springs and geometry is right on.

zookeeper · Jul 13, 2009

Maybe it was a bit optomistic, but '65 Shelbys supposedly made 306 hp with nothing more than a hipo cam, (fairly mild by today's standards) a set of tri-y headers, a dual plane intake (identical to an Edelbrock F4B) and a 715 cfm Holley. Similar parts should give similar results.

bikefreak600 · Jul 13, 2009

if your on a budget, work with what you have. just clean up the heads. work on the humps in the exhaust port and polish the exh. runners. buy Trick Flow Specialties TFS-2500100 Valve Spring Upgrade Kit $130 allows you to run a cam up to .520 lift on stock heads, Trick Flow Specialties TFS-51402000 .499/.510 cam $160, this work well with your current setup. best bang for your buck imo. total price about $400 total w gaskets headbolts etc..it will work great with the dual plane intake and 600 carb you already have.

i built a 5.0 for my brother on a budget, with same spring kit but used a frpp f303 cam and light port work on stock castings and it ran well, reved strong up to 6000 rpm without valve float, this is a conservative street setup no need to worry about piston clearances

D.Hearne · Jul 14, 2009

bikefreak600 said:
if your on a budget, work with what you have. just clean up the heads. work on the humps in the exhaust port and polish the exh. runners. buy Trick Flow Specialties TFS-2500100 Valve Spring Upgrade Kit $130 allows you to run a cam up to .520 lift on stock heads, Trick Flow Specialties TFS-51402000 .499/.510 cam $160, this work well with your current setup. best bang for your buck imo. total price about $400 total w gaskets headbolts etc..it will work great with the dual plane intake and 600 carb you already have.

He'll also have to add in the cost of screw in studs and guide plates to run any of those cams & springs

bikefreak600 · Jul 14, 2009

D.Hearne said:
He'll also have to add in the cost of screw in studs and guide plates to run any of those cams & springs

no sir, this spring kit is designed to use on stock heads, valves, guide plates, rockers, they have several kits. and the stock rockers are pedestal mount, changing to studs would be pointless unless he bought stud mount rockers.

rbohm · Jul 14, 2009

bikefreak600 said:
no sir, this spring kit is designed to use on stock heads, valves, guide plates, rockers, they have several kits. and the stock rockers are pedestal mount, changing to studs would be pointless unless he bought stud mount rockers.

not with a 68 289 head they are not. those heads use pressed in rocker studs, and either rail rockers or slotted pushrod holes. screw in studs and guide plates would be an excellent upgrade.

bikefreak600 · Jul 14, 2009

rbohm said:
not with a 68 289 head they are not. those heads use pressed in rocker studs, and either rail rockers or slotted pushrod holes. screw in studs and guide plates would be an excellent upgrade.

oh good info, i was under the impression 289-302 all used pedestal mount,

jintfan53 · Jul 14, 2009

Thanks for all the replies guys. I appreciate the advice. Any good resorces that would demonstrate exactly how to port heads yourself?

woodsnake · Jul 14, 2009

Buy your first set of heads, and "learn" on a pair that you don't care about.
Google is your friend....

rbohm · Jul 14, 2009

bikefreak600 said:
oh good info, i was under the impression 289-302 all used pedestal mount,

as i recall, pedestal mount rocker arms on the 302 heads started around 1984. it would be great is pedestal mount rocker arms were used on all heads as then it would be easy to convert to screw in studs and adjustable rocker arms as there are kits available from a few valve train manufacturers.

D.Hearne · Jul 14, 2009

Pedestal rockers on 302's started with the D8OE heads. That was in 1977.

rbohm · Jul 15, 2009

D.Hearne said:
Pedestal rockers on 302's started with the D8OE heads. That was in 1977.

i didnt realize it was that early. thanks DH.

CarFreakGT · Jul 15, 2009

jintfan--If you're considering the Thumper or TMoss routes, consider checking over in the 5.0 Forum for feedback. I used to spend quite a bit of time reading over there when I had my 89 GT. Seems that a lot of people had used and/or were familiar w/ his work. I don't EVER recall reading anything negative or neutral--all positive. It was an option that I was considering until I sold the 89 for my 68.

need advice for 289 combo

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