need to make a decision on and engine damn soon

[68RustBucket]

this is driving me nuts. i've been going back and forth for too long now on what engine to stick in my car. i was originally looking into getting a 331 or 347 stroker. after that, i considered just bumping up to a 351w. now i'm going back and forth between sticking with the 289 i already have (building it up some), or building a 351w. i want more power than it originally came with (195hp), but nothing that'd go to waste like 450hp+ due to my budget. here are the 2 main arguments i have so far ...

the 289 will hit a wall with power limits. it'll rev up real good, though, and would likely be cheaper than the 351w.

the 351, on the other hand, will have much room to grow. a mild 351 will surpass (low end torque) a significantly more modified 289 anyday. the build would be a bit more expensive, though, and i don't know if i really need the power it'd provide.

the car is going to be a weekend-summer cruiser. it may see a strip occasionally, but nothing near being a daily driver. i just want to have some good fun with it, while impressing fellow enthusiasts a bit. what do you fellas think is the best course of action for my motor/needs?

ps. suspension and braking will match whatever engine/trans build i decide on. no need to explain the importance of those, as i definately already know the case.

 

[302 coupe]

you can build a 350-400 hp engine from a 351 for less money than you could a 298/302. Parts are the same price for either, the only additional cost would be a core 351 to rebuild, and those are pretty cheap. Build a street friendly 393 or 408 from it and enjoy effortless acceleration.

 

[frost0100]

I just finished this thought process as well...

I have a 302 currently- but I decided to upgrade to the 351W ----so much more room to grow and not as expensive as you would think. I got a remanufactured engine new pistons, cam, valve springs, stock heads.. $1500 to the door.. Comes with 12000 or 12month warranty as well.. I had a friend who owned an engine from this shop and he told me 2 years running strong no problems....

Im all set up for now, once I get the tranny and rearend work done, I'll start messing with some heads.. Then I'll have a larger smile on my face...

Hope this helps with your decision.


Oh by the way - I almost purchased a built up 302 for the same price, but ultimately you will ALWAYS want more power, so start with something that will keep giving you more..

 

[68RustBucket]

are there any specific year 351w blocks or cranks you'd recommend looking for? with a block & crank, i'd just grab a Federal Mogul rebuild kit from summit. suggestions welcome

 

[Silver66FsBk]

the issue is torque you'll have lots of it and if you like to hot dog it
on the streets and have a nice body on the stang say goodbuy to it all that
torque would create unwanted flex and treek the body with time.

 

[302 coupe]

after 1000's of launches at 7K rpm with slicks, maybe. And even then, subframe connectors would eliminate it.

 

[ttoney]

Hmm, room to grow seems like a good idea to me. If you have growing kids like me, room to grow is an important part of the decision and purchasing process.

 

[frost0100]

I personally went with a 1990+ due to it's 1 piece rear main seal. Some say to get a 95+ due to something else.. sorry I cant think of it, but it does cost more for that block and requires extra items... Again sorry I cant tell you what those are, they seem to have slipped my mind..

 

[68RustBucket]

i'm not so worried about the body twisting, as the subframe connectors are on the way. thanks for the responses

 

[5.0ina66]

using a 1994+ 351W block (F4TE casting) is the ticket. It's setup to take a 5.0 roller cam

 

[mfp4073]

When I was considering rebuilding a 289 for my car the thing that finally helped me make up my mind was that you can spend the money on it, and still have a 35 year old block at the root of it.

 

[iskwezm]

My buddy built a 347 with AFR's and it put out 475 FWHP on the dyno,his dad built a 289 with AFR's and it put down 444 FWHP on the dyno,so there wasnt a huge difference in the 2

 

[steel1212]

what was the torque though iskwezm?

 

[iskwezm]

what was the torque though iskwezm?

i'd have to call him on that,i know the stroker used 205's and the 289 used the 185's.

 

[Bullitt]

what is your budget?

remember with a 351 while some parts are "common" a lot are not... if you've already got a good distributor on your 289, it won't fit the 351. your oil pan won't fit. the engine brackets probably won't fit. intake won't fit...

i'm a big fan of roller 302s cause they're cheap and you can make great power with them.

 

[Max Power]

I have never seen any reason to buils a 289 if a 351 will fit in the engine bay. While you can build 289s to make 351 numbers, it costs a lot more to get them there. AFRs aren't cheap. I would go 351, or stroker 393-408.

Also, a 347 probably won't be as durable as a 351. The 351 has bigger mains, and 347 is the limit on how far you can go with that block.

 

[Iamdiffrnt]

I have a 68 Coupe with a 351W, I've noticed nobody has brought up the hood clearance issue with these cars. Mine is running around 280 horse and 450 lbs torque at the bottom end, a very mild build with a small cam. A lot of choices I made were based around the factory cast iron intake, which still doesn't allow that much hood clearance. But as I had similar intentions (a cruiser with a little grunt at the bottom) I'd say go with the 351!

 

[68RustBucket]

budget isn't much of an issue. i could spend $7k, or i could spend $3k. the issue is just how much power i'll need vs. how much i want. i don't want to be some ******* with a 600hp street car that doesn't drive it the way it's meant to be driven.

a 347 would be great if there weren't so many potential issues with them. longevity and oil control are two things that i really don't want to worry about so much. i'm going to start searching for a 351 block. if i can grab one of those 94+ blocks, then fantastic. if not, i think i'll be able to deal with the slightly less power a non-roller setup might make.

so on that note, are there any other changes i am going to have to expect in going from a 289 to a 351 (suspension, trans, chassis, etc...)

 

[57fairlane]

347 your 289 block. That combination has been 7.0s in the 1/8 on the motor for less than 4k in it.

Throw some AFRs or Twisted Wedges (get them to at least 10:1), Victor Jr intake, get a good solid flat with tight lash (set it only 2-3 times a year). If you are running a stick I would expect nothing less than 380 rwhp provided you feel like taking it to 6300+.

the longevity and oil issues come from people that do not know how to properly setup their motor. The ring stack issue has been fixed for awhile now. If you really wanted to, you could smooth out the drain-backs in the lifter valley or glyptol the block.

Again, the choice is up to you. But like it has been already stated. You have most of things you need to build a 347.

 

[Iamdiffrnt]

The only issues I can think of are going to be:

Accessory Brackets (alt/ps) NPD has 351w adapter pieces, about $40 each unless you get them with the 351...because of the different block height 289/302 don't line up with holes in the heads.

Possibly Timing Cover (if you use a newer Block use the cover off the 289).

Use the early water pump (like the one on your 289).

And tweaking the exhaust.

Hope thist helps.