New to forum with 289 build questions.

It really depends on how much money you are willing to spend. If all you want to do is beat the civics and such at your HS, then you can easily do that with an engine rebuild, Edelbrock package (heads, cam, intake, and carb), and a new set of gears in the rear. Is the car manual or automatic?

It's feasible to get up to 350 hp from a 289. The 302 is a 289 with 1/8" more stroke. Just how far is up to you and your wallet. You'll need some serious head work, or new heads to go all the way, but you could top 300 just by port-matching your exhaust and using a hot cam. This car, for instance, has a 289 with these mods, and it doesn't look slow to me.

if you pick your parts carefully, and match them up properly, you can build a reliable 289 that will make 300+hp, and have a torque curve that is as close to ideal as possible for the street. the key is to decide what rpm range you want to make your best power in, and then pick the parts that work in that rpm range. for the street you want to make power in the 1000-5500 rpm range. pick parts that work best in that range, and the civics will be distant points of light in your rear view mirror.

Dude, you can't make a V8 as fast as those 2 lite cars! They are just too quick! They don't have any weight to carry, the reciprocating assembly is too well made.
It just can't be done!


Or,

You can put in a modern ignition, do a cam swap, and get some gears for the rear.

Holley 0-4777C - Holley Model 4150 Carburetors - Overview - SummitRacing.com

COMP Cams K31-226-3 - COMP Cams Magnum Hydraulic Cam and Lifter Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Richmond Gear 4901011 - Richmond Gear Ring and Pinion Sets - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Edelbrock 7121 - Edelbrock Performer RPM Intake Manifolds - Overview - SummitRacing.com


Patriot Exhaust H8426 - Patriot Full Length Headers - Overview - SummitRacing.com

World Products 053030-2 - World Products Windsor Jr Cylinder Heads - Overview - SummitRacing.com

MagnaFlow 11226 - MagnaFlow Performance Mufflers - Overview - SummitRacing.com (you will need two)

B&M 50229 - B&M Transpak Kits - Overview - SummitRacing.com

Or you could get fancy and put on a dual quad....



gracecar013.flv video by woodsnake4462838 - Photobucket

It depends on your budget, what your skill level is, blah blah blah. Use the search function to read up on "what cam should I use"?

there is a fellow stangnet member here with a 65 falcon. He has a bored 289 with edlebrock rpm heads and other stuff. I know his 289 halls ass

If the bottom end of the engine is in good shape (good oil pressure and even compression are good indications), a better set of heads, cam, and intake would be a good start. A set of gt40P heads will bolt up to your existing short block, are readily available for $500 a set fresh ($250 for good used), should keep compression about the same, and should clear your existing exhaust manifolds, as well as being a big improvement over stock. Add a mild cam, used Edelbrock performer intake and Holley 600, and you shouldnt have trouble making about 260hp or so, and do it without spending a fortune. Of course if you dont already have dual exhaust, that will add cost, and what rear gear you have will make a big difference as well.

EDIT: ha, you posted as I was writing my response. I see you have more money to spend that I thought, so you could go further than what I said.

1968blackgold said:

Thanks for all the reponses...

My mustang currently has a newly rebuilr C4, and 3.73 gears in the rear. I didnt want to go any higher, becaus emy dad's show truck has 4:11's and it is at really high RPM's on the freeway.

I have about 3-4k to build the engine and exhaust, and i'm looking at putting in the Edelbrock Performer RPM package, Tri-Y headers, and Flowmasters, as well as pobbibly a 306 stroker kit from Scat. I hope, from what im hearing put me well into the 300 hp range.

I'm going to have to dissagree with Woodsnake though... you can make a V8 run faster than those little civics and imports, you just need depper pockets than mine

Click to expand...

keep the stock 289, just freshen it up with new rings and bearings. stick in a comp cams 270 magnum cam, top the engine off with a set of windsor jr heads, a performer rpm intake, and an edelbrock 600cfm carb. run a set of tri-y headers, a duraspark distributor hooked to a chrysler "orange" ignition box and a blaster lll coil. that should put you around 300hp, and with the 3.73 gears you should be able to knock off the ricers.

rbohm said:

...top the engine off with a set of windsor jr heads...

Click to expand...

Good idea, I have a set that have been lightly ported, fresh valve job, brand new, ready to bolt on and go. I even have a set of roller rockers too.

I was looking for the same daily useability with some ooomph, I had a lot of suggestions to stroke to 347, which to me is 9/10 on this motors max so i opted for the next step down and went 331 (actually 333ci since i had to bore .040"). The machine shop said the rods cleared w/o even notching the lower cylinder walls (you have to notch for a 347). I'm trying to get my engine back in before Xmas along with a new med. built AOD so I can have my cake and eat it to with 20+mpg hwy. hopefully. I stroked the original 289 as I don't see many still in these cars at shows, most are 302 rollers. I'll be adding a bottle of compcams ZDDP every oil change to protect the cam - CC XE262, highest cam before you start to loose vacuum as I'll have PB and AC.
Good luck, do a lot of research, talk to your machine shop, hunt for deals on corral.net, fleabay, craigslist and you can save some $$, I picked up my good cond. used AFR165's on Corral and my roller rockers (intake port matched to heads). You can download the FREE CompCams program CamQuest and plug in differnt numbers, it'll suggest different levels of cams based on your choices. I believe you should badse your choices (intake, heads, carb., etc.) around your cams RPM range so I'd start there by choosing a cam first, that'll tell you how much your heads will need to breathe to use the power.
Jon