What about this combo?

I'm thinking more like low 14's becuase that performer intake really holds you back.

You can do all that you want and not change the tranny but if you do modify the tranny you may be able to pick up as much as .5 on the quarter from a good convertor and shift kit.

cost of modifying the heads and buying them varies depending on how much you buy the heads for which. But I'm thinking around at least $600.

Spacer and porting help about 15-? hp depending on how exstensive the porting is there really isn't much you can port unless you know what your doing and know exactly how the intake is cast. You can also port the heads.

If I remember right the stock convertor is rated at 1200 rpm stall

Shop around on the heads. I've seen gt40's go for around $400 for a nice set with some work done to them. Stock windsor heads are good and my time estimate of low 14 was actually of using stock valved 351's. I've seen stock 351 go for around $250 rebuilt. Just a matter of luck and shopping around.

Can you get back to me on what type of heads you go with. I am in the same boat I want to wake my 289 up. I was thinking a new crank would help out too.

Ported 289 heads with larger valves flow enough for 300+ hp. I have a 270 Magnum cam in my 302. It idles ok, makes pretty good vacuum, and has a great torque curve.

stock 289 heads, although horrible, CAN go to about 400hp, but that requires more time and money then it would to just buy new heads.


With that combo i can see you doing 13s with a good run, as long as you can get your 60' times down pat.

streetstang67 said:

I don't think I'm gonna get new heads. If I do anything, it will just be a mild cam. The more I look into it, its just not cost effective to upgrade this and upgrade that, because when you upgrade one thing, then something else needs upgrading and so on...(new cam will want better heads...new heads will want better intake....). So if I want real hp, I'll just build another engine and get high performance parts that work together.

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Amen to that

I'd get a good cam and a Weiand Xcellerator intake if I were you. That would really liven up your performance. 289's can rev and the small, single plane by Weiand is ideal for your application. A strong solid cam like the Comp cams 282S would be great if you are adventurous. Just make sure you have good valves and springs. A cool trick to get extra rev's and horsepower is to use titanium retainers - the lightness allows the valves and springs too work more easily and stably.

streetstang67 said:

I don't think I'm gonna get new heads. If I do anything, it will just be a mild cam. The more I look into it, its just not cost effective to upgrade this and upgrade that, because when you upgrade one thing, then something else needs upgrading and so on...(new cam will want better heads...new heads will want better intake....). So if I want real hp, I'll just build another engine and get high performance parts that work together.

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Here is my opinion. Your intake and carb and headers are fine. You don't want a single plane intake as someone suggested for a mild 289. It will rev up high but kill your low end torque, which is what you need for a good street engine. Especially with a stock stall converter. Same for a big cam. It won't kick in til the higher rpm's and your car will be a dog off the line. I have a 350 in my vette with a big cam and even with a 2000 rpm holeshot converter it is not great off the line. It really picks up around 2500rpm and pulls like a rocket but you may have lost a street race by then, and daily driving will suck. You need your parts to match up well. The best flowing set of heads will suck without the right cam and intake(which your intake is fine for a mild motor). Look at the ford castings that PAW offers. Small chambers for good compression, 1.94 intake and 1.50 exhaust valves which are plenty for your combo and screw in studs and guideplates(which are overkill for your engine but they come with them) three angle valve job etc.. for 550 dollars. If you want to port something, port match the intake to the heads. Lots of hp there for pretty cheap. Call them about a cam and tell them your combo and they will tell you the best cam to match up. Too big a cam will also kill vacuum causing brake problems. Your probably still well under a thousand and should have a nice streetable engine without having to rebuild. A 2000 stall from summit is only about 100 to 150 dollars and would greatly help. Or you could just put in a new set of gears for better acceleration but a little less fuel economy. Sorry so long, good luck.
PS Don't overcarb like a lot of people do. I have a hopped up 289 in my stang with about 370hp and it had a holley 750 double pumper. I switched to a 650 duel feed line(but single pumper) and my car ran better.

The 282S is a little big for your current set-up but it is a cam you can grow in to. However, a more reasonable cam would be the 272S or the XE 274. Remember, I said "adventurous". Small heads typically need a big cam, but with an automatic a smaller cam is probably an intelligent choice.

I ran an Edelbrock RPM manifold with my smallblock and it was great, though people swear by the old Torker or the Weiand Xcellerator saying it beats the dual planes all-around. If I still had a smallblock I would run it, but I also had a 4 speed. But having said that it was a great combination, and I had what most people call a "big" cam - 230/235 duration @ .050, .512/.515 lift and a lobe seperation of 107! Running a diual plane and tuning will take out a lot of the roughness of a cam, and this cam idled great; a little chop to let you know something was in there. Upgrading engines is tricky, it is hard to get it just right, and most of the time people are left wanting more or thinking they have too much!

Anyway, I hope some of this helps.

I like your current setup pretty good.
If it was my car I would run:
A hydraulic cam, 500 to 530 lift, 218 to 224 duration at .050, 106 to 110 LCA, maybe split the duration slightly to the exhaust ports. (splitting will roughen the idle, if you want to keep the stock converter, be conservative...)
1972-74 351w heads. Nothing special... the biggest expense would be machining for studs and plates. You will want to run full roller rockers and hardened pushrods. Use the stock valves with a fresh valve job, bronze guides, and good springs matched to your cam. Mill the heads .020", angle mill if you want a little more, but find someone who knows what they are doing if you go this route.
Pick your head gasket wisely. They range in thickness, use the thinnest you can find that is still a brand name.
You will need either swap washers or swap bolts to put the W heads on your SBF.

X-Cellerator, Torker 289, Holley single plane... IMO these are the best intakes ever made for mild 289-302 engines.
F4B or Stealth would work okay, but not as good from my experience.

Your carb is okay. You will need to retune with changes like you are contemplating.

The key to getting both max torque and top end power from an SBF are little tricks like:
Lower LCA
Split duration favoring the exhaust
Lower gears (3.55-4.11)
Mild single plane intake
(the ones I listed have small plenums and tuned runners which are aimed at both torque and rpm)
Somewhat heavy spring in the secondary side of the Holley
Heavy on the timing
L/T headers

The SBF doesn't have the cubes that the cookie cutter 350-something engines have. The so called "rules" put forth by magazines and such, about dual plane intakes, small headers, etc... don't really apply. The tiny stroke of the crank just doesn't work the same. You must build in some gearing, timing, and make use of the durability of the short stroke crank... you have to plan on spinning these engines a little higher.
They are good for it, the short stroke doesn't have problems spinning where other engines need high strength components. Good rod bolts cure our only short coming when it comes to spinning a 3" or less stroke.
On a side note, the 289 has an excellent rod ratio... The extra piston dwell absorbs more of the energy of combustion than just about any other stock engine and the cylinder walls wear less with the tall rods. Meaning max power to the crank throw without needing accessories that are normally torque friendly.

Sorry so long... I get off on tangents when I talk SBF.

Good luck, and consider a loose 11" converter,
Dave