289 Street Beast Build

You'll probally get a hundred responses all different. First question why keep the 289? A late model 5.0 wil drop right in. It is a stronger set up tostart especailly if your gonna stroke it. Converting the

67 to a mass air e.f.i. set up is fairly common and inexpensive these days. but on to your questions If you stay with the 289 stroke it last. Tri-y headers are a good choice becuase of fitment issues with other systems on the car(power steering and clutch/trans linkages). 600 cfm on the edlebrock is a good place to start most folks over carb the small block. 2.25 exhaust is plenty. There are several good cams out there now for carb cars, decent lift and overlap, but much tighter center lines so idle is good, especailly if couple with roller rockers Heads, again if you go that expense think hard of about starting with a 5.0. other wise a decent valve job and open up the ports both intake and exhaust. if you stay with a manual, the T-5 conversvion is again relativley simple and cheap becuase its been done so often, tons of aftermarket parts and kits. Consider the T-56 lots of info on the internet as many people are already doing this swap to get the extra gear. Rear gear: if your running the factory 8" that came in the car, 3:55 is optimal for the small block on the street, if your running mostly the strip, gear ratios are based on your et's your want to hit top speed just before the end of the 1/4. If you can swing it go to "currie" or one of the other big rear guys and get a 9" with stronger axles the 28 spline notched axles that are stock are definetly the weak link when you start hitting the higher HP numbers. The 31 or 35 spline continious tapers are much stronger with the 9" set up. Finally think hard about the 5.0 set up around here a decent late model can be had for around $3k, thats running and driving, you can get what you need at the local pick and pull for even less.

I agree. I think trying to stick with stock 289 block as a high performance base will turn out to be a money pit. First off, rebuilding an old engine is expensive. Unless you got a good friend in the machine shop, all that machine work will eat you alive. Then, you have to source all the parts at retail prices. Sit down and actually come up with aparts list and machine shop list for a screamin high revving 289/331. Then take a look at crate motors. For a good street engine, Ford sells a 345hp

302 for $4,500. Not a bad deal. Take a look at Coast High Performance.

Thanks for all the info. I had originally planned to go with the 289 because I had heard it to be so reliable and I didn't want to spend the money for a new block, but hearing this I will deffinatley reconsider.