10 289s at 400 bucks a piece = 4000 dollars.. = a maverick = you get to add another to your collection
This is how I see it. If I had a 289 sitting around to put in a MAv chassis then sure bolt it in. Its only 13 cubes. Even at 1 HP per cube you wouldnt notice it on the street. If I planned on building a motor for it then I'd go late model 302.
they're lucky to bring $100 around here. just no demand for an old engine like that unless someone is restoring a stang, cougar or galaxie or something. i got one sitting ni the field right now turned upside down
here in Mexico, the early Mexican Mavericks (70, 71-73 )? 8 cilinders they all got the 289, that engine was discontinued in USA but it still made here so they put it in a lot of mavericks. most of the mexican mavericks in the boneyards are v8`s. thats because here the gas was cheap in the seventies.
i started with a fresh new 302 block. could have went 289,302, 331, 347, ect. i went with the long rod 289 to be different.
68 high performance (hipo) heads, got them off a 68 289 mustang. i would rather have a set of those than to have aluminum heads....
Gotta agree with mean mav.The roller 302s cure the 2 major problems w/old small block fords.Forged pistons(86-92)and roller lifters pretty much fix the clackity lifters & broken piston skirts that were common in high mileage older small blocks.Also remember a magazine article where they took out a fresh rebuilt 271hp hipo 289 and threw in a stock,low mile 5.0 out of a 90 something mustang(225 hp)and the car ran about 1/2 sec faster.289 is kinda like saying 429 or 396.It sounds cool,but the truth is that built equally 302s,460s,and 454s will outperform their smaller brothers everytime.Cubes rule.
Roller blocks scare me... They are thin, you never see a classic 289 or 302 block split in half. The piston skirts cracking is cured with new pistons. Gotta buy those when you bore it anyway. Buy an 86 to 92 HO block, bore it for the rebuild, you gotta throw the forged pistons away and you are at the same square one as an older 302. Old blocks take roller cams too. Just not with stock lifters. Aftermarket lifters are fine when they have the bar between them. I just don't see the love affair with late blocks and heads. FoMoCo wasn't out to improve. They had to make things lighter, thinner, and cleaner. Not stronger, faster, and bigger, like the classic stuff.
I'd take 351w heads over 289 heads any day. I'd throw 289 heads from a tall building and watch them shatter, with a big smile on my face, if someone gave me aluminum heads to do it.
i like the roller cam and factory forged pistons..... and for most of us in street cars, we'll never have the fear if splitting a block. they dont split untill around 450-500 hp. roller lifters conversions run into money as well, $200+ for anything decent. the roller block has some improvements over the older blocks but i dont think they're better if u get into higher hp ranges. as for heads, id take a set of E7's over any stock 289/302 head. they've been proven a couple times over to flow better. just my thoughts
You make some good points.But for those who are trying to use as much stock stuff as possible,the later motors are just better period.As far as later blocks splitting,it's not really a concern to me because I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be making 550-600 hp anytime soon on my budget.Anyone making serious power is probably gonna go w/an SVO block anyway.I think the "love affair" w/the later blocks isn't that they're stronger,but they're already roller lifter w/the little spider keeper thingy.That stuff costs a bit to buy & throw into the older blocks,so it being there just saves some $$.As far as later heads,I just like them because the E7s DO perform well w/mild porting,and they're usually in good enough shape to run as is due to the age(no valve guide work n stuff).Also they're cheap because so many guys just gotta have GT-40s,Windsor jrs,you know big name stuff.
Point taken on the HO block for budget street use. I understand where you are coming from. I have yet to make 500 hp with a 302, but hope springs eternal!
