Hey guys, I've been reading about 5.0's and what is the most hp I can get from my 289? I want a good street car but I want it to be good at the strip. I know they are 2 bolt main motors. I have a friend that go's 10's with his mustang with that methenal(?) injection. I want a reliable street car. I think I have a #'s matching 289 in my 66 fairlane. It runs great. Could it handle the bottle??? What shot 50-100hp. Thanks guys. I have been working on small engines my whole life. Now I have a v-8. I like to do things right and I want to keep the original engine in this thing! Thanks guys!!

 

Most power? That depends on how much money you want to spend. And don't let the 2 bolt mains thing bother you, it's not a Chevy motor you're working on.

 

Dont want to go crazy with the $$. But I want reliability too. Would nitrous be OK? What should I do to the motor to make it OK. It has a weiland(SP) intake and a edelbrock carb and thats it. Have no clue about the mileage. Like I said it runs great no ticks when running or anything.

 

Unless someone replaced the pistons with forgings, leave the NOS bottle alone. Which Weiand intake ? Stealth or the Action Plus or X-cellerator? What heads are on it? Cam in it? Headers? Need more to go on here.

 

If you've been reading about 5.0's then you know you don't have one. The only numbers that mean anything are the ones at the end of the track. You've been watching too many Barret-Jackson Auctions. Unless you're putting it on the block, there are a lot cheaper, easier ways to build horsepower than building up a 289. If you are gonna race it, and would like to build serious power and keep that #'s matching motor in one piece, pull it out and replace it with a 351w(my fave) or rob a late model Mustang 5.0 and store that 289 until you're ready to sell it, which is the only time those #'s will matter. Some people believe stock pistons can handle up to 100 HP of NITROUS but some people believe they can take the house at Vegas, you might get away with either of those for a while, but sooner or later you're gonna lose. If you're gonna spray, you gotta pay. That means forged pistons, rods and crank and replacing those when your nitrous comes on but your fuel doesn't. Ask your buddy how much it COSTS to turn 10's. I don't mean to dissuade you from building up a hot street/ strip motor, I'm in the process myself, just think you need to read and think a little more before you jump in too deep.

 

I ran 100hp of NOS on a stock 88 5.0 in my Stang for years. They have factory forged pistons from 87-92. 93's have those Hyper pistons.
The main thing is having enough fuel and not leaning it out on the bottle. Detonation on the juice will pop a head gasket real fast. Don't ask
3360lb with me in it, stock 5.0 with 100hp nos, T-5 tranny, 3.55 gears and worn out slicks (1.72 60ft) would run 12:40's in the 1/4 mile. 7.90's @ 87mph in the 1/8th.

 

Sounds like you've read too many 5.0 books too. The 289 already has forged rods. Just needs better rod bolts. As for the crank, that's a non issue too. It may be a casting, but it ain't weak. It'll take more abuse than the rods will stand.

 

Doug1222142343? Just asking about the motor man. Dont jump down my throat! I'm not getting in too deep. Just looking for options. Thats why I hate postng sometimes. People treat you like an idiot. OF COARSE on the computer! Maybe I will get a 86 or newer 5.0. They are roller motors right? What year 351 should I look for? With the taller deck height I should still clear the shock towers right? I'm not stupid just not afraid to ask questions!!

 

Doug1222142343? Just asking about the motor man. Dont jump down my throat! I'm not getting in too deep. Just looking for options. Thats why I hate postng sometimes. People treat you like an idiot. OF COARSE on the computer! Maybe I will get a 86 or newer 5.0. They are roller motors right? What year 351 should I look for? With the taller deck height I should still clear the shock towers right? I'm not stupid just not afraid to ask questions!!

 

My bad. What I meant to get across is that you really defeat the purpose of numbers matching by building up that 289. It's a subjective thing though. There's not a lot of 66 Fairlanes rolling across the block, but usually buyers looking for #'s matching cars are looking for original equipment. You also stand a lot better chance of potentionally destroying the original parts if you race. So I'm saying you need to evaluate what the #'s matching thing means to you, since you mentioned it. If you just think it's cool and won't lose any sleep over destroying that motor, then go for it. Baddad is right, I have been reading too many 5.0 books, I don't know that much about 289's. But I do know that they didn't use H beam forged rods. We could go back and forth forever on what you do or don't need, but when you start off with " what is the most hp I can get..." it just sounds like you may need as strong a build as possible. Those factory rods are probably fine for a 100hp spray, but if you build as much HP as possible, then spray, then decide that was so much fun you spray a little more... Anyway, no one is answering this poor guy's question, though. I'll take a shot at it, though. To keep your original engine and be a good street machine I would limit HP to @350. I don't know how to equate reliability to good at the track. Takes HP to go fast and the more HP the more things break,-period. People are making over 1000 hp with 4 bangers, so as Baddad said, it's really a matter of how much you want to spend. A 351w isn't that much different in size than a 302. It was probably in 66 the last time I looked under a Fairlane hood, but my recollection was that they were relatively roomy. You bring up a good point though, and you might want to research what headers are available before considering the swap.I didn't ever say you were stupid- just trying to caution you that it's easy to spend money on the wrong things when you're just getting in to this stuff. I wasn't trying to make fun of you when I said to keep reading and thinking, the more knowledge you have, the better choices you can make.It's impossible to give you much information on modifications unless you get more specific with budget and intent of use. Anyway, I didn't mean to jump down your throat, it's just combining #'s matching, streetabilty, max HP and racing is a delicate balancing act at best, which requires more opinion than technical advise and I probably vented a bit in expressing mine.Sorry.

 

Oh, by the way, you said you THINK you have a numbers matching motor. Have you gone to the "read first" thread by "the wiz" at the top of this forum list? If not, I'd highly recommend it, then you'll be able to drop the "think". Really good stuff there. Again, don't let anything I say influence you too much, sometimes I talk out the wrong end of my body. At the end of the day, building up that 289 may wind up being the way to go. Whichever way you go, you'll have a fast, way cool ride that you don't see a lot of these days.

 

well, first off, "numbers matching motor" is a chevy thing.
ford does not put the vin on the engine. as long as the block is date stamped as a 66 model year, it is considered a correct block for the car, even if it did not come from the factory with it.
the "R" code 289 was rated at 271hp.
and there were some very healthy 289 hp numbers made back in the day with ford parts,and even higher numbers can be had with aftermarket parts.

 

Hey Tom- howz about you share share some of the mods you used to make that '65 a screamer with Jim? Glad you put the numbers deal to rest. I know you can make power with a 289, I just feel that when you start with 62 more cubes and can stroke it up to 75 more cubes at a reasonable price and have almost the same weight and size motor, you have an advantage in building that power. I also think that there are more options in affordable aftermarket parts for the 351w. I could be dead wrong, I haven't done the research to back that opinion up 'cause I'm not building a 289, but if I were, I would weigh the pro's and con's before building up the 289.Back to you Jim,- the best 351w blocks were built before 1975. 86 is a roller block, but the main thing is-I've been told by people who know way more than me that pulling a fuel injected Mustang motor and harness is the cheapest way to build reliable power. Again, not something I'm not interested in, but would research if I was you. If you can locate a copy of How to Build Max Performance Ford V-8's On a Budget by George Reid it will give you a lot of insight in to the pro's and con's of building power in different ways.

 

Doug thanks a million man! You helped put things in perspective for me. You said the best 351's were pre 75? Or should I try and find an 86 or up?? I think your right, the extra cubes wont hurt!! You know your stuff!! Tom thanks for the #'s matching info. I pulled the valve covers off and the heads had 66' and 289 on them. But who knows. I think I will keep the engine in place and build up a 351. That way I could drive it. I will try and find a short block. I think I will be fine with the space. Its not a huge car but there is tons of room up there. If the 351 is only taller then I think that will actually give me more room for headers.

 

the 351 will fit in with no problems, since the 66 fairlane could be had with a 390 FE.


i had a 289 with 73 small chamber heads, a crane mechanical lifter cam, 10.5 compression, edelbrock performer intake and carb, and was putting 300hp at the wheels.


i am currently building a 302 that will be 400hp with stock parts. 89 HO short block, 73 small chamber heads with screw in studs and guide plates, 194/170 manley stainless valves, comp cams springs and titanium retainers, edelbrock performer intake and carb, 289 hi-po clone exhaust manifolds.

desktop dyno shows 396 hp, and the last one i did dyno'd at 402 hp at 5500 rpm