Wake up my 289?
11-12-2007, 09:28 AM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location:
Posts: 60
Wake up my 289?
Ok guys, I bought my 68' Mustang GT/CS a month or so ago am looking at some winter mods to liven up my small block 289. Is pretty much stock right now so anything is going to help. I am not too mechanically inclined but my father is so he will be helping with everything. I dont want to go too technical and start changing cams etc. Just looking for the best combination of headers, heads, intake, etc... just your basic bolt on stuff that isnt going to be too much work. Any suggestions? If I start changing those things is it going to be impossible to do that without a cam change? Thanks for all the help!
11-12-2007, 10:23 AM
#3
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Citrus County, FL
Posts: 8,007
RE: Wake up my 289?
step 1:
aftermarket 4bbl intake (weiand 8124 action plus or a edelbrock performer rpm)
holley 570 street avenger or a barry grant 575 speed demon (plenty for a 289)
longtube headers and quality dual exhaust with any major name brand mufflers and a H or X crossover pipe
step 2:
mild cam and lifters (something in the .450 range so your not overdoing your stock valvetrain would still net you an impressive increase in power because the stock cams suck ***)
new timing chain (because you should always replace those old wore out things if you have the chance, and they are cheap)
step 3:
upgraded cylinder heads, as easy and cheap option are GT40 / early 351w heads - but you can buy aluminum aftermarket heads that outflow all the stock ford stuff for like 900 bucks and up. if you ended up with upgraded cylinder heads you could rethink the cam selection and go bigger than .450 for even more power gains.
tthis should be some sorta sticky [8D]
aftermarket 4bbl intake (weiand 8124 action plus or a edelbrock performer rpm)
holley 570 street avenger or a barry grant 575 speed demon (plenty for a 289)
longtube headers and quality dual exhaust with any major name brand mufflers and a H or X crossover pipe
step 2:
mild cam and lifters (something in the .450 range so your not overdoing your stock valvetrain would still net you an impressive increase in power because the stock cams suck ***)
new timing chain (because you should always replace those old wore out things if you have the chance, and they are cheap)
step 3:
upgraded cylinder heads, as easy and cheap option are GT40 / early 351w heads - but you can buy aluminum aftermarket heads that outflow all the stock ford stuff for like 900 bucks and up. if you ended up with upgraded cylinder heads you could rethink the cam selection and go bigger than .450 for even more power gains.
tthis should be some sorta sticky [8D]
11-12-2007, 10:28 AM
#4
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Oregon
Posts: 2,166
RE: Wake up my 289?
If you're just looking for a few mods to make a bit more fun to drive then I'd go with these things to start with:
[ul][*]New carb (like the ones My77stang recommended)[*]New intake manifold[*]Headers[*]H-pipe or X-pipe with high flow mufflers[/ul]
Maybe later on go with some new heads with roller rockers, a new cam, ignition system, etc...
BTW nice looking car you got there.
[ul][*]New carb (like the ones My77stang recommended)[*]New intake manifold[*]Headers[*]H-pipe or X-pipe with high flow mufflers[/ul]
Maybe later on go with some new heads with roller rockers, a new cam, ignition system, etc...
BTW nice looking car you got there.
11-12-2007, 11:17 AM
#5
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location:
Posts: 60
RE: Wake up my 289?
ORIGINAL: my77stang
step 1:
aftermarket 4bbl intake (weiand 8124 action plus or a edelbrock performer rpm)
holley 570 street avenger or a barry grant 575 speed demon (plenty for a 289)
longtube headers and quality dual exhaust with any major name brand mufflers and a H or X crossover pipe
step 2:
mild cam and lifters (something in the .450 range so your not overdoing your stock valvetrain would still net you an impressive increase in power because the stock cams suck ***)
new timing chain (because you should always replace those old wore out things if you have the chance, and they are cheap)
step 3:
upgraded cylinder heads, as easy and cheap option are GT40 / early 351w heads - but you can buy aluminum aftermarket heads that outflow all the stock ford stuff for like 900 bucks and up. if you ended up with upgraded cylinder heads you could rethink the cam selection and go bigger than .450 for even more power gains.
tthis should be some sorta sticky [8D]
step 1:
aftermarket 4bbl intake (weiand 8124 action plus or a edelbrock performer rpm)
holley 570 street avenger or a barry grant 575 speed demon (plenty for a 289)
longtube headers and quality dual exhaust with any major name brand mufflers and a H or X crossover pipe
step 2:
mild cam and lifters (something in the .450 range so your not overdoing your stock valvetrain would still net you an impressive increase in power because the stock cams suck ***)
new timing chain (because you should always replace those old wore out things if you have the chance, and they are cheap)
step 3:
upgraded cylinder heads, as easy and cheap option are GT40 / early 351w heads - but you can buy aluminum aftermarket heads that outflow all the stock ford stuff for like 900 bucks and up. if you ended up with upgraded cylinder heads you could rethink the cam selection and go bigger than .450 for even more power gains.
tthis should be some sorta sticky [8D]
11-12-2007, 12:01 PM
#6
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Citrus County, FL
Posts: 8,007
RE: Wake up my 289?
If you're just looking for a few mods to make a bit more fun to drive then I'd go with these things to start with:
[ul][*]New carb (like the ones My77stang recommended)[*]New intake manifold[*]Headers[*]H-pipe or X-pipe with high flow mufflers[/ul]
Maybe later on go with some new heads with roller rockers, a new cam, ignition system, etc...
[ul][*]New carb (like the ones My77stang recommended)[*]New intake manifold[*]Headers[*]H-pipe or X-pipe with high flow mufflers[/ul]
Maybe later on go with some new heads with roller rockers, a new cam, ignition system, etc...
r6, summitracing.com is widely known to be one of the best sources for these things. other places are jegs.com, and although their website fails terribly, P.A.W. out of california will send you a catalog for about 10 bucks thats thicker than a city phone book (and most of the time they are cheaper than the other guys)
not to shop for you, but this right here would make you one hellofa happy camper....
Carb
Intake
Cam and Lifter Kit (cheap, good performer, and its the maxxxxx you can go with stock springs)
Timing Chain
Cam swap gasket set
rough estimate is 700 bucks, you could do cheaper by hunting on ebay and craigslist too
11-12-2007, 12:09 PM
#7
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,447
RE: Wake up my 289?
77stang,
I will be rebuilding my engine in the short term and was planning on using a pretty similar setup. Is that cam going to work well with a performer rpm intake, hedman longtubes, and a holley 600 cfm carb.
I was planning on doing a mild port and polish on the heads while I have them out. (The DIY method) I plan on replacing the valve stem seals and lapping the valves as well. Should I replace the springs and get a larger cam? If so where I can I buy a decent set of springs on a budget?
What would my hp look like without replaceing the springs and the larger cam versus replacing them?
Thanks for your help!
I will be rebuilding my engine in the short term and was planning on using a pretty similar setup. Is that cam going to work well with a performer rpm intake, hedman longtubes, and a holley 600 cfm carb.
I was planning on doing a mild port and polish on the heads while I have them out. (The DIY method) I plan on replacing the valve stem seals and lapping the valves as well. Should I replace the springs and get a larger cam? If so where I can I buy a decent set of springs on a budget?
What would my hp look like without replaceing the springs and the larger cam versus replacing them?
Thanks for your help!
11-12-2007, 06:54 PM
#8
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: California
Posts: 10,468
RE: Wake up my 289?
The cam he listed is good for a stock headed stock springed engine, but if you go to the trouble of pulling the heads off and cleaning up the ports, you'd be better off with a beefier cam and better springs. Weak spring pressures can cause poor cylinder sealing as combustion pressures rise, so you lose power, and you also lose some valvetrain stability at higher rpm. If you go to the effort of taking it apart then you might as well spend a bit more to get a cam that goes up to 5,500 or 6,000rpm and matching springs. Springs aren't that much more, and good ones would be Comp's Beehives, 26986-16 for a set, like $215 at Jegs. They have excellent high rpm stability, even on lumpy hyd. roller cams and decent spring pressure, but well within the streetable range. Single spring with no damper needed. You could prolly get the standard springs for the cam you get for cheaper, so it comes down to how much you wanna spend
11-12-2007, 07:25 PM
#9
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Citrus County, FL
Posts: 8,007
RE: Wake up my 289?
The cam he listed is good for a stock headed stock springed engine, but if you go to the trouble of pulling the heads off and cleaning up the ports, you'd be better off with a beefier cam and better springs.
that being said, if your trying to stay streetable and keep low end ***** i would stick in the range of that summit cam regardless of which grind you end up with. basically something in the .500 or less with 220-225 degrees of duration @ .050 would put you in a fairly happy place.
11-12-2007, 07:35 PM
#10
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 671
RE: Wake up my 289?
that's why instead of just using whatever, comp reccomended me the comp xe268 but also the whole kit with the springs and stuff matched.
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...p;autoview=sku