i just wanted to touch on a few things....

a stock 289 crank, and stock 289 rods (with the GOOD arp rod bolts) will turn 7000 rpm easily if they are balanced - this is where it pays to go with a 289 over the "standard" 302 because they will wind up higher, quicker, and safer.

i have a set of worked over 351w heads on my freshly built 289 and only have around 9.0-9.5:1 compression, and i have to say the power difference isnt really that much less than the previous 11.5-12:1 302 that was in the car previously with the same cam, heads, intake, headers, etc.

for modern flat tappet grinds i would be looking at the crane Z series or the lunati voodoo series. they have some really nice grinds in there (IIRC you have to look in the 351w section too, they are the same cam as a 289/302 anyways cept a different firing order)

tyler, i will be back in TN on monday and will be there until friday or something - we're gonna have to hook up and i have the 06 GT with me now too =)