Increasing Power on a budget for my '67 289
11-05-2012, 02:30 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 6
Increasing Power on a budget for my '67 289
I have a relatively small budget (~$2000), and while I know my stuff, I want to get the parts professionally installed. Knowing this, how much more power could I safely get out of my rebuilt 289, with a C4 tranny and everything else stock?
The guy I bought it from apparently spent 25 grand restoring the whole car, including new paint, disc brakes, stereo, interior, engine, etc.
The guy I bought it from apparently spent 25 grand restoring the whole car, including new paint, disc brakes, stereo, interior, engine, etc.
11-05-2012, 08:54 PM
#4
Yukon Cornelius
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: deep in the heart of dixie GEORGIA
Posts: 11,808
go to a pull a part place and get a set of 96 or 97 explorer 5.0 heads...they are what the cobra 5.0's used add a nice cam, intake and some roller rockers and youll have a very nice boost in power..
also you can port the heads and have them shaved(to boost compression for more power)
also you can port the heads and have them shaved(to boost compression for more power)
11-05-2012, 09:47 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 6
What if I went somewhere in between? What if I got the gears and diff, then used the remaining $1200 (possibly throwing in another $350) to get a cam, rockers, and heads installed, could I afford that?
Also, what kind of power gains do you think I'd be looking at with that setup? I'm coming from an IS350, so I was hoping I could eventually get down into the low 13's maybe high 12's. I know that what we're talking about right here won't get me to where I want, but what kind of a start do y'all think this would be?
Also, what kind of power gains do you think I'd be looking at with that setup? I'm coming from an IS350, so I was hoping I could eventually get down into the low 13's maybe high 12's. I know that what we're talking about right here won't get me to where I want, but what kind of a start do y'all think this would be?
11-05-2012, 10:18 PM
#6
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hills of California
Posts: 5,208
I went trick flow heads and a roller cam by comp cams( fairly mild cam) 218,224(intake exhaust) .513 gross valve lift also air gap intake and Holley 670 street avenger I made 80 more hp and slightly (last time I checked) improved fuel mileage. 290 rwhp and 300 fltbs.
unfortunately with cost of install your 1550 would get you the comp roller link bar lifters, push rods and maybe the carb or the intake.
I did all the work myself...I was paranoid and kept checking my work so it took a while. Nothing was difficult. I had to learn to degree a cam, use and adjustable push rod and how to check for proper pushrod lenght.
Im not sure how someone can claim to have injected 25k into a car and ignore the engine enough that noticeable improvements can be made with 800 dollars worth of parts (which is about what your 2000 will get you in actual parts +- a few 100) you said the engine is all stock what about the rest of the car?
I also assume its making stock power (190ish rwhp)
-Gun
Last edited by Gun Jam; 11-05-2012 at 10:21 PM.
11-05-2012, 11:33 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 6
First of all, thanks for helping me out, I'm new to Mustangs. He did a real nice paint job, expensive stereo, disc brakes, new seats, carpet, a/c work, suspension, wheels, trim, power windows and doors and he said he rebuilt the engine, but I have no idea what all was done to it. Well, I may be getting a raise, so I could put some of that extra cash into it, if I do.
Unfortunately, I don't have enough experience working on engines to feel comfortable enough to work on my new baby, myself, aside from very simple things (working on my sister's old 4 banger accord to gain some experience first lol).
1. 290hp/300tq sounds like a great amount for me! How much would it take to get the same setup as you?
2. With the new gears, diff, and that amount of power, how reliable would it be?
Unfortunately, I don't have enough experience working on engines to feel comfortable enough to work on my new baby, myself, aside from very simple things (working on my sister's old 4 banger accord to gain some experience first lol).
1. 290hp/300tq sounds like a great amount for me! How much would it take to get the same setup as you?
2. With the new gears, diff, and that amount of power, how reliable would it be?
11-06-2012, 12:26 AM
#8
Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Hills of California
Posts: 5,208
the heads were about 1300,the cam about 300, the link bar roller lifters were 500, about 100 in pushrods, 125ish for roller rockers, the intake was about 200 and the carb about 450. This is not the only way to accomplish this. You could go with the non roller heads (same price I think) and run a flat tappet cam and save 600 right there.
Or get the exploder heads as Rmodel suggested and flat tappet cam and save another 900 bucks and still get noticeable power gains. But again labor is going to more or less double the cost of whatever choice you make.
The rearend swap initially sounds like a good idea but the c4 throws a wrench into the mix. You probably have 2.75ish rearend ratio now but to make a noticeable boost in acceleration you would need a 3.55 and that's marginal its not like "wow" but you can tell when you floor it. But the problem comes from the 1:1 final drive of the c4 if you run 3.55s cruise rpm @ 70mph is going to go from about 2600rpm to 3400 rpm...thats not going to be fun at all.
another option is to run an edelbrock system like I had before I did the swap.
A cam like the performer rpm, matched with their performer rpm intake (could be air gap or standard performer rpm intake) and an edelbrock 600 cfm carb. SO alls you would need would be (cam,new lifters, probably new push rods, intake, carb) thats like a 1200 bucks or less in parts. SO this is the ave I would peruse as it best matches your goal to budget.
Because the heads dont have to be removed it should cut labor cost almost in half the engine probably does not need to be pulled to do the work...I did all the work on mine with engine installed but I have a 66 no ac. Not sure if the same would be true in your case. If they dont have to pull the engine I bet it could be all done for right around 2000...if the parts cost 1000 thats a 1000 towards labor... going this route you should make at least 220 hp and 248tq.
-Gun
Or get the exploder heads as Rmodel suggested and flat tappet cam and save another 900 bucks and still get noticeable power gains. But again labor is going to more or less double the cost of whatever choice you make.
The rearend swap initially sounds like a good idea but the c4 throws a wrench into the mix. You probably have 2.75ish rearend ratio now but to make a noticeable boost in acceleration you would need a 3.55 and that's marginal its not like "wow" but you can tell when you floor it. But the problem comes from the 1:1 final drive of the c4 if you run 3.55s cruise rpm @ 70mph is going to go from about 2600rpm to 3400 rpm...thats not going to be fun at all.
another option is to run an edelbrock system like I had before I did the swap.
A cam like the performer rpm, matched with their performer rpm intake (could be air gap or standard performer rpm intake) and an edelbrock 600 cfm carb. SO alls you would need would be (cam,new lifters, probably new push rods, intake, carb) thats like a 1200 bucks or less in parts. SO this is the ave I would peruse as it best matches your goal to budget.
Because the heads dont have to be removed it should cut labor cost almost in half the engine probably does not need to be pulled to do the work...I did all the work on mine with engine installed but I have a 66 no ac. Not sure if the same would be true in your case. If they dont have to pull the engine I bet it could be all done for right around 2000...if the parts cost 1000 thats a 1000 towards labor... going this route you should make at least 220 hp and 248tq.
-Gun
11-06-2012, 09:34 AM
#9
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Northern Virginia
Posts: 528
I would second the idea of an intake and carb. Everybody has their manufacturer preferences, but both could be had for around $500.
If you don't do a lot of highway cruising, I like the idea of re-gearing. There's a guy on ebay that sells a trac loc 8" with any gear you like (i.e. 3.55 or 3.70) for $750. You could probably have a local shop do it for a $1000.
More important, you should think about your long term goals for the mustang. You don't want to spend money now, only to have to replace the part when you want to upgrade again in the future. I have not lived by this advice, unfortunately...
Also, I'm not sure comparing it to your IS is going to be realistic, though. At least without a LOT of time and money. (I drive one as well.)
Good luck and enjoy your new ride.
If you don't do a lot of highway cruising, I like the idea of re-gearing. There's a guy on ebay that sells a trac loc 8" with any gear you like (i.e. 3.55 or 3.70) for $750. You could probably have a local shop do it for a $1000.
More important, you should think about your long term goals for the mustang. You don't want to spend money now, only to have to replace the part when you want to upgrade again in the future. I have not lived by this advice, unfortunately...
Also, I'm not sure comparing it to your IS is going to be realistic, though. At least without a LOT of time and money. (I drive one as well.)
Good luck and enjoy your new ride.
11-06-2012, 09:39 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 6
Is that the amount of power that would actually get to the wheels, or is that at the flywheel? Thanks for being so helpful with this! After I do this, could I change the heads out for the 96/97 explorer heads and further increase the power, without any trouble? And finally, could you give me a ballpark estimate of improvement in 0-60 or quarter mile with what you suggested?