Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: bradleyrealtor (Bradley Grant)

Newbie here buying his first pony, I'm torn looking
for opinions. original 6 cyl now has 302 and
suspension upgrade, bored .30 over, upgrades include
carb, alum heads, headers, etc. What I am wondering,
are there any guys out there that bought a modified
classic and then wish they had just stayed with
original - with data plates matching? Are the values
really less on a modified pony? or is this mainly a
personal preference? I'd like to someday swap a T-5
into whatever pony I end up with, that's a mod, so
will that then make this whole subject moot?

Also, I hear a 289 is better than a 302? Then i read
here in posts not. Opinions welcome and appreciated!

Thanks, Brad, Vacaville, CA


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Mail From: MBMorrow4 (MBMorrow4

Hi Brad,

It all depends on what you want to do with your car. If you are going to
sell it then a numbers matching original restored to spec will be worth more
than all but the best quality modified car. If you are building the car to keep
it, then I am a believer in building the car you want.

I have a '64 1/2 convertible that had been a daily driver until 1997.
Everything on the car needed repair or replacement. The car is a D-Code 289 4 speed
with most of the options including A/C. It was Rangoon Red with a red
interior.

The cost of restoring it to original was the same as modifying it to my
taste. The problem is that I didn't like Rangoon Red. I wanted a car I could
drive and enjoy. After much thought, I decided to build the car the way I wanted
it. It is now Midnight Turquoise with a White Pony interior, I built up the
289 and added a Motorsport T-5, GT dual exhaust trumpets and fog lights and
AM/FM Stereo. Since the car was finished in 1999, I have taken two cross
country trips and put over 30,000 miles in it.

I have been offered more money than I have in it but it's not for sale. It
might have been worth more as a Concours original but it wouldn't have been
nearly as much fun. Since the car was completely stripped, I dont worry too much
about driving it. Most anything that can happen can be fixed.

As far as 289 vs 302, I have driven both and I couldn't tell the difference
from the driver's seat. They are both good performing very durable engines.

Best of luck with your car.

Mark



**************Start the year off right. Easy ways to stay in shape.
body.aol.com/fitness/winter-exercise?NCID=aolcmp00300000002489
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Mail From: mustang (Brandon Peskin)


On Jan 21, 2008, at 8:29 AM, MBMorrow4 at aol.com wrote:

> As far as 289 vs 302, I have driven both and I couldn't tell the
> difference from the driver's seat. They are both good performing
> very durable engines.



A 302 is really just a stroked 289, anyhow. A lot of interchangeable
parts there. I even think the blocks are the same or very similar. Can
anyone verify this?

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Mail From: walt (Walt Boeninger)



Brandon Peskin wrote:
>
> A 302 is really just a stroked 289, anyhow. A lot of interchangeable
> parts there. I even think the blocks are the same or very similar. Can
> anyone verify this?

Correct. The "book" (Tom Monroe "How to ....", says the 302 block is
"basically the same as a 289 ...."
Arguably, the so-called "Mexican 302" is the best of the OEM bunch.
Something about being a stronger casting ... that's what everybody
looked for in the 70s/80s before you could go to Ford and get a good 302

The only reason to use a 289 block is for "correctness"...... otherwise
a good 302 block will work as well or better.

--

Regards
--------------
Walt Boeninger
mailto:webmaster at norcal-saac.org
boeninger.net
shelbytransam.com

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Mail From: W427 (David)

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Mail From: keven (Coates, Keven)

They are extremely similar. I sold my 289 so I could install my already
rebuilt 302. They were too close to tell, but unfortunately my 302 was
a '70's model and didn't fit the 3 bolt main pulley, so the pulley setup
had to come from a '79 Granada. I didn't know about the four bolt '71
(?) main pulley that would swap and let me use the early pulley setup.

Be aware of the harmonic balancer and flywheel imbalance change in '79
(or was it '81?). 25.2 oz Vs. 50 oz. for the later stuff.

IMHO, the main difference between many blocks in practical use is the
pulley setup you want to use. If you want to run an early pulley setup,
get an early engine that will work with the early water pump (and
therefore pulley setup). If you want to run the late model stuff, get a
later model block, however be sure to know all the roller cam years,
etc. and compatibility.

Personally, if you aren't worried about originality I'd get a 351W.
Much more torque down where you can use it, lots more horsepower
potential, and many of the same parts can be interchanged (heads, etc.).

Of course, if emission laws in your state allow easier rules for earlier
engines (as some do), this can be a major reason to switch too.

As for me, I'm doing a 375 stroker based on a 351W. Tons of torque way
down low, and good hp too, plus it looks like a 289/302 more or less to
the untrained eye. Only if they know how to look at the deck height can
they tell.

Keven

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Mail From: bradleyrealtor (Bradley Grant)

THANKS for the replies.
Yeah red on red is a bit much, though i'd like CA red
with black interior myself. Am looking at a silver
blue with blu/wht int today with a t-5 but a 6.
Haven't driven a 6 yet.

Sounds like a sweet ride you have there.

Any other ipinions 302 vs 289 welcome. And the
originality question.

Thanks again,
Brad


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Mail From: W427 (David)

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Mail From: mustangpaul (Paul Sawyer)

I agree. You need to decide early if it is a driver or a shower or a combo
of both. I drive mine daily and show it a bit, too. Hence, the changes
I've made make the car safer--dual chamber MC, high back seats with head
rests, a three point belt for my son's car seat--more comfortable--Sanden AC
compressor, better seats--and fun--hidden stereo with line in for my iPod.
I have all of the parts in the attic and can go back to "original" in a
flash. Most people won't notice and anything internal (hotter cam, stroker)
is invisible. Most people won't notice differerent heads, either.

In fact, the changes I make are all able to be easily changed back. That's
just me.

David is right--most of the people who will tell what is "right" have no
car, only opinions! My favorite is a pal of mine--a career body man and
painter who is the original owner of a 70 Boss 302--who had a person tell
him that the shade of yellow on his car was wrong. He just smiled and
talked to them anyway.

Everyone has an opinion. Do what you want and what you can afford~

On Jan 22, 2008 5:02 PM, David <W427 at comcast.net> wrote:

> I would agree that you should do what your heart desires. It's yours.
> Unless, it's a very rare model, in which case you should sell it for big
> bucks and build two of what you like. In my case I have not done anything
> irreversible. All the original parts (or what was left of them) are in the
> shed and with a repaint and a week of wrenching it could be all back to
> original. That wont happen in my lifetime - but if they are ever that
> valuable the new owner will be glad to refit and repaint to satisfy his or
> her desires.
>
> I occasionally get onlooker comments that they would have kept something
> original or perhaps modded a different way. That's fine. I simply offer to
> sell it to them for fair market value and they can do whatever they want to
> it. Or I ask to see how they did it on their specialty car. Oh, that's
> right - they usually don't have one. ;-) BTW - that's also why I built a
> 427W stroker for it. The day isn't far off when we will look back and say
> "Yeah, remember when Premium was only $5.00 a gallon? I shoulda done it".
> To each their own.
>
> FWIW,
> David
>
> Bradley Grant wrote:
>
> THANKS for the replies.
> Yeah red on red is a bit much, though i'd like CA red
> with black interior myself. Am looking at a silver
> blue with blu/wht int today with a t-5 but a 6.
> Haven't driven a 6 yet.
>
> Sounds like a sweet ride you have there.
>
> Any other ipinions 302 vs 289 welcome. And the
> originality question.
>
> Thanks again,
> Brad
>
>
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