We’ve already done a lot to upgrade the old 289 in our 1964 Fairlane. Besides Edelbrock aluminum heads, we’ve added Ford EEC IV electronic fuel injection--first the stock Ford EFI, then the Edelbrock Performer 5.0 setup as an upgrade. Then we installed a new dual exhaust system featuring 289 High-Performance exhaust manifolds to help out the Edelbrock cam.
Detailing our progress, we began with a baseline dyno reading of 125 hp at the rear wheels, a figure achieved with the engine in stock C-code trim, which included a two-barrel carb and stock log-type exhaust manifolds. When we last checked the 289, the figures had improved to 206 rear-wheel horsepower, with torque at 250 lb-ft. That’s an 81hp improvement--an impressive number from a tired 289. As a logical progression, we wanted to see what kind of power improvement could be made if we put all of the upgrade goodies on a new Ford Racing Performance Parts M-6009 B50 short-block assembly. Going from a 289 to a 302 would boost displacement by a modest 13 ci, but more importantly, the new short-block would provide higher compression and an even compression balance between cylinders. When we replaced our factory, cast-iron 289 heads with the Edelbrock aluminum units, we lost some compression because of the larger chamber volume on the new heads. With the new heads and the 289’s dished-out pistons, compression dropped to about 8:1. With the new short-block’s flat-top pistons, our compression would be up to a solid 9:1.
Another advantage with the new short-block is its roller camshaft. Our flat-tappet cam had a valve lift of .448-inch intake, .472 exhaust, with duration at 270 degrees for the intake and 280 degrees for exhaust. The FRPP B50 short-block comes with an E-303 roller cam with a .498-inch lift and duration of 282 degrees for both intake and exhaust. With slightly more lift and duration, our new cam would be another factor working in our favor for power enhancement.
We decided to keep our early-style V-belt accessory drive system, which would allow us to use our existing water pump and radiator. Otherwise, we would have to relocate the radiator's lower hose port. In order to retain the V-belt drive, we needed a late-model 5.0 harmonic balancer, but with the early-style, three-bolt mounting pattern required for the vintage pulleys instead of the late-model version with a four-bolt pattern. Total Performance came to the rescue with its special balancer, offered just for our purpose, along with a standard, 50-ounce AOD flexplate to match our late-model Automatic Overdrive transmission.
Clearly, there was going to be a lot of wrenching for this project. Any complete engine tear-down requires lots of gaskets, and for our new engine we wanted to be sure there were no problems when it came to sealing. That's why we specified ROL gaskets for the complete engine. ROL is a noted leader in high-performance gasket technology, and the folks there were kind enough to supply a complete engine gasket set for our project, including a one-piece oil-pan gasket. Whenever we encounter a big project where expert advice is needed, we enlist the help of the experts at Windsor-Fox Performance Engineering. Special thanks for their technical support and ongoing help in many Mustang & Fords' projects. We'll perform the swap at Windsor-Fox and then it's out to the Dynojet at Dan's Performance Center, where we'll see what kind of improvement comes with the new short-block.