289 Engine Specs

The Advantage of Wide and Short

This configuration gave the engine an immediate advantage on the street and the track. An engine with a wide cylinder has room for big valves to draw in the fuel/air mixture and push out exhaust gas. A short stroke means the piston doesn't travel very far during the firing cycle, cutting down on wear. The short stroke/wide bore engine gives better performance during spirited driving because it revs easier and higher than long stroke engines. The inherent performance advantage means that aftermarket improvements can be simple and effective.

The Best 289

In 1964, designer Carroll Shelby and Ford collaborated on the Shelby 350 Mustang. Together, they created the 289 High Performance engine with sturdier connecting rods, main bearing caps and exhaust valves. They installed a solid lifter cam, free-flowing exhaust manifolds, a high-rise intake manifold and a dual point mechanical advance distributor, and the result was a stock engine which could produce 306 horsepower. In racing form, the engine could be modified easily to produce 450 horsepower.

Ford wanted a accomplished powerhouse with the 289 V-8 engine. It could equip it with a minor carburettor, low performance cam, basic manifold and low compression ratio and utilize it as the mould engine for its larger models. Alternate to a chock-full, high-flow carburettor, free-flow manifolds and a raised compression ratio and the engine gave metal-heads all the performance they wanted

The Basics

The engine displaced 289 cubic inches with a Muzzle and stroke of 4.00 inches and 2.87 inches. The horsepower ratings ranged from 195 to 306 with a span of compression ratios from 8.71 to 1 to 11.6 to 1. Torque ratings went from 282 foot-pounds to 329 ft-lb. The principles performance engines used popular petrol. Mid-range engines ran on premium and the top boundary 306 horsepower engine required super-premium. The engine weighed from 460 lb to 474 lb and was made from cast iron. The cylinder head was cast iron also, except for the high-end Shelby which was made from aluminum.