[eschaider]

The majority of car owners on this site do not have 289 powered cars. Their engines range from 400 to about 500 cubic inches and larger for a reason. While the idea of a small displacement high revving engine possesses a certain romantic aura and tug on our heart strings, the simple fact of the matter is the vast majority of the car owners opt for displacement increases so they can enjoy that solid kick in the seat of the pants that is so intoxicating, at almost any speed.

There is one site member that used an FR500C Ford competition engine for his first car. The engine could easily exceed 7000 rpm by a wide margin and it made somewhere between 450 and 500 hp. After two or so years he sold the car and built a new car this time using a 482 inch FE for power.

The romance of the all conquering, high performing small block 289 of years gone by, has gone by and for good reason. Today there are better alternatives for the non competition driven replicas we all have today. The preponderance of the owners have voted with their wallets and the winner was larger displacement lower rpm engines which by the way require less maintenance to maintain those performance levels. By the way I believe the highest performing racing creation on the site here is Morris' 427 FE powered Kirkham which I believe uses a 482 inch FE.

In the end it is your car and your money, which makes any decision you make correct at the time you make it. However, just like so many who have had that same gleam in their eyes for the romantic small block that revved so high and won everything in sight a half century ago, you need to remember that was a factory backed, factory maintained effort a long time ago. Today we have even better alternatives available to us that make much more financial and performance sense.