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289 i can build or prebuilt-up 428

850 views 6 replies 6 participants last post by  Johnny488 
#1 ·
Hello all.

General "what would you do" Question. I have a 66 galaxie 500XL i'm starting work on. The car has the 289 in it right now. I have been looking around and i am seeing tonnes of things i can do to it to make half desent power. I have also found a guy looking to part with a 68 428 that has already had lots of work done to it. The 428 will cost me 4000 canadian at least. What would you do??

The new guy
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the site. If it were my car, I would stick with the small block and use the $4,000 to put some nice speed parts on it. With the right parts, you can easily make 450 hp. Of course the big block will make hp easier, but will also require new exhaust manifolds, motor mounts, and other small things that can nickel and dime you to death.
 
#6 ·
If you spend the 4 grand on the 289 to make 350 HP you would only be about 28 HP short of a stock 428 and more important is that you would likely still be at least 100 ft lbs light on the torque?

If you can afford all the parts to make the 428 work in your car you will be a lot happier but just remember the engine will only get you about 1/2 way there.

If you do go with the 428 make sure the engine comes with the flex plate or flywheel and the correct balancer for the 428. These are the only externally balanced FE motors and those parts are hard to come by. For everything else you could by yourself a big block Donner car and get all the other parts cheaper that you can buy all the parts.

Scott...
 
#7 ·
Thanx for all the input guys. I see what you are all saying about putting the 4Gs into the small block but i do have to admit having the torque of the big block would surely motivate that old boat down the road. I'll be posting the results of my desision in the hopefully near future. I am enjoying this site pretty well so far. I think i'll stick around.
 
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