A friend of mine says he has an old 289 engine that's had the heads, valve covers, and intake off for a long time, but ran ok when it was taken out. He said it's rusted up pretty good, and pretty ugly looking, so he'd let me have it for dirt cheap (like lunch at McD's cheap). I don't know how bad an engine can be before it's not rebuildable... would letting it sit around and rust for a decade or so really cause any damage? Really all I'm looking for is a good block, crank, and rods... the rest I will replace with aftermarket parts.
This also leads to my next question. He says stock 289 rods are a little on the weak side, and should probably be replaced for anything that's going to turn some decent RPM. Is this true? I've heard from others that the bottom end on those is tough as nails, and all you need to do is build up the top end and they're good for 7000rpm. Any input?
This also leads to my next question. He says stock 289 rods are a little on the weak side, and should probably be replaced for anything that's going to turn some decent RPM. Is this true? I've heard from others that the bottom end on those is tough as nails, and all you need to do is build up the top end and they're good for 7000rpm. Any input?