another spare engine

[jmthehermit]

While doing the swap meet/vending thing I talked to an older gent who stated he was cleaning out his garage. He just finished the last car he ever planned to build and needed more space. So guess what followed me home this past week --- a 1964 5 bolt bell 289 that was totally for FREE. No carb, water pump, pulleys or generator and the crank wouldn't spin. It's got the oil fill/breather tube in the top of the timing case cover but the exact valve covers sans chrome as found on the tiger motors. Another stroker core. Jeff http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2909578070100474824rVWYrY?vhost=rides

 

[agmason]

I suppose a frozen engine is not worth much to begin with and that is why it was free.

 

[jmthehermit]

The important thing is finding an uncut block. The 289 has a small threshold for doing an over bore. I never had one cut more than 30 over due to maybe having a hot spot show up on a cylinder wall and causing an overheating problem. To do a stroker, you're going to replace the crank, rods and pistons anyway plus do the required 30 over bore. Usually when stripping down a motor things tend to loosen up and come apart easier once the bearing caps are removed. Using a 5 bolt bell block allows you to drop the motor in and not have to change anything else. Much cheaper than converting to a 6 bolt bell engine. Jeff

 

[agmason]

What is the displacment with the stroker motor you are building? I would think you would have to change the radiator to something with more capacity to cool the extra cubes.

 

[jmthehermit]

I'm leaning more to the 331 cu instead of the 347 for the first build. I had a conversation with the Rousch engine people at a Goodguys weekend but they only do 6 bolt bell whole engines and don't sell stroker kits just individual parts. I also found out they did install one of their crate engines in a Tiger somewhere in Michigan. The trouble to convert the car for a 6 bolt bell engine is out of the question. I have the original 260 drivetrain in storage, 2 5 bolt 289's, extra head sets for 260, 289 and 351 (1969 date code) and a couple of tiger rears. The rears are going to be posi but one a stock 288 and the other around a 323 ratio. I like the idea of easy interchangeability.

 

[64beam]

Hi Jeff,

You are certainly stock piling V8 bits. The latest addition hopefully will test out ok for a spare block. I actually was tempted to buy a 289 special (don't know what the 'special' means) off Ebay. It would only sit in my garage for ages though . Is 331 the maximum a stroked 289 can go?

Regards, Robin.

 

[jmthehermit]

Hi Robin, actually 347 cu in is the limit plus or minus a few cubes for these blocks. And yes, I have been buying extra parts since shortly after getting my car in May of 1969. See pic below 7/17/1969 Tiger rear, cost $68.90. Within the past 2 years I got involved with a friend selling vintage parts, sheet metal and trim for the hot rod and custom hobby. Day trips within a radius of 150 miles are not out of the question to get to a new junk yard. Most are private, some even brand specific and have cars from the 30's to 60's which won't get crushed like the newer models. So when I find a useful part it comes home with me. I've also made a lot of contacts while vending parts at swap meets and car shows for locating Sunbeam parts and cars too. As a side note, this summer I met a guy from Australia who was spending his 2 weeks vacation with a friend from Binghamton, New York. He was on a parts buying trip for himself and his friends. He was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania at a custom car show with his shopping list and he had the biggest smile on his face from seeing all the old pieces. He said it was his dream vacation, going to junk yards and buying parts. I'll bet he still has that smile now. It's amazing what the car hobby can do to people. Jeff