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Will a 289 motor and trans from a 67' mustang work with a s10 rear end?

GORDO

New Member
I am building a t bucket.
There is a motor and tranny from a 1967 mustang (289)on Craigslist going for cheap. I was planning on using a SBC and have a 2x2 S10 rear end installed.No motor mounts or tranny mounts have been purchased yet. Will this combination work?

Are rebuilding parts easily available for this engine/tranny?
 
Parts for a 289 are not hard to come by. Is the trans a manual or a c4? As for fit, it should not be a problem--the 289/302 block is probably the second most common thing to put in a bucket (second only to the SBC). It's a great engine.
 
I run a 302/C4 with a S10 blazer rear. Like railroad said, when you shorten the driveshaft (I used a Camaro driveshaft) you can adapt using u joints.
 
Ben, how do you like the C4? I'm planning on running a 302 and will use either a C4 or AOD. I hear the the C4 tends to keep the motor in the rpm that produces exhaust drone. If you were starting from scratch, which tranny would you use?
 
The C4 is cheap and easy like T350's, and works well around town with the 3.73 gears. I had the C4, so it was an easy choice. If I did lots of highway driving, an AOD would be nice. I got about 18 mpg on the highway this summer when we went to the MO mini-nats. I don't get a bad drone, but then again, my exhaust set up is a bit different than most. If I had both to choose from, I'd go with the AOD and at least 3.73 gears- good low and and decent highway mileage.
 
I have an 8.8 out of an Explorer with 4.10 gears. I really think the od will be nice. I'm not really worried about the mileage as much as driveability and drone.
 
Ok, thanks guys I am going to seriously consider this engine. The down side is that the motor is not running and will probably need rebuilding. The owner is describing the condition as "unknown"
 
Better be really cheap. A non running engine in my book means a complete rebuild. Unless you were planning on redoing everything, it may not be such a deal.
 
Not many people sell good engines cheap. Be careful. I would pay more for one that runs. Lots of clapped out cars that run out there if you look. John
 
how do you like the C4? I'm planning on running a 302 and will use either a C4 or AOD.

Im running a 351 and a c4 (auto) in my mustang. There is a slightly higher stall converter in it and I have zero complaints on the trans or combo. As already stated, a good common trans for parts & info.

I would probably only buy the engine/ trans that you see on ebay, expecting it to be only good for some parts. If your looking at rebuilding, this is a very common engine and the price must be right for you. Id probably pay $200 for this combo tops. What happens when you spend days getting this thing to run only to find out theres a crack in the block? the altenator is shot, water pump leaking, bearings / rings need to be replaced, carb needs rebuild? Where was this engine stored? How long was it sitting? How many rats made nests in it? How much water/ moisture got inside the engine and froze/rusted? Obviously my point is that there are too many unanswered questions buying an "Unknown" engine.

Look for a good donor you can drive home, know it runs, have unlimited parts, scrap money in the end and many fewer headaches.
 
The guy is asking $175 i am going to take a look at it tomorrow. If i can get it for $100 it may be worth it, but i see what you mean about getting a car that i can drive home.
 
Pull all the spark plugs and look at them. if any are oil fouled or they all don't look the same, as in one looks brand new, because water from a cracked head has kept it clean. If all looks good turn the engine over by hand and listen for noises and feel for any clunkin inside.
 
What Ron Said! pull the valve covers off and look for broken parts. Pull all the plugs as Ron said, plus, when you rotate the crank, rock it back and forth and listen for the slack. Roll it over and pull the pan, make sure theres no shrapnel down there....
Look at the oil, its a good indication of how the motor was treated. How clean is the inside? Alot of sludge?
If it has a starter on it, hook it up with jumper cables to a good, strong battery (I carry one with me when I go to the salvage), run a compression check if it still has a carb on it. If the carb is missing, don't try this, there could be something in the intake that could damage a valve or a piston....
A compession check will give you a idea of the condition somewhat. Look for broken pieces on the outside of motor....and judge accordingly.
 

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