Easy one!!
Get a junk yard (salvage yard in Portland! 5.0 roller cammed engine. 85- 90'ish.  Most of the stuff on your 289 will swap over! Sell off the fuel injection stuff off the 5.0 (get$$).....sell your 289 short block (get$$$)....You COULD use the 289 crank and rods with custom pistons(which you'll need anyway) and build your own version of a Boss 302! OR part out the 289 to Ford purists (get$$$)
Although its a 'roller motor' I would still replace the roller lifters ..when you replace the camshaft for something hotter. You could use the 289 heads (more compression because they are smaller chambers) or sell them (get$$$) to Ford guys.
IF you sell all the stuff you don't need from the two engines you should come out REAL WELL money-wise IMHO.
IF you find a 351 roller engine (truck engines) a lot of the stuff won't swap over from the 289 butt........you got more 289 parts to sell off!......and you will be starting off with a LOT more HP and torque with the 351
Fun spending other guy$ money!!
6$ally6

Last edited by 6sally6 (10/11/2020 2:57 PM)

"

BB1

I'd look for a '86-'93 5.0 Mustang engine complete with EFI.  Get it in the car and running with a carb and standard ignition, then swap in the EFI later on.  Stone stock you'd be looking at 225HP and 300lbs/ft, which is significantly more than a stock 289 makes.  A few go fast parts and you can easily hit 300HP.

The 5.8 is interesting, but I'd be concerned about the rest of the drivetrain with an engine capable of that much torque over what your 289 makes. 

Sorry to bug all of you.
i found this on Eastwoods site: this would save a lot of time and frustration knowing it was new, just change out the cam?
DFH2 ATK FORD 302 87-95 ENGINE LONG BLOCK $2k 
or
Summit 
MLL-BPF30216C long block with roller $2400
But better yet would be just a complete crate motor and sell off my 289
 

Last edited by Cab4word67 (10/11/2020 5:37 PM)

Isn't it better to try to find an Explorer engine?  Less likely it was run as hard.

The newer engines do have the better heads, but the better heads are a bit of a mixed blessing.  Stock vs. stock the GT40 and GT40P represent a progressive improvement in low lift flow and efficiency over the E7TE heads the Fox Mustang 5.0s used.  If you're going to be happy with a stock head then its worth considering.  The reason I didn't recommend this route is that most of us are not going to be happy long term with stock.  None of these heads are worth spending money trying to improve IMO, so why pay the premium for the GT40 or GT40P?  If you want to step up power your first major part change would be to go to a good set of aluminum aftermarket heads (AFRs picked up 75HP on an otherwise stock Fox era 5.0).  I'll also add that the GT40P heads can have header fitment issues due to the raised exhaust ports.  If you don't already have headers its not a big deal to just get ones that will fit, but if you do then you're possibly buying headers again. 

The other reason I didn't recommend the later 5.0s was if you want to add the EFI in the future.  The later systems are simply not as conducive to a swap.  The Fox Mustang EECIV system is the best for swapping.  So, again, in the interest of spending money wisely once I think its a better option if you want EFI.  If you never want EFI and just plan to run a carb then it matters a lot less. 

IMO $2,000-$2,400 is an absurd price for a long block.  A dressed and running 5.0 can be had for $1,000 or less.  I think I'd just start there and put what I wanted in it.  Some of that comes down to ability and time though.  For some guys a crate engine is a better choice.