How To Rebuild A 289 Hi-Po Engine

Who is Buddy Bar?
Buddy Bar is a name we hear frequently in Shelby and Ford high-performance circles. But who and what is Buddy Bar? It's a large aluminum foundry located in South Gate, California, in the Los Angeles area. Family owned and operated since it opened in 1951, Buddy Bar's slogan is "No job too large or too small," which means it serves both automakers and specialty shops alike.

Buddy Bar currently employs 150 people in a 60,000 square-foot plant. Today Buddy Bar has the latest state-of-the-art CNC-machining technology with eight high-tech machines to get the job done. In a world that has been ever changing since the '50s, it's nice to see Buddy Bar remains a family operation all these years later.

Again, here's what consistent...        read full caption Again, here's what consistent oil changes will do for you. The oil pickup is clean after 42 years of operation.	The original timing chain...        read full caption The original timing chain and gear was replaced at some point during the engine's life, which is not surprising. Contrary to popular belief, 289 High Performance engines did not have a dual-roller timing set or iron cam gear. They had a conventional silent chain setup with a nylon-coated aluminum cam gear, which was replaced at some point with this aftermarket iron gear timing set.	Here's the original 289 High...        read full caption Here's the original 289 High Performance mechanical lifter camshaft. We're going to replace it with a similar flat-tappet grind from Comp Cams.
One thing that makes the 289...        read full caption One thing that makes the 289 High Performance V-8 different from 289-2V/4V engines is this slide-on counterweight, PN C3OZ-6A360-A, which goes between the timing sprockets and No. 1 journal. According to Bob Mannel's small-block V-8 book, this counterweight is pinned to the C3OZ-6306-A crank sprocket. It is virtually impossible to install this counterweight incorrectly.	Although we're convinced the...        read full caption Although we're convinced the Cobra T-pan was removed at one time, probably during the replacement of the timing set, Rolo's 289 High Performance engine still has the original-style reinforced neoprene pan end gaskets.	Although the 289 High Performance...        read full caption Although the 289 High Performance connecting rods are standard C3AE forgings (C3OZ-6200-A, ultimately replaced by C3OZ-6200-C according to Bob Mannel's excellent small-block V-8 book), they were specially treated with heavy-duty caps and 3/8-inch rod bolts with easily identified bolt heads. Note these rods are painted yellow for quick identification. Bob Mannel says some were also painted orange. Connecting rods are also numbered to each cylinder to ensure proper location per factory balancing. We suggest keeping each rod assigned per cylinder number.
Here's the 289 Hi-Po's cast...        read full caption Here's the 289 Hi-Po's cast flat-top piston with the C3AE rod. The 289 engine used either flat-top or dished pistons to control compression ratio. Early in production, 260 and 289 pistons had four ring grooves. By 1966, there were three grooves for top compression ring, middle oil wiper ring, and bottom oil control rings. Although it is surely published somewhere that 289 High Performance engines had forged pistons, this was never the case.	Main caps are milled to get...        read full caption Main caps are milled to get them square with block saddles...	...then dressed with a file...        read full caption ...then dressed with a file to remove rough edges.
Once the main caps are installed...        read full caption Once the main caps are installed and torqued to specifications, the line bore is honed to achieve a perfect circle in each main journal. The key is to have just the right amount of bearing crush when main caps are torqued.	Hi-Po Block Identification...        read full caption Hi-Po Block Identification All 289 blocks were basically the same. Where the 289 High Performance block differs is its wider main caps. This is a C5AE-6015-E block casting from the Cleveland foundry with a "CF" logo. There were also 289 blocks cast at the Windsor Iron Foundry as well, which will have a "WF" cast in the lifter valley.	We've been told that all 289...        read full caption We've been told that all 289 High Performance engines were stamped with the vehicle identification number. This one, stamped on the side of the block, matches the Shelby's Ford VIN of 6R09K120XXX. Although there is a flat boss at the front of the block, Ford never used the boss for vehicle identification numbers.