Marvin McAfee of MCE Engines (Marvin's Custom Engines) in Los Angeles has a 289 small-block he wants to rebuild for a customer. The customer wants the same outward appearance of a 289, but he also wants more torque for peppy performance. And there's one other challenge. Times being what they are, there's not a lot of budget--the customer needs Marvin to build this engine as inexpensively as possible.
Marvin will tell you he doesn't build budget engines, nor does he start from crate engines because he doesn't cut corners. So how can you make more torque from a 289 without spending a fortune?
The block is a 289 casting...
The block is a 289 casting from the Windsor, Ontario, foundry and engine plant, hence the "WF" marking. Most 289 and 302 engines were from the Cleveland foundry and came with a "CF" marking. There's minimal sludge thanks to clean oil and freeway operation. Engines get warm from steady open road operation, which reduces condensation and oil contaminant levels.
Marvin decided to order a trustworthy 331ci stroker kit from Eagle Specialty Products. Marvin didn't break the bank with his displacement agenda due to a cast steel crank (which is actually high-grade nodular iron), forged I-beam rods with ARP 3/8-inch bolts, and forged flat-top pistons with ductile iron rings. This gives our "289" the added benefit of added displacement via a pinch more stroke and a 0.030-inch overbore. Yet it costs virtually the same as machining the 289's 1M crankshaft and reconditioning its C3OE rods.
This month, Marvin is disassembling our 150,000-mile 289, performing an inspection, and determining what is needed. Machine work begins in earnest shortly. Next month, we're going to assemble the 289 using an Eagle 331ci stroker kit for more torque down low and more horsepower on top.
 This is what regular cooling...  This is what regular cooling system service will do for you. Note minimal water jacket corrosion thanks to cooling system flushes and new coolant every two years. The intake ports are pristine thanks to the use of quality engine oil and steady highway operation. |  Our subject engine is a '67...  Our subject engine is a '67 289-2V that has never been apart, other than a timing set replacement at around 100,000 miles. It has a working Thermactor air-injection pump system in the spirit of California emission standards. For the past four decades, it has been driven daily by a schoolteacher who stayed on top of oil changes, cooling system flushes, and regular tune-ups. |  Check out the inside of the...  Check out the inside of the valve covers; they're free of sludge, again thanks to steady hot operation (open highway) and regular oil changes. |
 Rail-style rocker arms first...  Rail-style rocker arms first entered service on May 8, 1966, along with machined cylinder head castings (at the pushrod holes) and pent roof valve covers, which entered service at the same time. Pent roof valve covers were incorporated to clear the rail-style rocker arms. |  Marvin McAfee is pulling and...  Marvin McAfee is pulling and discarding the 289's Thermactor emissions head castings. He won't throw them away because they have value with restorers. However, when it comes to performance, he has something better in mind from Holley and Weiand. |  The 289's original C6OE cylinder...  The 289's original C6OE cylinder head castings show excellent wear considering age and mileage. These heads got their share of leaded gasoline in the late '60s, so we're surprised the combustion deposits are minimal. In the old days, the exhaust valves would be white. |