289 vs. 302

[Rev]

I think almost everyone has missed the point here! The 289 should be stroked to 302, 331, or 351, whatever you're comfortable with, for the power you want. The bottom end must be made compatible with the RPM where you intend to make peak HP. That might require high end (read expensive parts).

The heads, intake, cam, and exhaust will have to be right for that power range. At the same RPM, you won't match the power with less displacement. That's an old hotrodders adage "there's no replacement for displacement". Actually that's only true for "normally aspirated engines", no power adders..

When the engine's torque curve is determined, then the rest of the car must be set up to optimize that engine's character, or else all bets are off. With everything else optimized, the higher displacemrent engine will always win.

That's why most racing classes specify displacement. Destroked engines were only produced to fit into a lower displacement racing class, not because they produced more power.

Rev