[mydooris4]

If a 289 is really $4k I would just buy a 351 cleveland best sounding engine in my opinion and there's a rebuilt one on ebay for about $4500.

 

[mydooris4]

Has anyone here rebuilt their engine on a budget at home? I imagine if you have the tools and expertise you could do it for a few hundred bucks in seals/gaskets/bearings, no? Like just a simple drill hone to crosshatch the cylinder walls, clean it up and new bearings? I was thinking of doing that with a new comp cam

 

[mydooris4]

I’m of the opinion that if you got it apart…put it back together right the first time. I’d machine it and have it all checked out. Can you get by with a re-ring, new bearings, gaskets and seals? Maybe and maybe not. That’s a gamble you take. it’s not worth it to me….I have bad luck and I’ve learned not to push it. But it is your car and your call.

It would depend on the condition of the block for me. I'm on a tight budget and I could do everything except surface and professional hone. I've even heard of guys using very fine (I think like 1000-2000 grit) sandpaper on a block to clean up their block mating surfaces, whatever gets your car going for the cheapest. If I'm going to rebuild the engine I'd like to do forged internals and new heads but my budget doesn't agree. Just something to get it out of the junkyard and driving for another 5 years

 

[mydooris4]

My drill hone plan would only happen if the cylinders are in good condition and just smooth from years of road use, if everything checks out I would drill hone it just to give the oil something to stick to again. If anything was uneven or out of spec I would definitely take it to my local machine shop.