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Originally Posted by bodypainter
Gnzo got what I missed - I was just thinking of a 350 being a Chevy engine and not the GT350 angle. I still remember being crushed to learn the Mustang that Steve McQueen drove in Bullit had a Chevy small block instead of Ford power.
Personally if I wasn't concerned with the car having the 'correct' engine, I would get the 351 Windsor. I am pretty sure it's the same size block as the 289/302 and may even use the same motor mounts (paging Merkerguitars - you probably know all about this). There are plenty of dress-up and performance parts for the 351W.
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Ok the difference between a 289/302 and 351W, all three of these engines are classified as Windsor engines, because they originated from the ford windsor plants, all are really good choices for an engine. the 289 and 302 are identical in block size, just the 302 has a bigger pistons iirc. Now the 351 windsor is a stroked out version of the 302, hence its a bigger block. It's just a little wider resulting in a wider intake manifold, and the bolts for the heads are 1/2" size and not 7/16". You can put 351W heads on a 302 or 289 you just need to get a special set of reducers, and to put 302 or 289 heads on a 351w you just need to bore the bolt holes bigger. Otherwise the layout of 351w stuff is the same, 289,302 timing chain covers will fit on a 351w so do accesory brackets, starters, oil pans, etc. And motor mounts hooke up the same and generally will fit in any car with a 302, the 351w was more of a truck motor. The only reason you see special exhaust headers though is the 351w can be a tighter squeeze against most strut towers. And also note that the 351w is considered a small block still despite it being a little bit bigger. Personally if had to choose any engine that I could own it would be the Boss 302 which is an oddball engine. The boss 302 consisted of a normal 302 block, connecting rods with bigger than normal bolts and Cleveland 4v (4 barrel) heads, the block has the bolt holes in the cleveland pattern and not the windsor style and a special designed intake manifold to match up the oddball combination of head/block. The only problems with ford windsor engines is that heads don't flow as well as the other 2 of the big 3, and the boss 302 with cleveland heads solved the problem of a small block ford with good flowing heads = lots of power.