[graeserhp]

Hey everyone! I have a 68 that i recently found out (helza) has a 74 302 motor and c 4 trans Im not to worried about it being original serial # 8F91C583883 The marti report shows it was built on july 10th 1968 with a 289 2v I dont get that! They were even less than 2 months away from the 69 production! shouldnt have been a 302?

 

[CougarCJ]

Could have been a 302, but someone (dealer) ordered that car with a 289.

Trivia - 1968 Cougar XR7's never got 289 engines, 302's or larger only.

They didn't have 302-2V's after 1968 in a Cougar.

 

[c7xr7]

The very plain 68 non-XR7 cougars (I had one at one time) received the 289 motors. There are several theories on why the 289 was used in these plain Jane Cougars and they have been discussed on this and other Cougar forums. Just know it was not and is not unusual.

 

[CougarCJ]

As far as entry level engines go:

1968 Mercury Cougars, approximately 23% came with the C code 289-2V engine.

1968 Ford Mustangs, approximately 29% came with the T code 200-1V engine.

Conversely, in the 1968 Ford Mustang, approximately 54% came with the C code 289-2V engine.

So what does it all mean? the 289-2V is a perfectly acceptable engine, although most descriminating Mercury Cougar buyers opted for more power!

 

[XR7Phil]

Don't know how true this is but I read somewhere that STD 68 Cougars came with 289 2V engines because Ford ran out of 302 engines late in 68.

 

[Billy]

The good news is they are essentially the same motor. Just swap in a 302 crank and you have a 302. My 67 block is even stamped with 302.

 

[letsroll]

The good news is they are essentially the same motor. Just swap in a 302 crank and you have a 302. My 67 block is even stamped with 302.

make that crank and pistons and rods. Can't just swap the crank.

 

[graeserhp]

great info thanks

 

[Mercury6768]

Mid-year '68s with the standard (non-decor) interior will have a 289 instead of a 302. My '68, which has a build date of July 17th, is so equipped.

 

[Capt_Crunch]

This is interesting. I have an original 1968 standard Cougar where the VIN abd body code both point to a 302-2V engine but the air cleaner sticker reads 289. I have been researching to determine which engine is really in the car. Thoughts are that the sticker may have been replaced at one time or that a 289-2V was dropped in in place of the 302-2V due to lack of 302 engines. I just would have thought that the codes would have been adjusted at the factory prior to shipment. I haven't pulled the starter off to look at the engine code on the block but even then I have heard that that is not conclusive. Some have said that you actually need to measure the stroke or look at the cam.

 

[c7xr7]

I think you can pull a valve cover and the heads should be stamped.

 

[Capt_Crunch]

This is actually a good idea. I know that they used some 302 blocks early on and bored them for 289 so finding a 302 stamp on the block is not for sure but the heads are a different thing.

 

[Billy]

Same bore on a 289 and 302, you would have to measure stroke. The heads should be stamped as C7XR7 says, assuming they are original. Mine is a 67 with a 289, block is stamped 302. I thought I read that the PN on the block is the same for the 289 and 302. I know it's original as I know the original owner and have all the paperwork. Is it possible the 302 stamped in the block is just a coincidence?