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1967 2+2 Fastback A code with a K code engine, C5AE-6015-A.

I bought the car from a woman a few blocks from my home, It was given to her when her 91 father past away. It sat in her garage for 6 years when I bought the car. After driving it for a few weeks it started leaking from rear mains, trans, power steering, radiator and rear. I had the engine and trans pull by JMS Racing Engines in El Monte, CA. When they pulled the engine we found out it was a 289 hp C5AE-6015. The engine was .30 over and in great shape, JMS installed rings and bearings, seals and rebuilt trans. Is the car worth less because the engine
does not match the VIN number? Should I replace with the correct 289 225 hp?
 
I am no expert on "original" cars but in my opinion it should be worth more as the K code engine is more rare. But Mustang purists can be quite weird. I will always consider a nicely modified Mustang to be more valuable than a "correct" restored car because they are old and technology is dated. I drive mine, they don't go on a trailer or sit in a showroom garage. But I think it would be silly to put a A code 289 back in. The cost to "downgrade" would be a waste IMHO
 
Why do they think it's a K-code engine? Does it have the special distributor? The special harmonic balancer? Did it have a solid lifter cam? Does it have a VIN stamp? The special main caps? Special carb?
 
JMS the engine builder informed me the it was a K code engine, although not complete. Block, crank, rods, cam is new and correct grind, harmonic balance and heads are correct. Water pump was replace, intake and exhaust manifolds are off a 1968 289, carburetor and distributor have been replaced. I have look into replacing manifolds carburetor and distributor but the car runs strong, should I replace missing parts just to make the engine correct? I'm 67 and retiring the March and have no plans of selling the car.
 
Just a thought but it may be worth selling it to someone who needs an authentic K-code 289 to be installed in a real K-code car that has had it's engine replaced by a regular 289 somewhere along the way.
 
JMS the engine builder informed me the it was a K code engine, although not complete. Block, crank, rods, cam is new and correct grind, harmonic balance and heads are correct. Water pump was replace, intake and exhaust manifolds are off a 1968 289, carburetor and distributor have been replaced. I have look into replacing manifolds carburetor and distributor but the car runs strong, should I replace missing parts just to make the engine correct? I'm 67 and retiring the March and have no plans of selling the car.

My opinion ? just enjoy your car as long as you can. At the age of 67 , its all about enjoying life . I am 57 and thinking of making more time for myself instead of working.
my 0.02 eurocent.
 
If it runs strong and you plan to keep the car, I would leave it alone and enjoy it. maybe if you want to tinker you could find some of the correct missing parts and make a weekend job updating it. However, if you are looking to make a few bucks, the engine could be worth a lot to the right person but then you would spend a lot to find a decent 289 and go thru it to make sure it's a good engine. You may spend nearly as much (including paying someone if you don't do all of it yourself) to get a "correct" 289 and it won't be as cool or as strong and your car will be down all that time. But that is my opinion. You should do what makes you happy
 
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If it runs strong and you plan to keep the car, I would leave it alone and enjoy it. maybe if you want to tinker you could find some of the correct missing parts and make a weekend job updating it. However, if you are looking to make a few bucks, the engine could be worth a lot to the right person but then you would spend a lot to find a decent 289 and go thru it to make sure it's a good engine. You may spend nearly as much (including paying someone if you don't do all of it yourself) to get a "correct" 289 and it won't be as cool or as strong and your car will be down all that time. But that is my opinion. You should do what makes you happy

I'll second that .
 
Just a thought but it may be worth selling it to someone who needs an authentic K-code 289 to be installed in a real K-code car that has had it's engine replaced by a regular 289 somewhere along the way.
Roy,
If you post the VIN stamped in your block on the 289 High performance forum you might make the owner of the chassis VERY happy. There have been some recent stories (two that I am aware of) where the original VIN stamped motor has been returned to the owner of the (vintage Shelby) chassis.
http://hipomustang.com/
 
Finding a K code engine under the hood. Lucky you! I've heavily modified my original 302, that still has the car's VIN stamped behind the intake but, if I had replaced the original engine with a crate motor, I would never think of reinstalling the original engine just to be "correct". Besides, any replacement
A code engine would be just as incorrect as the K code that's in it. I had a belly full of "correctness" with a '69 Corvette 427/390hp coupe that I owned for about seven years. The car was a relatively low mileage (70k when I bought it and 77K when I sold it) original car with matching numbers, and it had all the desirable stuff on it like an M21 Muncie 4 speed and the F41 performance handling package. By the end of my ownership I felt more like the curator of a museum than the owner of a vintage muscle car. It turned heads on the street and at car shows, but I didn't dare change anything because it was all original, down to the stupid air pump and air manifolds that was Chevy's solution to the emissions issue in 1969. Take it from a really old guy (71 and counting) and enjoy your Mustang with the bonus performance engine.
 
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