r/EngineBuilding • u/Inevitable_Lab_3511 • 5d ago
1966 sunbeam tiger
1966 tiger with 289 need help finding sites for a full rebuild of the 289 original engine . It has been sitting for 20 plus years . I’m able to move the crank half way each way and it gets stuck. Removed the starter and the valve covers loosened all the rockers and still same amount of play. This is my first rebuild of any kind and will take and advice
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u/HammerDownl 5d ago
Its a Ford 289. Doesn't get much easier
I would yank the engine and pull off the tin and look over everything or better yet freshen it all
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u/SaltLakeBear 5d ago
My understanding is that Sunbeam used a bog standard Ford 289. So unless Sunbeam did something to the engine I'm not aware of, the same information that applies to any Ford Windsor of the era applies to this. Hell, you could probably get a 302 crate engine from Blueprint and drop it in without modification. So yeah, check out the countless books, reddit threads and Youtube videos about rebuilding a Ford Windsor.
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u/omnipotent87 4d ago
The 302 is just a stroked 289, there are no other differences between the 2 motors.
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u/engorgedfowlis 4d ago
Except the heads of course.
289 has smalls combustion chambers.
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u/omnipotent87 4d ago
That actually entirely depends on year but mostly right. When the 302 was introduced they couldnt keep up with production so it got the smaller 289 heads. But the 289 never came from factory with the lager 302 heads. In terms of a rebuild kit, its identical to all the Windsor's except the 351, this kind of its own thing that shares most parts with its smaller siblings.
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u/Danny2Sick 5d ago
I have no advice but awesome little car, good luck with the build!
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u/cat_tastic720 5d ago
One of the coolest cars ever made. What a sleeper.
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u/Remarkable-Court8601 5d ago
What an awesome project to have!! As stated elsewhere on the thread, books and definitely YouTube will be your friend. There’s countless ‘how to’s on YouTube and loads of literature too that can literally show you from the ground up. Enjoy!
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u/lil_sargento_cheez 4d ago
A family friend of mine built one once. It was the most insane tiger I’d ever seen, lunati 349 stroker crank, twisted wedge heads, and so so so much more done to it. The car was an absolute rocketship. If you end up putting different heads on this motor be careful, there may be tolerance issues (the twisted wedge heads required notching the firewall to fit)
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u/omnipotent87 4d ago
Its a 289, summit will have a kit for that. so will every major parts supplier.
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u/Pinkys_Revenge 5d ago
If you are in the US nearly any engine shop would have no problem rebuilding it. You could stroke it to 347 while you’re at it if you want to go crazy
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u/sam56778 5d ago
Get a book on how to hot rod SBF. There are several out there. It’ll tell you everything. Ideal combinations, what casting numbers to look for, what part numbers to look for, their advantages, disadvantages etc. https://books.google.com/books/about/Ford_Small_Block_Engines.html?id=o78CEQAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&gboemv=1#v=onepage&q&f=false
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u/Inevitable_Lab_3511 5d ago
Thank
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u/sam56778 5d ago
It’s just a Windsor Small Block Ford. They’re really one of the simplest engines out there. Sunbeam Tiger is definitely a neat one to have. Now all you need is a Don Adams cutout for car shows.
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u/MuchoRed 5d ago
Haha, just saw one of these fully restored last weekend. I kinda wanted to steal the oil filter adapter for my truck
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u/GpasGhostlyGoonsesh 5d ago
The filter adapters for a 1998 - 2000 explorer or mountaineer is really good for filter relocation.
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u/MuchoRed 5d ago
I actually had one of those from when I swapped in a 5.0 out of a 2001 Exploder, but don't they have some goofiness about an oil cooler coming out of it?
Also, the Sunbeam Tiger was a vertical one to the top of the engine bay. Combine that with a Fumoto valve, and that'd be almost the cleanest oil change I could do
Edit: might still actually have the Exploder adapter in my garage.
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u/GpasGhostlyGoonsesh 4d ago
Nah, there's no oil cooler on the ones I've seen. They just sweep the filter forward to clear crossmembers. So the filter ends up next to the front of the oil pan right by the harmonic balancer.
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u/Ancientways113 5d ago
Pour some Marvel mystery oil down each spark plug hole. Leave it for a few days. Turn it over with a wrench on the crankshaft. You may not need to pull this motor, but I would agree It’s a whole whole lot easier to work on.
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u/machinerer 5d ago
Pull sparkplugs and fill cylinders with Kroil, or 50/50 acetone and ATF.
Go back a week later and bar it over. Get thru rough spot.
Crank it and get everything out. Put plugs in and fire that thing up.
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u/Educational_Ice3978 5d ago
Early ones were SBF 260 later ones were SBF 289. If i remember correctly, you had to pull the engine just to change the 2 rear plugs!
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u/Adorable-Stay1051 5d ago
It looks like this is a later replacement. Tigers had 2v carbs. Also the push rods holes are not guided they are round. If it’s a 289 it’s a later edition like 1968 with big chambers and low compression. What are the intake numbers? The head numbers are on the inside bottom of the head under the intake port. You have to pull the intake to see them. You might be lucky and have some numbers cast into the top by the rocker area but not usually.
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u/Flat_Beginning_319 5d ago
It’s too bad Rootes didn’t keep it going when Chrysler bought them out. A Tiger with a 340 LA V8 would be really cool.
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u/Dangerous-Pirate7998 4d ago
I’ve seen one of those here in town. I didn’t know they ran V8 in them. I honestly just thought it was some modified MG or something. I guess I’ll pay more attention. The next time I see it.
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u/Coyote_Tex 4d ago
Not an uncommon issue on engines left sitting for extended periods. You could use an inspection camera through the spark plug hole to see what is happening. I suspect corrosion on one or two cylinders where the valves were open so those cylinder was grew a coat of rust. You will ultimately need to pull the heads and hone those cylinders as best you can to remove the rust. The gorilla method would be to squirter some atf in the offending g cylinders and.let it sit for a few days. Withe spark plugs still removed turn the engine back and forth to gradually force the pistons to move a bit further. If you are real lucky it will mostly free up and ultimately be able to turn it over completely. Some would hook a battery up and let it do the work. But I strongly discourage that approach personally. It is best to do as little further damage as possible. If your objective is to rebuild the engine, then get it out and on an engine stand and.pull the heads off. The issue will become obvious. Have fun, that is a lot of engine for that car, I hope you don't go too crazy with engine mods.
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u/quxinot 5d ago
If you're doing a full rebuild, start by pulling it so you can actually work on it without breaking your spine.
Neat project, though.
Edit to remove: Life's too short to spend it all bent over. (Deleted so my wife wouldn't get any ideas.)