1965 (Sept 23 64 Build) Kar.
California whole life - 2 x Owners - Completely bone dry vehicle with a single patch of rust the size of a deck of playing cards on the drivers front floor. Honey Gold paint is new but not rotisserie restoration. Drivers door is not original and new door is carrying the donor vehicles door tag.
The Differential is running a 3:1 ratio third member gear to my understanding on the original 9 inch 28 spline axle - Transmission is original to my understanding.
Original front disk but not a GT.
Current 289 (not HiPo) is shot.
Question: Should I persist to hold out to try to piece together a HiPo knowing it never going to be a numbers matching vehicle or just purchase a 302 crate engine (circa 300hp $5,000) and drop it in for parable performance to the original spec?
Or do both in parallel (might be answering my own question here).
The vehicle is about to undergo a full front to rear replacement of all bearings, bushes and main suspension gear, brake refurb etc and new exhaust including a full rust prevention treatment. So it will be all but new underneath and throughout.
I'd welcome any thoughts.
Kind regards
Peter