True unless one springs for a set of aluminum heads and intake for that 390, yeah that where the build a small block for less money part kicks in... BTW Those are weights are with all cast iron parts, with alum heads intake and tube headers you can knock off around 65/70lbs off a 302, 80/85 lbs from a 351 and over 100 off that 390(alum intake alone knocks off 55lbs on those engines)...
how fast,quick do you want to go? you can make 500hp with a 302, aluminum heads, roller cam, and run in the 6's at 100mph a (1/8) of course, have fun with the , but work on those reacton times, you gotta be on the .070 or better, gotta find a spot on tree to get some consistency. you get good rt's, your gonna go rounds. good luck
My TF-R heads weigh more than stock 351w, not sure about the 289/302, but I do know that the stock cast FE heads weigh a ton.......did a lot of work on my 427 heads and they are heavy............but have you lifted an aluminum FE head lately.................they are still heavy.
Not lately but a couple years ago my engine guy built a all alum 452cu in FE in a Ron Pond alum block, that block was a flyweight compared to my 428CJ(yeah we all had to take turns lifting it)... I don't know exactly what a FE iron head weighs(I can toss one on the scales though) but they aren't much larger than 302/351 head, my guess is 10 Lb at most... Of course that intake is another story, weighs over twice that of a 302...
I would take that 390 and turn it into a 428,they make a reasonably priced stroker kit for it now.390s were pigs,never saw one run very well,but I would`nt put an FE in a Mav anyway unless it was a full tube chassis.