Seems there could be a number of reasons for the 260 vs the 289:
Cost - 260 might = cheaper
Availability - Ford might have accounted their own needs for all the 289's
available.
Track record - The 289 was a lesser commodity with a lesser known history.
Rootes might not have wanted to "be the first to know" (bad news).
Excess inventory - The 260's may have been over built and more readily
available.
Shipping schedule - Given that early Tigers were built mid 1964 and the
engines had to be built state side, then shipped they likely were built
early 1964 - or earlier. 260's might have been the only thing available to
ship on time.
Taxing - Maybe England had tax issues with certain displacements?
Ignorance - They might not have know the 289 was even available.
Arrogance - Ford and or Shelby might not have wanted the "latest" engine
made available to others.
Monkey see, Monkey do - Shelby put 260's in Cobras. Rootes puts 260's in
Tigers.
Timing - Ford release early Mustangs with 260's. They went to the trouble
to create a special bellhousing for a 260 to C-4 application. You have to
ask why if the 289 was available since late 1963 (I believe). So, it might
negate some of the reasons listed above, but even Ford saw reason to use the
260 in it's "new" Mustang.
I'll say this, at least Rootes didn't buy 221's. I think they were
available in 1963 when they were doing the development work.
So, here is the "improvised history" of the 260 based on the above
scenarios:
Rootes calls Ford and asks to buy some of those 260's, "just like Shelby
uses." Then Rootes says even if you have something newer, bigger (and Ford
doesn't say there is) we don't want it because we need to keep cost down.
Ford checks its production schedules and inventory and finds they need all
the 289's they can build anyway. But they have plenty of 260's (and
capacity for more). Ford relays this to Rootes who jumps at the opportunity
to have them shipped ASAP for their production needs.
Rootes has a meeting and proclaims they got a load of 260's (just like
Shelby) at a great price, shipped on time. And, they didn't wind up paying
more for a lesser proven engine (they might have only assumed existed).
Thus, they avoided becoming Guinea Pigs.
Ford has a meeting. They proclaim they dumped a boatload of un-needed 260
engines while keeping all the 289's for their own needs. And, they got them
out of inventory right away. When this news gets to Shelby he is thrilled
that the bigger engine doesn't get into the hands of potential competition.
Let the lore begin. :-)
Tom
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