Old motor with today's gas

I have this 66' Falcon wagon with a 289 and C4. I plan on using this as a daily driver as well as some long trips. It is the original engine and no hardened valve seats. From what I have read, is that there isn't a need to have new seats if the motor is not ran hard like racing. I will be doing some long hauls this year and don't need any problems. So, what do you people think?

Run it. If it breaks fix it.

I know several people running leaded gas engines on unleaded with no noticeable problems. If you are really concerned, you can get additives to replace the lead.

While your at it toss in a can of Zinc in the oil. Nothing is as it use to be.

Not really worried about it. Just don't want to be like in Little Rock and have a valve issue, but I don't expect to. A guy in the Falcon club has a 66' Ranchero and he is tearing his down to have hardened seats put in. I told him I didn't think he needed to. Just spending money on something he didn't need.

Most old engines don't run enough miles to be an issue. But if in doubt, add a can of fake lead twice a year, pretty cheap, won't hurt it any. My .02 worth. This problem is seriously overrated, but if you have something rare and worn out, might as well have the hard seats put in if the old ones are ground down in deep. Having a 428 CJ done- it will see some hard use, and the exhaust seats had been ground numerous times, and were quite deep thanks to "race springs" with 180#seated pressure. New springs are @ 115# seated.

So what is everyone's thought on this. Run it or change it?

My .02-

It is darned near impossible to kill a 289 with catastrophic failure, I doubt you need to concern yourself with the slooooowwwwwww effects of unleaded fuel with leaded valves. I say run it! (If it's running good now)

I'd run it. As long as you're not beating on it much I don't see it being a problem

junk it, give it to me.....lol

I've got a 5.0 in my brothers barn as a backup. Haven't been into it, but John said it was good!

I agree with the rest. Run it I dout you have any problems out of it. For that reason anyway.

Thinking about it another way, you will probably see more damage from zinc deficient motor oil in this engine over time than you will see damage from unleaded gas. This comment will make a "lubritorial engineer" cuss!

If you ever decide to tow a camper or trailer long distance I would go with hardened seats but just normal driving should be ok.