Georgia Flash Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 I was out yesterday just riding around looking for my doner car when I struck gold. Well at least I thought I did. I found a mid 70's model Malibu Classic sitting in a parking lot for sale. You know the BIG Malibu model. So I took a look. The hood and trunk were almost rusted completly through and better yet the price on the window said $700! I know I could have offered the guy $400 and he would have broke my arm to get it! Now for the important question, what was under the hood? Could it be my coveted 350? Or will it be a big inline 6 like my father's old Malibu he had back in the 70's? Maybe a 305 even. I opened the hood to see a V-8 resting between the frame and got giddy! But when I looked at the sticker on the radiator support, you guessed it 305ci Here is my questions: Is a 305 worth getting or should I hold out for the 350? How much horsepower can I get from one of those, I had an IROC Z once with a 305 and it scooted along just fine. How can you tell the difference between the 305 and the 350 just looking at them in the engine bay? Oh by the way, as I have said before, I will not be interested in racing my Z-8 once it is done so I do not need or want un godly horsepower, just maybe 300 or 350 horses is all. I want to be able to smoke the ricers though heheh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 WAIT! get a 350, youll kick your self forever if you settle for a 305, 350s are everywhere if you look long enough, btw your smart looking for whole donor cars, Ive picked up quite a few over the years for next to nothing because the bodys were rusted or minor accident dammage, so keep looking, maybe youll even find a truck with a 427-454 and have a real project on your hands or at least a good engine to swap for a 350 plus $$$ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 I had an almost identical problem with my donor car only mine had a 327. I am really glad I waited to find a 350. According to the all mighty computer program If you build a 350 to have around 350HP like you said and then built a 305 with all the same components you would loose about 20HP and 35lb/ft of torque. IMO 20Hp is much more expensive than the difference between the two engines in costs. I was able to pick up a really clean 350 for $100. I would hold out for the 350. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 2, 2002 Share Posted May 2, 2002 How do you tell a 305 from a 350 ?????????????????? I do not know, but you are headed in the right direction looking at total cars. Try to find a 350 with a 700R4. My donor is a 73 Monte Carlo with 350 but has the 350 trans. I got a 2004R trans. The good side is that the 350 Monte Carlo came with a Edelbrock performer package minus the heads. I drove the car Sunday and it ran great! Keep looking! You run will into a great deal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted May 2, 2002 Author Share Posted May 2, 2002 Well I just came in from work and got what I figured I would. Thanks guys for waking me back up! I am sure that I will find that rusty old camaro, monte carlo, nova, or chevelle somewhere I tried to get to the back of the block to get some numbers yesterday but couldn't. What I was really hoping happened over the years someone may have stuck a 350 in there. All I could find was the firing order. My guess is that it will be the same on the 305 as the 350, right? The firing order was 18436572 if I looked at it right. Thanks guys for the quick responses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted May 3, 2002 Author Share Posted May 3, 2002 Well folks I rode around my town for about two hours tonight looking for that old car in the front yard sale. I had almost given up when I spied a 1978-79 rough looking Camaro sitting close to the road in someones front yard. I stopped and got the guy to the door who said that the car was for sale and that he wanted $800 for it. Better yet he said that it had a 350 and that it ran strong! He said that if I wanted to hear it run he would bring a battery home tomorrow from work and crank it up (it was around 8:40pm when I looked at it) I went out and took off the hood (yes it was held on by hood clips) and stood there looking at what appeared to be an aluminum intake and a massive looking Holly 4-barrel carb! Wooooohoooooo jackpot!!!! chromed valve covers and more! The battery in the Camaro looked like it was way too small so that would be his cranking problem. I will go back with some cash on Saturday because I will be working second shift tomorrow. If I buy it I will have to post some pics. Man I'm so happy that I want to run back down there and just give him the cash tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denny411 Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 Beat him up a little Very rarely is the first price given the bottom dollar. 800 usually means 600 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
georgiaz Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 If you lay $500 cash on the hood you might be pleasantly suprised. The worst that can happen is that he says no. If he turns you down, walk to your car. If he does not stop you offer him $600. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
utvolman99 Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 The 305 and the 350 look the same from the outside. you have to go by the casting # on the back of the block. Im sure grumpy or someone could supply you with a link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumpyvette Posted May 3, 2002 Share Posted May 3, 2002 links? ..we got links! http://www.mortec.com/location.htm http://www.mortec.com/castnum.htm http://www.chevellepages.com/castings.htm http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~don_s/chevheadnumbers.htm http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.html http://home.att.net/~fteufert1/bbchevy/bbcodes.htm http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.html#casting http://www.tracyperf.com/blockssb.html http://www.vehicleidentificationnumber.com/ http://www.auto-ware.com/techref/castnum.htm http://www.planet.net.au/~alexst/bigblock.html http://fteufert1.home.att.net/bbchevy/bbcast.htm http://fteufert1.home.att.net/sbchevy/sb-cast.htm http://www.enteract.com/~holeshot/bbcid.html http://www.enginetechnologiesinc.com/decoding.htm http://www.planet.net.au/~alexst/SBC-block.html http://www.4racecars.com/engineblocks.html http://www.nastyz28.com/bbcmenu.html#engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToplessZ Posted May 4, 2002 Share Posted May 4, 2002 Man sounds exciting I hope I get that lucky. Please post some pics If you get the car. I hope you get it for 5 bills that makes it all the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted May 5, 2002 Author Share Posted May 5, 2002 Well guys I will be heading off to try and get the Camaro in a few I will offer him $500 to start with and see what that gets me. I have learned in the past that when you flash 5 one hundred dollar bills in the face of someone who wants to sell something badly enough they will usually take it. Wish me luck, it has been raining here in north Georgia quite a bit lately and the thing is sitting in his flooded front yard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zfan Posted May 5, 2002 Share Posted May 5, 2002 Good Luck Georgia Flash!! Low Ball him! Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted May 5, 2002 Author Share Posted May 5, 2002 Oh well back to the drawing board. The guy now has decided that he doesn't want to sell it to me because his brother wants the car! I knew this was coming because he kept stalling with me. I tried to go and look at the car Friday night when I left work early but he said that his brother had the keys and that he had showed interest in buying the car and turning it into a drag car but never brought him the money. I called him a few minutes ago and he told me that his brother was going to bring him the money today....but if he didn't he would give me a call I will not hold my breath for this guy There are far to many Camaros and other vehicles for that matter that have the 350 in my area, I will find another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 Hang in there! I went to buy a real cheap Datsun 510 2 door sedan and bragged it up so much when I came back the next day with the money, the seller's friend bought the car listening to my high praise. I learned a lesson from that and just criticize these days. Scope the motor out and complain that wife will just hate the car and probably refuse to be seen it. The 73 Monte Carlo with the Edelbrock Package was bought for $450.00 and I complained that the 4 barrell carb was a gas hog and there was plenty of room inside for my wife to hide when we went to town in it. Above all just act stupid and totally unsure of the purchase.You could not pay my wife to ride in it!(which is true)So much fun buying these cars ,wish I was there to help you out and ...belley ache about how you were foolishly wasting your money on a gas hog when there was a little Ford Escort was all you needed as a work car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgia Flash Posted May 6, 2002 Author Share Posted May 6, 2002 LOL thanks T Zee, unfortunatly I never even made it that far. Just a couple of phone calls and a meeting with him at his front door. Oh well still searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike C Posted May 6, 2002 Share Posted May 6, 2002 I agree with everyone on the 350...for the most part. If you can score a TPI 305 from an 85-92 car for a good price I wouldn't hesitate to go that way. Especially if you could get a 91-92 235hp 5 speed setup. I have a buddy who did the first TPI swap I ever saw back in '87. It was a low mileage 305 from an '86 IROC. He added an SLP cam, Edelbrock intake base (only because the OEM one was warped) a set of headers and a DFI computer and harness. This is the NON roller cam motor that was rated at a puny 215 hp. He dropped this with the TH700r4 in his 3700# '74 Corvette convertible with 3.08 gears and ran 13.97 in Houston, and it drug down 27 mpg on the way there. With 1000# less, this would put a Z in the mid 12's with the same type MPG since the Z has more gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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