Guest rick458 Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 Gentlemen; I have searched but not found a reasonable power level of a 305 chevy (carbed version not tpi) for a strictly bolt on motor IE good heads (or reworked stock offerings) stock crank, good intake, carb, and matched cam. probably in front of a TH350 and keeping the 74s R180 rearend I wont be drag racing the car I just want it to scoot and I have the freshly redone TH350 and a 305 Or would I just be better off with a GM goodwrench motor with a good topend and a 700R tranny Throw me a bone Guys I have searched high and low and only came up with scraps from Hotrodders.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 Personally I would pass on the 305. The pistons are too small to use aftermarket heads without shrouding the valves and there is really no room for expansion. Go 350 and at least and you will have a ton of options in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zfan Posted April 18, 2004 Share Posted April 18, 2004 I agree. I would go 350 only but I am sure some would disagree as a few have made decent power with 305's. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73TPIZ Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 Although i feel i'm one that has made good power with the 305 (although, with TPI) i would not disagree with the above. the countdown is on to the 355ci, i just have to keep upping the starting number . Unless you're out to prove a point with the smaller engine (which i love doing sometimes at the track ), may as well go 350. Besides, if you do make good power, everyone thinks you're lying and runnin' a 350 anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 Just my .02$ here... When I had my 85 RX7 with the sbc, I thought I was buying a 350. turns out it was only a 305 (yah, I got burned cause I didnt check the block number.. ) and not even a good 305. The cam was soft, and it was a high milage engine sucking through a junk quadrabog 4bbl. Hooked up to a leaking TH350 auto. ANYway, I threw it in the RX and went with it. If you just wana blast around town, a 305 is pleny fun in a light little car! Seriously, I did NOTHING to that engine (performance wise) and it moved my car like heck!! Even after floating the valves, setting the timing by ear (teribly adanced BTW) and many runs up to 5000rpm or so (lost the vac line up the side of the tranny; no up shift till 5000 no mater where the throttle was!) it STILL pulled hard, and kicked me in the butt evry time I stomped the gas. Besides... with much more power than a stock 305, I think the 180 rear would probly explode would it not? Just my thoughts.. If you just wana bomb around town, I'd go for the 305. Plus, they are CHEEP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Juday Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 If your R180 is in good shape it should handle the 305 with an auto tranny just fine. I know guys here that have used R180's with 350's and auto tranny with no problems. Manuals are harder on a rearend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 This seems to be an interesting post as I'm putting an 305/350 into my 240 also. Torque cam, rams horn exhaust and a 600 holly on a stock aluminum manifold. I'm not looking for super hole shots or smoke up the whole block burn outs. I feel it would be a great cruzin car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A. G. Olphart Posted April 19, 2004 Share Posted April 19, 2004 Cheaper to feed than a 406, and what's the point in having a cruiser if you can only cruise on payday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rick458 Posted April 21, 2004 Share Posted April 21, 2004 can I get to a streetable 300 hp-ft/lb with good heads,intake, and cam if I bumped up to say a 9.5/1 cr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Yes, you can get as much HP as you want, but it's gonna be easier, and cheaper with a 350. 300hp shouldn't be hard though...at the crank anyways.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 77vegasz Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 There is an outfit that sells rebuilt 305 heads on Ebay under the name amperheads. They put 1.94 and 1.50 valves in them, new guides, springs etc. and do some minor valve unshrouding and then deck them. They go for about 300.00 a set. These will keep your compression up, plus breath alittle better than stock 305 heads. With a good cam and matched intake, 300 + hp will be easily obtainable at a reasonable price. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rick458 Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 Thanks Jon I will have to check them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gtmattz Posted April 22, 2004 Share Posted April 22, 2004 I have a 305 with a set of gm '411' heads w/the 1.94 valves, has the edelbrock performer cam/intake manifold/carb package. I have to say that is is fairly strong, dont think I would be able to get much more out of it, but i am pretty sure I am pushing 300hp at the crank, and more than 300 ft/lbs of torque for sure, with the small valves and the cast manifolds it starts to run out of breath around 5k rpm, but I am happy with it. It is sitting in my 68 GMC while I am working on getting a t5 to start the swap into my 280. I can tell you one thing, that little 305 hauls that old truck around with authority, no questions there, cant wait to get it into my Z and open her up ;D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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