The History of the '305' scroll down to 305:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevro...2.80.931998.29

I had, and should of kept, '85 Z28 w/350 & TPI and it fit under the stock hood.
PCM was the OE 305, but it learned with 350.

You should build for torque - this is the action pegging your 'Seat-O-Pants' meter - not horsepower.
Install the TPI - long runners for torque and change rear gear.

 

this is a killer thread. That read on the 305 really did open my eyes. im now wondering if theres a slightly longer rod that would fit in the engine to make it slightly bigger in cubes.

And unfortunately it looks like my engine is the old L03 donkey motor..........

 

With an RS with the 305, that's what engine you have, there was no other 305 option for the RS.

 

man thats deflating

 

this thread is like 11 years old now ,cant lose with a 350 most popular engine known to american car guys an most stock 350 ci engines are atleast 300 hp stock on up to what ever a guy wants to do ,short of a BB

 

I would not worry too much about matching numbers or even if it was a true RS. The reality is there are so many 3rd generation Z28 in so many configuration made for SO many years that none Z28s are never going a highly sought after cars. This means your free to do whatever you like with it. With most cars upgrades can devalue a car but a correctly done base model Camaro upgraded to a L98 would increase the value IMO. The L98 350 automatic with the 3.42 gears was a fun car to drive. I still remember driving the first one that hit our chevy lot in 87. All new cars must be inspected and driven by a GM certified tech before any customers can drive them. I had driven dozens of the TPI 305's and even the 305 5/speed I was amazed at the difference. If I remember right I had already had to rebuild a blown 305 TPI car before the first 350 TPI car showed up.

It is kind of funny GM claimed the L98 only had about 2% increase in HP and torque over the TPI 305 yet they would not sell the L98 350 with a 5 speed because the engineers said it could not handle the torque. Really? transmission can not handle 2% torque increase LOL.

 

true most 80s chevy cars camaro corvette have no value other then a few of the iroc 350 cars ,i had an 83 Pontiac TA gold ,an it felt like alot of power to me back then ,the 80s was about lack of gas for the v8 engine ,an most were going to 4 cycles cars for the first time couse of the fear of runing out of oil wich was not the case little did we now we had plenty. an polictics played some role an 4 cycle car was very cheap then too for price attracted many ,an so the hp was lacking in most cars ,the 80s corvetts were the worst ever to come off the line ,an out west in the late 80s gas was $2,00 a gallon was unheard of in florida ,but yes the gas crisis an talk about it was enough ,that actually ford mustangs were the cars to have in the 80s an early 90s ,got a 5.0,then came along the 4th gens much better cars

 

The worst Vettes were the late 1970's,at least the early '80's had some better styling if not more power. There were no 1983 Corvettes then in 1984 the C4 came out and it was a huge leap forward. They made better power and handled a lot better too, they're a dime a dozen now but they will spank any stock late 70's car. I had one for a while.

 

Quote above depends on wich year of the years the 1970 had v8 optional engines from 69 to 74 were the best ones with lt1 350 at 370hp a 454 at 390hp as well as the zr1 with 430hp ,in late 72 the lt1 went back to 270hp an offered the 327ci with 200 net hp wich was lower then gross power in 1975 with cat converter some had the lower # 165hp depending on wich engine couse haveing cat covnvertor was so new ,found a list 10 worst corvettes of all time #10 87 callaway twin turbo at $47k were junk an fell apart under normal driveing #9 1995 pace car was more about looks then reliability,#8 1958 over decorated #7 1988 was all white inside an out #6 1982 c3 #5 was the 1979 at 195hp #4 1998 was again pace car an the purple yellow combo #3 1980 305 with 205 hp #2 1953 wich is also in the top 10 best had to do with a frame that was very good an 150hp #1 was 1975 ,bace wich was rated at 250 hp the 454 option was gone again though they had many choises depended on what one ordered like they had the 305 with 205 hp.from gm,the 1983 vette was made but only 47 an they changed the seriel # to 1984 again had 205hp 1985 to 230hp ,Gm admits the real vettes did not come out until 2009 .but the zr1 engine offered from 1969 the 1974 puting out 430hp beats any 84 to 96 vettes ,still one of the best is 2009 632 hp an goes over 200 mph, the 69 to 74 with 454 would go 10.89 1/4 mile,i had a friend had 1984 vette an at 35k he hated it,an even the 1990 zr1 was 400hp an 12 sec 1/4th mile.so for the money one spent the 70s vettes, 3rd generations were a better buy .an better cars bye more then half the generation of the 4th gen 84-96

 

Huge difference between early and late 1970's and hp ratings before 1972 were at the crank not net.As I said late 70's were dogs. Things went downhill fast in 1973 due to the EPA. The Vettes built in '83 were just early 84's. There was no '83 model. The C 4 was a faster better handling car despite its shortcomings,the digital dash sucked in the early C4 cars and there were other shortcomings but overall a lot better car. Again I owned one.