WellI bought a 1986 Iroc around two months ago with the 5.0 tpi (I was originally told it was a 350). It needs a new hood and front bumper cover, as well as a paint job. I bought it stripped down to the block (the pistons andbottom half were in tact). He told me it was originally taken apart by the guy he brought it from, to put new head gaskets on. Apparently he just let the car sit and never did a thing to it, which was probably the reason he was convinced it was a 350. However, it has 108k miles and the piston wear is very impressive. The body is solid and it has smoke-gray/black iroc rims (my favorite) along with T-tops, so I picked the car up for $1,000 and began the restoration process.

So anyways, the last two months I have done the following:
- Degreased/cleaned the heads thoroughly
- Wire-wheeled/cleaned the valves
- Put new valve stem seals in the heads
- Installed the heads, finally, with a brand new bolt set
- Cleaned and installed the intake manifold
- Ordered brand new fuel injectors, then installed
- Installed new Harmonic Balancer
- Installed new water pump
- Put new battery in
- Cut emissions devices off exhaust manifolds, then plugged holes

I was hoping to have been done with the motor work by now but a good job requires waiting on missing bolt sets, doing thorough work, and taking your time. I have purchased but am yet to receive/install the following:

- Super Coil
- New Disty Cap
- Brand new dual snorkle air induction box
- 160 thermo
- brand new gatorback belts (all of them)
- Got stiffed with broken egr sensor, so I ebayed that

I also put the classic Camaro steering wheel in, as the old was in horrible shape. The bolts, nuts, push rods, and just about everything else was stuffed in a kemps bucket so it was also a load of work cleaning and sorting all of them. As it stands right now I need to connect the starter, install the plenum/top of tpi system, connect the exhaust manifolds, and then connect all the loose wires. Hopefully this month some time I'll be able to try and turn it over for the first time.

It was in a minor to mild front end collision at some point. It has new front fenders on it, a different hood on it (which is dented pretty bad), and a new front bumper cover on it, which is hacked up and looks poorly installed. I need to get a new radiator support and maybe some front end frame work because the front bumper facia is about an inch below the edge of the hood.

I'll be posting pics of the car tomorrow, but I'm really excited to finally have a v8, even though it's not an LT1/LS1. I love the third gen body style so it works out pretty well.

 

sounds like a nice project, personally if i would have been spending all that time i would have went out and got a 350 block(you wouldnt believe how cheap you can get them) but either way sounds like you'll have a nice car when your done, and you should be excited even with it only being a 305 theres nothing like a v8 under your hood, the sound alone makes it worth it lol and dont worry about it taking too long, i have 9 months into my engine and it still needs all the exhaust done as well as some other little things but im very happy with it which is the important thing, lol i cant even shift into drive without it jumping forward But hurry up with those pics nothing like a iroc

 

let see some pics of the project