this being my first post here ill give a little info before the questions. i just picked up a 1985 IrocZ body super clean in need of painting, 305 HO 4bbl motor running fairly smooth w/ 77k miles, M5 shifting great but clutch is loose bad, suspension seems to be needing bushings, shocks and struts, interior is 8/10 but upper dash is trash, weather seals still keeping car dry but will need replacing w/ paint. I myself am a body may by trade and a LS motor hobbist. built a few 400-500hp LS motors. Fairly new to the smallblock world and could use a little help. now to the questions
1. best place to find a upper dash pad? id like a new one if not to pricey
2. whats the best way to do away w/ all the smog equip?
3. does any one have any links to a build-up? looking to do a intake and carb now and later a cam and headers. just wanting a nice steet car NOT a race car.
4. suggestions for the usual tune up stuff like dist. cap, rotor, plugs, wires, t-stat, belts, hoses, fluids

anyone who would take the time to give some advice? it would be greatly appreciated. thanks Mark

 

welcome

I'd be interested to hear about your 500hp LS builds you did yourself

the vehicle in question has the L69 engine. You can do all the usual suspect stuff to the engine and still make less HP than modern V6 engines. The problem is the 3.75" small bore

People who are serious about wanting more power go and find a 4 inch bore block (aka 350) get it machined and then build that.

let us know how the project goes

 

thanks for the reply. i realize that a 305 isnt going to make as much power as a 350 and im cool w/ that. ive just got my 350 block back from the machine shop going to build a high revving 383 for another project that will take some time due to $$$. this iroc i just got is more of a bring back to life project, something to tinker w/ and gain some smallblock experience. freshen up the interior, new paint, and MINOR mods to the engine. intake, carb, and cam just to give her a little growl. for the moment ill go through the typical tune up stuff, new fluids, figure out how to do away w/ all the smog/emissions crap, new shocks and struts, and of course new brakes and tires.

as for my LS builds ive done quite a few cam and head swaps on LS platform trucks, gto's, and camaros. My 2003 Silvy SS has ported and polished LS1 corvette heads, a med-lrg comp bumpstick, PAC valve springs, 44# delphi injectors, upgraded 90mm intake w/ ported TB, pacesetter longtube ceramic headers, dual flowmasters, Circle-D 3200 stall, a beefed up 4L65e w/ all the goodies. plus she is AWD and awsome to drive. i love the look on these tuners faces around here when that 5000lbs truck comes blowing by. ran an 8.1 in the 1/8th last time i took her to the local strip.

still looking for advice on best way to remove the smog equip. and best place to get upper dash pad. thanks again Mark

 

Well keep in mind that the Q-jet is computer controlled, as is the timing. The smog stuff you speak of really does nothing to hinder performance. Its the heads, lack of compression and the small bore. If you want to do away with the AIR injection thats fine, keep in mind it only really functions on the start as a way to heat up the cat converter. If you go with a bigger cam, keep in mind the limitations of the valve train and you may want to investigate if that'll cause a false knock leading the computer to retard timing. Sadly, the LS is way more tunable than these 80's small blocks were. Unless you go standalone carb and timing...you are fairly restricted.

 

The 305 HO heads are good ones, and can made better. They're not restrictive. It's the non-HO 305 TBI heads that are the boat anchors.

 

thanks for all the advice guys. ive been doing so research on removing the smog stuff and looks pretty strait forward. think i could figure it out. my plan for the motor is to tune her up and drive it for a little while to make sure everything is working properly, basically i want to make sure the rings dont need replacing. if it turns out the bottom end is fine im going to switch to a non egr intake(prob. a edelbrock of some type), holly carb(i like the modular design and ease of adj.), and im learning that the current dist. will NOT work??? also ive got a comp 270ish cam .450ish lift (cant remember off the top of my head) if i put in the cam ill go ahead and replace the valve springs and seals. again thanks guys and all advise is welcome