In my 83 Z28 I have a 305 with big plans to modify. I was told that putting heads and cam and the rest of the good stuff was a waste of time on a 305. Is this true? I was told to get a 350 block and build up from there, new heads, cam,exhaust the usual and will get much more out of the 350 vs. 305 with the same mods.

 

get a 350. people build up 305s because they dont have a lot of cash. like me. you can get power out of them but they arent reliable with that much power. they have a weak crank and a 2 bolt main. plus 350s are more popular and you can get more parts for them. about 1500 dollars is the limit on my engine, cuz if it blows i dont wanna loose all that money.

 

yea i have a very similar set up as you as far mods go on my 305. Edelbrock 4 bbl carb, edelbrock performer rpm intake, no emissions, headers straight pipes. I was planning on getting a new cam and heads, but I don't want to put it on my 305. Because I could a lot more if all this was on a 350.

 

There is nothing wrong with the 305's crank. Other than the ballance its the same crank in the 350's. And a 4 bolt main is unnesseary for street use. There was an article in a recent Camaro Performes mag tht did an upper end build adding 150hp to a 305.

 

http://www.goingfaster.com/spo/343hp305.html
http://www.goingfaster.com/spo/325_h...chevrolet.html

 

Themare some impressive numbers from a 305. Gives me a little hope. I still think I would like to do a full swap and just slowly build on a 350 over time (you know as the money slowly comes in.) This way I can still drive my car until the 350 is ready to be swapped, then startstripping her down. Im trying to post a pic of my car so you all can seeit.

 

Alright my pic is up, it's no very clear.I need to take one in better day light so you can see hershine.

 

Clean looking 83!
You know thouigh you can do stuff like exhaust because it will switch over to a 350. Intake too if you plan on keeping the Q-jet if its still on there. If you don't go with a spread bore then you would need an adapter.
I tuned my q-jet. Did an edelbrock intake andTES and flowmaster. MSD wires and cap. Accel coil on my 84 Z28 and it ran great! Way better than my TBI I have now. I eventualy added a chip and a MSD 6A but the best thing I did was replace the worn timing chain with a Cloyes double roller. The old stock link chains are crap and have plastic teeth on the cam gear. Amazingly enough mine had no broken teeth. But it had lots of slop.

 

yea i have quite a few things done to the 305, i listedmy mods a few post up. Take a look, I know all this will switch over.The car runsgreat, but I need more power. If I were to takemy car to a shop would they be able to tune it. I know they tune the new LS1 and say how great a good tune really is, but does thesame apply for a carburated car?

 

a 350 block is the same as a 305 block its just different heads