this is what i got to work with

 

looks like someone got a can of red spray paint and went wild under the hood

oh well

If you aren't in emissions area slap on some shorties and get rid of the AIR injection


there isn't much more you're going to do with the small bore 305

 

some shorties? i just straight piped it but its way to loud for my liking so im going to do true duals with high flow mufflers w/o a cat coming out in front of both back tires. and go with an edelbrock intake manifold

 

There is a build to 325HP out of these engines.

 

cost/benefit

 

Around here it's cheaper to build that 325HP 305 then it is to find a decent 350.

 

machine shop work will cost the same so that's a wash

a used 350 short block is inexpensive and comes with a crank which could be turned

a set of vortecs off a truck are not that expensive and you'll need new heads for the 305 as well and those must be machined

in the end, you still have a very restrictive small bore 305 (you understand that don't you)

vs the larger 4 inch bore. Maybe tossing a lot of money into a 305 will get you there but why? for almost the same money you have a platform which is larger and can get to 325hp without having to go as radical with a cam. There is much more upside and greater parts availability

please don't get into the old 302 Ford (4 inch bore) because this is about the bore size of the 305.

 

When did that build have a machine shop?
But what I'm saying is that people want outrageous amounts for 350s that need a rebuild around my place. Is $1200 for a 350sbc that needs a $400 rebuild kit vs paying $600 or so for aftermarket parts on a 305 really worth it?

 

Those prices are ridiculous. But yes, it's really worth it for the 350. Because down the road you'll want those same aftermarket parts for the 350, which means you'll have more power. Besides, how many people do you honestly know stick with the 305 in a car?

 

are you serious about thinking you can toss in a rebuild kit without any machine work?

It's like I'm building a house and worrying about lamps not realizing I must wire the place and install a breaker panel. You need to get the infrastructure built correctly before you can do anything.

I know those magazine articles sure seem nice and the misinformation which permeates around forums happens so much that it seems like fact vs fiction. There is also the human nature part about wanting to believe and denial.

The issue with the 305 is not so much the displacement vs the small bore size. Also, you will find many more parts available specifically for the 350. The 305 is what it is and there was nothing wrong with it as a basic engine. The problem is people who kid themselves into thinking it's a great building block for performance.

If you are saying that a generic used 350 in your area is selling for $1200 then you don't live in the contiguous 48.