Lucky me! 305 Rebuild

[blazerboy_4life]

So I recently made a friend who is currently enrolled in the local hotrod institute. We got on the subject of my 70 SWB and I told him I was going to be doing a rebuild soon. It just so happens that theyre looking for a donor motor for the upcoming performance class in january. Lucky me they are going to do all of the motor work for me for free all I have to pay for is parts. Id like to put a cam in with a little more lobe to it and maybe some roller rockers and such. Its currently got the stock steel manifold and 2bbl rochester as well with HEI. My questin i guess is what would you guys recomend for brands for these parts and what else should I redo/replace while im in there. I dont want to completely throw fuel economy out the window but what fun is a 2wd street truck like this if it doesnt get up and scoot right!? Is that 2bbl worth rebuilding performance wise or should I make the switch over to a nice edelbrock 600 & manifold? Im not going to be doing much with the truck. Its going to be my daily driver and occasionally pulling a small trailer with my quad and 3 wheeler on it. Im not terribly good with the math on the internals of an engine so dont get too complicated or at least dumb it up a bit for me. Haha thanks guys.

oh and if it makes a difference Im running a th350 Trans (Id like for it to be a 700r4 soon) and rear ratio is believe is 3.73

[DaSchlange]

Dude that's awesome! Do they have another team wanting to do the same possibly?! haha

[blazerboy_4life]

I think they do it twice a year but normally one of the guys in the class has a motor to work on. The friend I made has a rolling 64 with no motor. That's where I come in! Im stoked to get it done!
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[raycow]

If you are getting a free rebuild, and care at least somewhat about performance, buy a 350 core and let the class rebuild that. The parts cost will be the same as for the 305.

Ray

[HOGDADDY]

Originally Posted by raycow

if you are getting a free rebuild, and care at least somewhat about performance, buy a 350 core and let the class rebuild that. The parts cost will be the same as for the 305.

Ray

+2

[blazerboy_4life]

I cant find anybody around here with a 350 that isnt way overpriced or isnt already built to the gills... What I want is a 400 Small Block mated to a th400 but that seems even more unrealistic to find.

[stich626]

I'd go hit up a late 80's monty for the alum 4 barrel intake..
a q jet will get better mpg than a 2brl
and a mild cam..
flat tops, and go..
have them do some bowl work to the heads,

[blazerboy_4life]

Originally Posted by stich626

I'd go hit up a late 80's monty for the alum 4 barrel intake..
a q jet will get better mpg than a 2brl
and a mild cam..
flat tops, and go..
have them do some bowl work to the heads,

I think that's the first time I've heard a Q jet called by its actual name. Is there a reason I keep hearing quadrajunk? Or, is it just that those people don't know how to tune them?I might be trading a radiator for an edelbrock intake tomorrow I just need to find someone willing to take the 600 holly off my hands for a good 1406 edelbrock now.
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[mrhino]

Iv built a 305 for a Iroc that i was restoring a few years ago, I put some very nice tricks in it. got 325hp of power out it. But I wouldn't do it again. for the same money and the same tricks would have gotten me 400 or more out of a bigger engine. find a nice 350 from a scrap yard, craigslist or somewhere there out there, it will be worth it. try to find a 87 or newer thay have one piece main seals, center bolt valvecovers and if you snag one from a camaro or T/a it should be a roller cam engine. but if you insist on that 305 My advise would be to use a smaller cam than what most people would suggest for a small block. 305's have smaller bore than the other small blocks. and just dont respond to bigger cams and carbs like bigger engines do.

[blazerboy_4life]

Originally Posted by mrhino

Iv built a 305 for a Iroc that i was restoring a few years ago, I put some very nice tricks in it. got 325hp of power out it. But I wouldn't do it again. for the same money and the same tricks would have gotten me 400 or more out of a bigger engine. find a nice 350 from a scrap yard, craigslist or somewhere there out there, it will be worth it. try to find a 87 or newer thay have one piece main seals, center bolt valvecovers and if you snag one from a camaro or T/a it should be a roller cam engine. but if you insist on that 305 My advise would be to use a smaller cam than what most people would suggest for a small block. 305's have smaller bore than the other small blocks. and just dont respond to bigger cams and carbs like bigger engines do.

That's good info personal experience is best! Thanks mrhino
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[blazerboy_4life]

I tracked down a 70's 350 4 bolt main for $100 that I going to try to pick up. I think Im going to have him build into a stroker. By my understanding now is they will do whatever I want so I figured now is the time to throw in a nice 383 Stroker... Why Not if they're pickin up half the bill! Anybody built one of those motors? Is there a lot of $ involved in that parts wise or is it just a lot of time?

[GASoline71]

You'll be waaayyyyyy happier with that 350. Whether you stroke it or not. Good luck!

Gary

[llowlife]

Do you have a dollar figure in mind. Its hard to recommend a build without at least an inkling of finances. Is the 350 whole or just the block?

[blazerboy_4life]

Originally Posted by llowlife

Do you have a dollar figure in mind. Its hard to recommend a build without at least an inkling of finances. Is the 350 whole or just the block?

He said the 350 is 80% complete. Im still waiting for him to get back to me with what is missing. I have the complete 305 though so if theres anything i need i should be covered between the two. Im not sure on how much i want to spend... like i said i havent built a motor in a long time and i dont even remember what all i did to the last one. Id like to keep it around $500 but that never seems to work out. Im sure i wont be able to do a stoker for $500 too.

@ mrhino- Im looking to build a good middle ground street engine. Id like some top end but personally I need some throw back in the seat when you get on it too. I wanna be able to cruise at 70 down the highway but still pull a car on a trailer if i need to.

[blazerboy_4life]

ok if im reading this right the stroker kits that i have found run about $4,000. I had no idea that they were so damn spendy! I may have to rethink my build plans or sell some toys to make the stroker happen...

[blazerboy_4life]

Further research turned up this. looks like $500-ish IS possible!

http://www.superchevy.com/technical/...kit/index.html

[raycow]

Jeeze! Are you pricing them made out of titanium?
http://www.rpmmachine.com/chevy-sb-menu.shtml

Btw, I am not recommending this particular one. I did a search on google and this just happens to be the first one I clicked on. If you want to put some time into the search I am sure you can come up with a lower price than this.

Ray

[mrhino]

Originally Posted by blazerboy_4life

He said the 350 is 80% complete. Im still waiting for him to get back to me with what is missing. I have the complete 305 though so if theres anything i need i should be covered between the two. Im not sure on how much i want to spend... like i said i havent built a motor in a long time and i dont even remember what all i did to the last one. Id like to keep it around $500 but that never seems to work out. Im sure i wont be able to do a stoker for $500 too.

@ mrhino- Im looking to build a good middle ground street engine. Id like some top end but personally I need some throw back in the seat when you get on it too. I wanna be able to cruise at 70 down the highway but still pull a car on a trailer if i need to.

to be honest $500 isn't a lot to work with. if thats truly what you want to spend then I would forget the stroker kit. you'll eat most of that up if not all, in new piston rings, engine bearings, camshaft, lifters, oil pump, timing chain, gears, gaskets, and at least 9 qts of oil and 2 filters. and I doubt a 80% engine for a $100 will have anything good in it. Don't mean to rain on your parade, but those things I mentioned are necessities. even givin the block has a good bore and the crank is usable. If the engine is good and has just been rebuilt, I would spend my money on a good set of heads first, they will gain you more power, more torque then a any stroke kit will.

[hugger6933]

please for the sake of hp! Look for some vortec heads. They will give an average of 40-60 hp gain over most production heads that your 350 will already have. You will have to buy a vortec stlye intake pattern manifold but you needed a 4bbl intake anyway. a 383 with vortec and even a mild to moderate cam rpm type intake[with air gap] and a good carb could put you in the 425 hp range . Lots have done this and are very happy. Many magizines have done vortec buildups and dyno charts. Jim

[Beat68CST]

305 Heads have a small 58CC chamber, which is great on a 350 short block, It should bump the compression up I'd say around half a number, you just need to get atleast a 1.94/1.50 valve combo for it to breath and a little port work.

[allengator]

For a budget build made by students, I wouldnt go 383...
The block has do be notched in cylinders to clear the rods and the rotating assembly has to be VERY well balanced.

For the price of the parts, I would much rather go Vortec heads on a 350 with flat top pistons...

JMHO

[blazerboy_4life]

You make a good point. Ill consider that. Then I would just have to find some vortex heads on he cheap to keep his a real budget build.
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[Hubscrub]

i wouldn't worry about the 0.40 over i run a 0.60 over in my 71 and just built a 0.80 in my wife's 67 no joke its ran fine so far ha here is the box of rings with the size on the label

[blazerboy_4life]

.80 over huh! i dont think ive ever heard of anybody doing that before. That doesnt worry you at all?

[Hubscrub]

Originally Posted by blazerboy_4life

.80 over huh! i dont think ive ever heard of anybody doing that before. That doesnt worry you at all?

yea, it did but my machine shop told me the older blocks can usually handle it good i trust him he has been in the business since the 60's and before that his dad done it and he is a very honest "local" guy. If it don't work out i don't have but around $150 in the lower end anyways new bearing, rings and such and the cleaning and checking he done on the block.