MOTORHEADS--69' 307ci tell me about it...

[mark69k20]

Originally Posted by 69TowRig

Jeg's dropped the price on their NEW HEI distributor with cap and coil to $90:

http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/store...tegoryId=26203

This unit will bolt in and replace origional points and condenser any special installation "skills" required, I cant seem to figure out what HEI is, thought it ment high energy ignition but then i seen someone installed an HEI intake... help me out whats it stand for???

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Tynee

I thought they got 315 H.P. out of that 307 with no block work (stock bore, stock pistons). That doesn't sound like a turd to me. That sounds like they spent $500 (give or take) on an engine they bought for $200, and had an engine that would out perform most stock 350's, or even crate 350's for that matter.

They spent way more than 500 on the engine. They put a set of aluminum heads on it that cost twice that alone.

[69TowRig]

Originally Posted by mark69k20

This unit will bolt in and replace origional points and condenser any special installation "skills" required, I cant seem to figure out what HEI is, thought it ment high energy ignition but then i seen someone installed an HEI intake... help me out whats it stand for???

Easy. The HEI distributor is larger in diameter than a standard one, so some large intake manifolds do not fit. I have not done it myself, but I do not believe on these vintage trucks running stock manifolds that this is a problem. Why they are called "HEI manifolds" I guess has to do with making things quick to understand. You have the acronym right.

[Tynee]

Originally Posted by mark69k20

Lots of good info... you guys that got new carbs and intakes... How hard was it to do away with the auto choke? How does it work? This is what is left after the origional plastic one came apart. Thanks!

Not bad at all. I went with an Edelbrock 1406 electric choke carb. I believe it was two wires. Getting the carb on and running right was nothing. Getting the Dizzy back in after I screwed up the re-install was what I had trouble with in the whole process. That could be because I was learning as I went, though. Didn't think very far ahead when I started pulling old parts out.

[Tx Firefighter]

I've seen a heap load of Chevy engines and never seen a single carb intake that interfered with an HEI. Usually, it's tunnel rams and the like which have multiple carbs/and or extreme high rise that cause interference with large body HEI distributors.

[special-K]

On the 307 worth it question:yeah!It`s a smaller displacement SBC,that`s all.I think all the "myth" about this motor is due to the time it came out.Muscle motors were raging and EPA was kickin`in.So,it was never sold as a powerhouse.The 283 was one B/A little motor and the 307 is capable of the same power.I`d take a 307 over a 305 anyday.GM made "performance" versions of the 305 when performance took a back seat.
I talked with a world-class engine builder about my thoughts on a 307 build in`82 for power & economy in a truck.From the bottom up here`s what I did:
*Melling high volume oil pump
*Cloyes dbl-roller timing chain
*RV cam...bottom-end torque/cruising economy
*1.94 valve heads
*HEI/Accel coil
*iron 4bbl manifold
*Holley 450cfm Economaster/hi-flow air cleaner
*headers
This truck could roll along on the primaries and get 15mpg.It was a`71 K/30 NAPCO conversion,4spd,4.57s,and 14.50/37x16.5s.The small displacement,hi-flow,hot spark,and torquey cam made for a very efficient engine that required light throttle to move you along.When mashing it,it was a fast-revving little powerhouse.My big inch/dbl-pumper buddies were all surprised at the power of that motor and ate alot of words.
It`s no 572,but with the way things are with fuel prices I think this is a very practicle way to go.I can only imagine how well this motor would have moved a 1/2t 2wd with 28"or smaller tires.

[Ole Blue 68]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

They spent way more than 500 on the engine. They put a set of aluminum heads on it that cost twice that alone.

TXFF is right, they put E-Tec heads on which probably go for $1,000 or more not to mention a new carb, headers and cam. But they did bump HP up to 315.

[FUNMUDDER]

Special K's sounds like a nice cheap combo. Besides, we all know 307 sounds cooler than 305.