Made an "un-popular" decision with my 307!

[crazy longhorn]

You need to watch your rear gear also....if you are running a 3.07 gear, you really dont want 2400-2500 on the stall. If you are 3.42-3.73, all is good....otherwise, the verter is too loose, & will cook you trans. crazyL

[mud.man.rj]

Ya I thought he said he had a 3.07 gear so I recomended a 2200 stall at the most but I usually use a 2400 stall because working on 350's with more torque, so 2000-2200 will work good as a stock is around 16-1800 when locked up so not much diff just enough to help.

[Redleg]

Running 3.73 gears guys fyi......

[mud.man.rj]

3.73's thats great you could go up to the 2400 stall easily and make it worth your while, she should crank on er really good once you get it all finished, the 307 we built for my buddy's Mudracer was just for fun almost a joke because it is what we had at the time and the build is almost exactly the same as yours and man does it kick but, he actually wins a lot, shifts Mtrans at 6,000 and bags the hell out of it and it won't quit. A few have been mifted when he kicks them and then say's oh ya it's a 307, no one believes us.

[crazy longhorn]

Good to go on the 3.73's& the 2400 stall crazyL

[Redleg]

Ok, next question is, what would be the best stall for this truck seeing it is a daily driver?

[Redleg]

Well, just got a call from the shop. Block is done, heads are done. Master rebuild kit is there....

All i have to do is go pick it up Friday and assemble it....

Dreading and looking forward to this at the same time. Will be my first time doing a complete engine assembly.....

Will be the first time in over 10 years i have even tore this deep into a project like this.....

[GASoline71]

This is awesome! It's cool to see someone enjoying their build project. I know projects can be trying at times... Check in here often and keep us updated.

There are guys on here that have forgot more than I will ever know about engine building. But I've been doin this for 30 years... so I might know a trick or two, and try to help where I can.

Get 'er dun!

Gary

[Redleg]

Ok, having some doubts guys....

Currently have the 270H Comp Cam..... It has been run, but according to the shop its still in good shape with all the lobes looking good.

However, I dont want to build this motor with all new parts and stick a old cam in it.

So, should i ditch the 270H and get a new one? Or not worry about it?

Am i just over reacting?

The real reason i am worried is the set of pistons i got that came with all of it were pretty burnt out. Shop said he believed it had been ran pretty hard.....

So i have a perfect .040 block, pistons, new piston rods and complete new rebuild kit, just minus push rods, headers and vortec intake now.... Just leary on sticking an old part in it....

[notyo_cheez]

Subscribed!

Get a new cam, cheap insurance. Look for an "economy" cam that will slightly increase HP without draining your fuel tank.

My '81 has a 305, and as I lack the talent and resources to tear it down I'm going the rebuilt out of the box route.

EDIT: also look for a double-row timing chain/sprocket kit. You'll be glad you did.

[GASoline71]

You are not over reacting. No way in this day and age would I run a used flat tappet cam and lifters.

You'll have piece of mind too with a new cam and lifters.

Gary

[oldblue1968chevy]

Go roller if you can afford it..

Im running the lunati voodoo 262 (60102) Slight choppy idle (barely) pulls right off idle.

[mud.man.rj]

A new cam is cheap and worry free, with all the other new parts it's piece of mind. I would stick hyd, cheap and your not doing a major build price wise just a nice all around engine, should turn out nice by the sound of it, actually can't wait to hear the sound of it.

[Redleg]

I think you guys just reaffirmed my decision. Ive obviously already gone way over budget on this. The new heads alone fixed that. So why settle for old, possibly unreliable parts....

Unfortunately the motor build has taken back seat for a bit. Having to get an inner cab panel welded in so i can replace the windshield so it can stay my daily driver. Damn inspection is due.

One of those other skills i wish i had obtained long ago....Welding.

So hopefully, piece by piece, this truck will come to life. It wont be a frame off restoration, but it sure is requiring more work than i had hoped and planned!

Oh well! Thats what its all about!

[MudBug]

i got a cam kit with double roller chain,beehive springs and retainers from Comp Cams at a good price.I'm running vortec heads on a 307 so thats why I got the beehive springs.

[mud.man.rj]

Hey Redleg, every project always seems to take at least twice as long and sometimes twice as much, my last project a 79 Bronco which I owned 3 times took 5 years the last time I owned it, thought it would take a year or so, lots of or so. All fun as you get closer.

[manimal]

any progress? I love the 307 and would like to see more on them.

[Zeke's Garage]

Great thread, and it's something that a lot of us can get behind. I've got a 307 and PG that I pulled out of my '69 Chevelle wagon, and I plan on putting an '85 TPI unit on it and dropping it into my Dad's '53 BelAir. The 307 ran great, had good torque and is a good mix of power/torque and economy.

But I'm also running a Megasquirted 250 TBI in my '67 with a T5, so i'm used to just cobbling together whatever I can find lying around.

Good luck!


Oh and by the way... when you put in your cam and timing chain. DO USE LOCTITE and a locking plate on the cam gear bolts. A buddy of mine just learned a very expensive lesson on his warmed over 350 when the bolts loosened up and the cam walked enough for the lifters to drop off the lobes.

Ok, now I'm done.

[496bb]

hey, has this build stalled? I am interested- as I am thinking I will rebuild my 307- factory 144K on the clock. So did anybody ever determine exactly which 305 heads would be good- I have lots of contacts in the 3rd gen fbody world and might be able to lay my hands on some HO heads- or if the factory ones on my 91 305 TPI car would be good- I could put a hot set of heads on the Z28 and use the 305 heads on the 307!!

[Warrens69GMC]

Originally Posted by 496bb

hey, has this build stalled? I am interested- as I am thinking I will rebuild my 307- factory 144K on the clock. So did anybody ever determine exactly which 305 heads would be good- I have lots of contacts in the 3rd gen fbody world and might be able to lay my hands on some HO heads- or if the factory ones on my 91 305 TPI car would be good- I could put a hot set of heads on the Z28 and use the 305 heads on the 307!!

416 casting are the conventional bolt pattern, 081 are the 87-92 TPI heads/manifold, and you can use 350 vortec heads on the 307 too (with matching intake)

[Redleg]

Originally Posted by 496bb

hey, has this build stalled? I am interested- as I am thinking I will rebuild my 307- factory 144K on the clock. So did anybody ever determine exactly which 305 heads would be good- I have lots of contacts in the 3rd gen fbody world and might be able to lay my hands on some HO heads- or if the factory ones on my 91 305 TPI car would be good- I could put a hot set of heads on the Z28 and use the 305 heads on the 307!!

You can say the build stalled! lol I sold the 72 that it was going to go in. Still have the 307 and hell everything to build it minus a new intake and headers pretty much......

picked up a 95 Silverado with the 5.7 TBI. Have nothing really to use the 307 for. Might sell it, might keep it and build it. And MAYBE one day i can pick up another 60-66 or 67-72 to put it in...

[mud.man.rj]

The 305HO heads work awesome on a 307, just recently built one with a Comp cams Extreme 268H, some cyl and intake porting with roller tip Copm Magnum rockers and it runs real nice in a 71 3/4 ton Gm 4x4, has a 2,300 stall convertor, 2.5" exh with super 44 mufflers. Customer is very happy and running a 38" tire with 3.73 gears.

[496bb]

Well redleg- I am just over the state line from ya. My Dad lives in Brandon. I picked up a set of 601 heads this week, and I am trying to decide on buying an intake and carb. Cam choice is the biggest issue- don't wanna go too big but keep reading that the increased compression I'll get requires a lil more cam. Still researching that part. If you decide you wanna clean out the garage with the 307 stuff- pm me and we might work something out.