305 Chevy
- Thread starter ronhallam
- Start date
ellis8500
Member
Of course it's worth rebuilding for a Bucket. A 305 can easily get 300 ft-lbs and about 300 HP depending on the cam's torque range. If you look at the poll section, you will find that most Bucket owners go for low to mid-range torque. That 305 will easily get you 4 sec 0-60 times and 130+ MPH top speed if you are brave enough to try it. I'm going to use a Ford 302 with a low-range cam, 330 Ft-Lbs and about 300 HP. With 27" tires and a 3.55 diff, estimate 4 sec 0-60 and 140 MPH top end. Bigger engines are mostly for show since anything over about 250 Ft-Lbs will spin the tires easily.
So use that engine if you like. Have some fun doing the rebuild and later on, if you want more power, upgrade to a bigger engine. I'm sure I'll hear from others about this but most will agree that the 305 will get you an off-the-line Corvette killer.
So use that engine if you like. Have some fun doing the rebuild and later on, if you want more power, upgrade to a bigger engine. I'm sure I'll hear from others about this but most will agree that the 305 will get you an off-the-line Corvette killer.
Thanks for the info. I bought this engine with trans attached and the seller said it was a 350! BUT When I checked the casting numbers I'm almost sure it's a 1984 305. NOT what I thought I was getting. SO i'll just go with the 305 after I call and give him a piece of my mind. Tnx again, Ron
Francis Blake
Active Member
The exact same sting happened to me.I am saving that engine for a roadster pickup as a next project,after I finish the 27 I am working on now.
benT
Active Member
I'm running a warmed over 302 and have more than enough power. Great thing about the 305 is that you can buy all the dress up and performance goodies now and if/when you decide you want a bit more power, you can use them all. My Pop's '27 has had a 283, 383 stroker, and a 350 in the last 10 years, but you'd never know as he's been able to reuse the goodies, brackets, alt, dist, starter, intake/carbs, etc. Keep the 305, get the car going, sort it out then worry about a bigger engine I say. We just finished cleaning up a 283 for my uncle's T bucket we are building. We cleaned up the block and honed it, put in new rings, gaskets, etc, cleaned up the heads (ground the valves and seats) and it should be a great runner with this light T.
My other advice: Don't spend too much on the rebuild for this engine. If it runs ok now, maybe have it honed and put in some new rings, bearings, seals and gaskets. If it needs more work than that,(boring, etc) skip it and buy a good 350. We buy alot of our engine parts/kits at Northern Auto Parts. You can buy a 350 master kit (pistons, cam, etc) for under $200. The cost to do the machine work will be the same for either and isn't worth it for the 305--but, this is just my $.02!
My other advice: Don't spend too much on the rebuild for this engine. If it runs ok now, maybe have it honed and put in some new rings, bearings, seals and gaskets. If it needs more work than that,(boring, etc) skip it and buy a good 350. We buy alot of our engine parts/kits at Northern Auto Parts. You can buy a 350 master kit (pistons, cam, etc) for under $200. The cost to do the machine work will be the same for either and isn't worth it for the 305--but, this is just my $.02!
iajjpop
Member
My ''t'' has a 305 motor,when building the ''t'',The motor was overhauled by NAPA Motors, bored 30 over, with new pistons,valves ground ,new seals, gaskets ,bearing and etc. Also a R. V. cam installed. Really works good in a''t'' Bucket . Runs good and doesn't use any oil. Has all the power I need.And has A good sound to it, like A ''t'' should have....
LarryH
Member
Are you talking a complete rebuild as in hot tank, bore, deck, align bore, reconditioned rods, new cam and lifters, oil pump, timing chain and gears and completely rebuilt heads? Or are you talking an overhaul as in just replacing the rings, bearings, timing set and a valve job?
If it's a true rebuild then your best bet would be something like this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10067353/
I had this one in my T-Bucket and with an Edelbrock Performer intake/Performer 600 cfm Performer carb and HEI it's plenty fast. Fast enough to make me stain my shorts. Price was $1,672.98 delivered to my garage door. No muss. No fuss. I added all the bolt on's, put in on TDC, dropped in the distributor, wired it up, added fluids, turned on the key, let the electric pump run for a few seconds, pumped the gas pedal, hit the key and it fired right off. I set the timing, let it idle for about 30 minutes at between 2000 and 2,500 rpm's, shut it off, checked for leaks, fired it back up, rechecked the timing and took it for a drive. Anyone that tells you 260 hp ain't enough has never drove a light car with a V-8.
I'm currently replacing it with a mildly built 327. But only because the plan all along was to run the 350 until i could get the 327 rebuilt and then put the 350 in my '56 Chevy.
If it's a true rebuild then your best bet would be something like this:
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/NAL-10067353/
I had this one in my T-Bucket and with an Edelbrock Performer intake/Performer 600 cfm Performer carb and HEI it's plenty fast. Fast enough to make me stain my shorts. Price was $1,672.98 delivered to my garage door. No muss. No fuss. I added all the bolt on's, put in on TDC, dropped in the distributor, wired it up, added fluids, turned on the key, let the electric pump run for a few seconds, pumped the gas pedal, hit the key and it fired right off. I set the timing, let it idle for about 30 minutes at between 2000 and 2,500 rpm's, shut it off, checked for leaks, fired it back up, rechecked the timing and took it for a drive. Anyone that tells you 260 hp ain't enough has never drove a light car with a V-8.
I'm currently replacing it with a mildly built 327. But only because the plan all along was to run the 350 until i could get the 327 rebuilt and then put the 350 in my '56 Chevy.
Does it run? I have a '70 350 in mine never been apart, I just cleaned it up good. It smokes a little on start up, but runs well. I'll end up going through it, when I do the final finish on her. For now its no big deal.
Mike
Well-Known Member
One caveat on the 305. Be sure to have a machine shop check the heads. Carefully. There are generally only two kinds of 305 cylinder heads. Brand-new ones and cracked ones. It's no great disaster if they're cracked, the way prices are on aftermarket heads these days. Just don't spend a thin dime on the heads until you know they're not cracked. If you're reading the ID number off the right deck surface, it means the block's not been decked. And if the motor has had any kind of average miles put on it in the last 26 years without any machine work being done, the odds aren't very good. Just be prepared.
Screaming Metal
Active Member
A good strong 305 can be build really cheap....don't need alot of power....just think, you can put all the extra bucks in making it look really purdy!!!!
Since the weight on these cars are really low, it don't take much to have a big power to weight ratio....
Since the weight on these cars are really low, it don't take much to have a big power to weight ratio....
I've used roller rockers on a couple hot street motors, but I'm not a big fan for "daily driver" cars. just an unneeded expense IMHO. Now roller lifter are a 'nother subject all together. I'll never build another motor without using roller lifters. I've had two cams go flat on me in my 377 sbc Fiero. high spring presure and flat tappets just don't make it anymore. I hate to spend the money to convert, but when this second flat one comes out again, convert I will. I even used the Comp Cams zddp on #2, but it didn't save it either.
As to the 305. if it's a good runner, use it. nothing wrong with a 305 in a light car. it is a shame that the "it's a 350" thing happens so often. kind of like the Corvette motor story. Chevy never built as many Vette motors as have been sold on the used market.
Russ
Screaming Metal
Active Member
Yea Ted, I agree with you. Me myself....I'm a roller kinda person. Theres plenty of stress and scuff going on in a motor if your not running a accu-sump setup. Starting motors dry without prelubing, etc, etc....I'll never build a regular flattappet cammed motor agian. Theres just so much wear. Yes, its marginal, but its still there. The same on the rockers.
Don't get me wrong, for mild street use, stock is great. Hell, the factory hi horse parts were flat tappet and stompin' on the streets with 450+ Horses all thru the late 60's and early 70's....the 450 horse 427, 375 horse 396, and a couple of more thats stouter than those. All were regular mechanical lifter and std. rockers.
Back in the 70's, I started getting my die grinder and putting little grooves in the balls inside the rockers to lube them better. The gold Colored rollers were too expensive to run on the street. Now, you can get a set of full rollers for the street for $100.....and you take the side thrust off your stems.....
Yes Ted, I'd go that route....I'm rigging up a electric primer into my oil coolers so I can prime my oil system before I start it. We now have very elaborate systems like it on the race motors. But anything roller I can, I'm putting in there in the streetable motors. Oil is having less load carrying film strength anymore, its getting scarey. Anymore, synthetic oils and synth-blends are the best to run. Back 10 years ago....all I'd run is Valvoline racing oils. The synthetics have improved that much....
Screaming Metal
Active Member
What he said!!! :here:
My personal opinion is you are taking a chance breaking in a new flat tappet cam with today's oil--which lack zinc. I know of countless flat lobes on cams in the last few years. Plenty of factory roller blocks that can be had fairly cheaply, so why not, besides you can reuse the roller lifters.
Ted Brown
Member
I am setting up a special oil pressure switch that will not let the engine start until it has oil pressure, kinda like the old days with the supercharged engines, crank the starter till it has oil pressure then hit the mag... This will also be my way of changing the oil, just like we do for ski boats, open a valve in a pressure oil hose into a container, run the engine till it stops, as soon as the oil pressure drops off, the key/spark is turned off automatically... Hurt your oil pan, save your engine before it has any time to hurt anything...
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