hello. i have been thinking for a while about puting a V8 in my 1991 firebird 3.1. I can get a 5.0 from a '83 camaro w/ a 4 bbl would this be simpler to install than a 350 from year-one. and if it is what would i need to compete the swap

A 5.0 from an 82 Camaro is a 305, not a 302. It's externally identical to a 350, and the exact same work is involved in the swap.

ohh I thought you had three hundred and two questions. haha jk. Sorry I'm of no help.

sorry everyone what i meant was a 305 idk why i typed 302 .
i was asking because i can get a complete 305 for $250. is this a good deal? or should i hold out for a better deal.

I would continue to search for a 350. The cylinder bores are larger in diameter and provides more space around the cylinder head valves. Any cylinder head you put on a 305 will flow better on a 350 and make a lot more power. Same concept applies when moving up to a 400.

It's not difficult at all to blow the doors off a 305 car. Almost any vehicle on the road today can do it.

Thank you qwktrip.
My dad said that it wouldn't be much better then my v6 anyway. So i guess i will keep searching the classifides for a cheaper 350 because i dont have a mountain of cash to put in into just the engine . on another note will the 700-R4 tranni that is in my car work with a 350 i think it would but i want to double check.

No, the V6 has a different bellhousing bolt pattern than the V8.

ok, so can a guy swich bellhousings in his garage simply or is it really complex like a gm mechanic has to do it

thank you

The bellhousing isn't removable on a 700R4.

oh i didnt know that. i was flipping threw the year-one speed shop catalog and on page 2 was a reman. 350 W/ 400 hp and 440 LBS/FT i am thinking of putting that in my 'Bird with a Th-700R4 TCI tranni. My friend said it would be a good set-up but a want a more "Expert" opinion.

thank you

I'm not educated about current prices and engine builders. But I would suspect you could get a relatively inexpensive new engine from GM Goodwrench. Just a basic partial engine for a truck or something like that. Then you find a used set of Vortec clyinder heads and intake manifold to swap out, sell the original 'new' heads and buy a more aggressive camshaft. Something like a Comp Cams Xtreme Energy in the range of 260 - 270 degrees of duration at 0.05 inch lift. This will be a strong running engine around 360- 380 Hp and still behave well with a stock transmission and torque converter.

Do some reading on V8 swaps on this board. You will need to know what you're up against before spending any money. Honestly, it might be cheaper to begin with a V8 car in the first place.

Or you can build a real 302. You use a 350 blockand pistons and 4.3 liter crank/rods.

With the right supporting bits you can have a 7K+ redline.

Might not be the most effective way to power an F body but it'll be a blast.

Most of your questions are answered in the V6 to V8 swap sticky in the top section of this forum.

$250 is probably too much to pay for a 305. There's one in my garage that is available for the hauling.

thank you everyone for your time to answer my questions but i decided to just buy a 2000-2002 trans am and save me some time and have a fresh V8 platform to start with.

LS Six the 4.3 is a V-6 not a V8 I'm not the best engine builder in the world but I dont to this day know how to drop a V-6 crank into a V-8 block. the proper way to build a 302 Chevy is to use a small journal 327 block and a large journal 283 crank.

actually the L99 is a 4.3l v8... it is a 305 with a 3 inch stroke to make the 262 cu. in. or the 4.3l... it is also known as the baby LT1... it came in the Caprice...

There is no such thing as a large journal 283 crank. At least, not from the factory.