ive got a 86 TA with a 305, is it worth building up or should i just swap it out. if i do a swap what would be the best engine. i want a streetable (doesnt have to be street legal, just street driven) 11 second car. im debating to keep this car or part it out after i fix my daily driver. i was thinking a 383 because i would like a small block for the handling characteristics, but drag is what i really want. 454? 383? stay with the 305 (is it even possible to get 11 seconds out of a 305?) any help would be appreciated

i'd say it all depends on your budget. check out Willie's ride. he's got a 305 with a procharger. he's running pretty quick, and it's his daily driver. (if I'm mistaken, someone please correct me). i'm hoping a friend of mine will get a tpi 350 that he's looking at, cuz he'll sell me the engine. it might be a pain in the butt to pull out and hook up all that electrical stuff, but i think it'll be worth it, for me. or i could keep my cc carb setup and just drop in a custom L98. i guess what i'm really trying to say is, do whatever seems like is actually gonna come through for you. i'd love to have a fast 305, but i know i'll get there so much easier with something bigger. so i'd suggest to you a 350, or even a 383.

you said it has to be street driven; does that mean daily driven?

I think your best bet is to switch it out for something bigger, whether it be a 350 or 383 or whatever. I highly doubt you will ever see 11s with any 305.

If you're serious about an 11 second car, a bigger engine is a must.

no the car wont be daily driven, just on the weekends and summertime when its nice.

also ive been told that the 383 is a bored out 350 basicly. are the parts of a 383 more or less interchangable with a 350?

This really isn't a carb forum topic, but...

A 383 is made (typically) out of a 350 block that's been bored .030"-over (to 4.030") and has a crank with 3.75" stroke installed. It's a very common combination that has a lot of different configurations. The crank was obtained in the early days from factory 400 engines, which often had cracked block problems or the crank was wiped out beyond use in the 400. Since the main bearings in a 400 were larger than in a 350, the crank was turned down to the 350 bearing size. However, 400's were "externally balanced", which required a different harmonic damper on the front and different flexplate/flywheel on the back. In addition, the extra stroke requires additional attention in the 350 block to avoid having connecting rods hit the pan rail or camshaft.

Built-up 383's are available these days, even with one-piece rear main seals (like your current engine has) and even internally balanced. It is probably the easiest way to get enough power to get a 3rd gen into the 11's. Of course, sufficient power is only half the problem, getting it to the ground without breaking anything is the rest.

The good news is the problems aren't anything that can't be overcome with enough money.

And, getting a 305 into the 11's is going to cost you more than doing it with a 383.

Why is this on the carb forum???

I guess it's because his Trans Am has an LG4 in it.