So I need a new carb for my 305 and would like to know what my best and cheapest option is.

What's a good carb to replace it with other than something stock?

Should I look into some kind of fuel injection conversion?

 

If you can find a local reputable carb shop, I would have the one you have rebuilt. If they don't mention the float bowl well plugs or throttle shaft bore wear, I would keep looking.

 

you cannot replace the computer controlled carb without also replacing the computer controlled distributor. without either the ecm will not function correctly to include transmission converter lock up.

your existing carb can be rebuilt but you may want to consider the age and condition of the remaining components required by the ECM before choosing the path of 'evil' (rip and replace) or the path of 'good' (repair what you've got so it functions as the higher power intended).

 

I disagree. God gave us freedom in the form engines with carburetors that can be tuned with a screwdriver and exhaust that flows freely. The Pharisees of the Federal government saddled us with complicated rules and controls to squelch our freedom to run rich and loud, in the ever-longing pursuit of raw gasoline-scented power. 'Murica!

I'm sorry, I lost track of the whole point of this thread. For any basic build, your off-the-shelf Holley or Edelbrock will do just fine. Either will run straight out of the box (provided you change to a traditional distributor.) My experience is biased toward the Holley side, but from what I've seen the Edelbrocks are lower maintenance, but the Holleys run better and produce more power when tuned right. The distributor need only be an HEI type with vacuum advance and you're in business. Torque converter lock-up is a different matter, however.

 

So with a carb I will stay haha. For now it looks like I'll have to just get my carb tuned up but later down the road I plan on looking into a Holley. What, if anything, do I need to change in my stock 305 engine?

 

It depends on what you want to do. By changing the carburetor to a non-computer controlled unit, you will need to change the distributor to match. Your factory carb and intake manifold are spread-bore, and though there are aftermarket spread-bore carbs, they are all just as old as your factory unit. If you are keeping the factory automatic transmission, you will need to be sure to use a square-bore carburetor with the appropriate adapter for the TV cable (I don't know about Edelbrock, but Holley's spread-bore carbs are not compatible with the TV cable adapter.) This means you will also have to either install an aftermarket intake manifold or carburetor base adapter. For your lock-up torque converter to function, you will need to install some sort of control for that, as the computer will no longer activate it (this part is best answered by someone else, as I swapped to a manual transmission before tackling that bit.)

 

I suppose the first question to the original poster is: how much are you willing to spend? You've been given a few choices here. The least expensive is to have your existing Quadrajet rebuilt (between $250-$300). Next option is putting an aftermarket carburetor on, along with a non computer controlled distributor, and don't forget about the lockup function on the transmission. As the original poster offered that a fuel injection system was a possible candidate, it is the most expensive option. So, given all these choices, it really is a matter of dollars and sense. Does it make sense to just rebuild what you've got? It's your car and you can throw as much or as little money at it as your budget allows. The board will offer many solutions to your problem. Let us know what you decide.