I have the L69 305 in my 84 Z28 right now with an automatic transmission. If I'd put a 327 or 350 in, what modifications would I have to do to the trans or the rest of the car. I want to keep the CC Quadra-Jet on. Would it be better to do a heads and cam swap on the 305, or just drop a bigger engine in. Money is a pretty big concern here, being I'll be off to college in a little over a year. The only performance mod I have so far is Flowmaster exhaust and I have a 3.73 rear end.
I was thinking about doing a buildup with 1.94/1.50 heads, 262H Comp Cam Xtreme Energy, and new intake manifold, but I don't really see any high horsepower 305's, mostly 350's. Any help is appreciated.

 

When I got my 86 bird a few months back it had a carbed 305. First I threw on a edelbrock performer intake, 600 Holley DP, and 3.42 posi-big difference. Then Installed Heddman full tube headers and true dual exhaust (2.5") with H-pipe and Flowmaster wanna-be's> Ran a best of 14.86 in the 1/4 and I was on the brakes trying not to break out. Ran consistent 14.9-15.0 all day with 2.01 short times. Installed new valve springs, pushrods and cam-huffed it next morning. I can only imagine what she would have done with bigger valves, fresh heads and a mild port job-maybe some low 14's.

 

Those had the LG4 in them too didn't they? That sounds like a big difference, I wonder how they'd do on the L69, which I read stock should be close to the 15.2 second mark.

 

Oops I was wrong I guess not all 86's have LG4's.

 

Excuse my ignorance, but I really have no idea what all the letters and numbers stand for or even where to find them. I'm a gearhead in a ******* fashion I guess. All I know is numbers and what works together as packages from past experience and fellow racers. We mainly talk numbers refering to internal componets. I'm sure if a person was stuck with their 305 there is alot more potential in them that alot of people realizes, by playing with better smoger heads, cam swap, etc...In my situation I was just fartin around throwin parts at it to see what could be had for little investment, so when it huffed it was no big deal. Now my buddy races a 78 malibu with a 350 (no too much internal mods to it) and he thinks he can get me in the 1/4 if I had a 350. I was all set for my 383 swap till he started talking trash so I got a fresh 355 short block, ordered some decent heads and some decent guts so I can shut him up. Ours cars weigh about the same, rear gear is close, motors will be similar so 383 will wait once again. I'm hopin now with the parts I just recieved to be in the mid to low 12's, it's still a budget junker-with the new motor, price I paid for the car, mods to date including the ones that I can't reuse off 305-maybe $2500.