Hey all,

I apologize it's not a Camaro, but I was told this would be the place to ask these questions...

I've got a friend with an '85 El Camino with a 305. Needs a new engine, told her if she's getting a new engine might as well do a 350 instead of putting a dumb 305 back in there.

Let me say I am very mechanically inclined, but my experience is with SB Fords (5.0, 351W's), and the LT1 (94-97), so I don't know much about regulare ole Chevy's...but I can turn a wrench.

I have been told that everything will swap over from this 305 to the 350, including carb, intake, exhaust, accessories & brackets etc. This is true?

I was planning on getting an Autozone engine, as she isn't looking for anything special, but I was talked out of it by multiple people including those who work there, and was reccomended to get this engine:
http://www.sdpc2000.com/catalog/130/...ate-Engine.htm

What do you think about that one?

What do I do about a balancer and the flexplate? It doesn't look like it comes with a balancer, so which do I need? Will the 305 flexplate swap right over and maintain the correct balance?


There also seems to be an abundance of vac lines and crap, what all can I elminate without effecting emissions or anything? Tons of junk.

 

Yeehaw!

 

Yes, every accessory off of the 305 will fit on the 350. It should be a drop in deal. You will have to get a new balancer though, the 305 one is too small. As for the flywheel, I don't remember if you need to swap them or not.

Cheers!!

 

This one http://www.sdpc2000.com/catalog/120/...ate-Engine.htm is slightly better.

Everything will swap over, including the flexplate.

 

Well the POS is out. Time to clean up the tools and all the tranny fluid in my hair. BBIAB, I'll check out that link soon!

 

Agreed, looks like a better engine, but too much for these purposes it looks like...

$1749 + tax ($144.29) I assume being in Texas + shipping ($135) comes out to $2028, she wanted to try and do the whole thing for under $2K (which would be easy to do w/ the Autzone engine ,but it turns out it's a crap engine.

The other engine is $1439 + tax ($118) + $100 core + shipping ($135) = $1792. Woops, I told her she could get an engine for about $1100. My bad.

 

she can get a good working used engine , looking for an lb9 out of a camaro , there out there =)

 

I ordered that first engine that was $1459, should be here on Wednesday. Can't figure out what to do about exhaust. Want to run some long-tube headers, but duals won't clear the stock crossmember.

Also want to see what I can eliminate as far as emissions crap that doesn't need to be there that will still allow the engine to pass if it needs to.

 

I built a 406 for 2500 bucks.
150 bucks for junkyard 400
machine work 450 bucks
cast rebuild kit using stock rods, 30thou over 400 bucks
250 for 9.5:1 compression pistons
Dart Iron eagle heads 600
Speedpro cam 214/225 .443/.465 11lsa 120 bucks
harlan sharp rr's 1.6 200
Edel victor jr intake
holley 650dp off a 68' 350 z28 150 off ebay w/rebuild kit
holley air cleaner 30 bucks
flowtech headers 150
exhaust shop custom y pipe 150
3in mandrel bent exhaust 280

Runs deep 12's with a 3200 stall, 700r4 and 4.11's, runs high 12's with 3.23s

I want to get me a G body. I spotted a 78' Mailbu for sale locally. 2 door, original paint, old lady car. Perfect to cut up and race.

 

That's ok, nothing a torch and mig welder can't handle. My brother and I did that for his monte, and created a double hump crossmember for nothing more than the price of the electricity. If I can remember, I will snag a pic and send it to you. It's not pretty, but it's reinforced, double hump, and cheap. The long tubes we used were hedman 68290. I would have gotten the ones specificly for the G body, but, they only have sh!tty 1 1/2 primaries and the ones he has now are the normal 1 5/8.


cheers!!!

 

Awesome. I have access to a friend that can weld for me, and we have a plasma torch too. If you could find a pic that would be awesome!

 

Anything yet on this?