To the people that posted to my questions on the 302 vs the 305, thanks. My first experience with the 5.0 engine was in my 1989 Camaro RS, which was able to whup up on 302 Mustangs with just a new program chip and a little work yet still pull down 30MPG on the highway. I miss that car, had to sell it when my kids grew too big to fit in the back seats.

I'd have liked to follow up with more questions. Apparently one of the moderators, five7kid, feels that anyone that doesn't like 350s should have no voice here. No matter, it's not my board so he has that right. Anyway, since I'm not a fan of the 350 I guess I'm not welcome here. Good luck to all of you on your various projects, I only hope you aren't doing something other than building up a 350 or converting to a 350 and asking for help here.

Thanks five7kid, for nothing. You made me feel totally unwelcome. Please delete my username, since I'm obviously not welcome here I won't be back.

 

Of course, nothing could be farther from the truth. Those who are aware of my history know that I built up my 305 before I went with the 350. And they also know I'm doing something other than a 350 now.

The issue is your false assumptions (not at all uncommon), which have been gone over again and again on this Board to try to educate those who have them. This invariably leads to a flame fest, and accusations such as "anyone that doesn't like 350s should have no voice here". Not at all the case. Go ahead and build your small inch small block - just don't try to convince us before you do that you'll be running 12's NA and getting 30 MPG - because that dog don't hunt. There is one member in particular who has done very well with his 305, run some amazing times, and he drives it (at least, used to) daily. Of course, he put his car on a severe weight reduction plan, and he's suffered breakage. And, he didn't come close to 30 MPG, although he did get in the 12's.

There's another member who even has 305 in his username, who also ran some very quick times with his supercharged 305 - he's now running faster, reliably, with a big-inch SBC.

We here have been through this before. We just expect reasonableness. Trying to buck the laws of physics isn't reasonable, and arguing about it isn't acceptable.

 

I'm a big block fan so I don't really care about any SBC but with the millions of 350's out there, it's the engine of choice for a stock block rebuild or project.

If you want to do something different with a small engine, build a 262 V8. The 2.5L Iron duke engine has been built to produce over 300 HP also if you want to be really different.

The old Chev 302 had it's place in history. Unless you're building a period car, the 302 and 327 engines have been long dropped in favor of the 350. The 400 block was the factory's attempt at taking the SBC block to the extreme. It's not the best block to use so it's more common to use the 400's stroke in a 350 block to build a reliable 383 instead.

Without power adders and OD transmissions, trying to get into the 12's with 30 MPG in a third gen is a dream that only a small handful of people can obtain.

 

the 305 is a good eng. works great and is just a little brother to the 350. no problem there. it's only hold back is the small bore using heads made for 4.000" bores and up

to make a 305 rock you would need to make some one off heads and intake setup. by this I mean changing the whole valve spacing from scratch to allow bigger valves to get the needed breathing with out running into valve shrouding. if you can get this one off stuff to flow the same or more likely better than sbc performance heads you can see some High hp gains.

 

Decided to come back in and see what sort of response there was. I'm glad to see how y'all responded, tells me that this isn't really one of those "my way or the highway" type boards that it looked like when that other thread was closed.

five7kid, if I misjudged you I'm man enough to apologize, but it would have been better to ask me to explain myself better. I do realize this is a 3rd gen board, but it's also one of the few places that was discussing the 305, not dismissing it out of hand, and we are GM drivers under the skin. So, please accept my apology.

So. Back to the 302/305 questions, if nobody minds. Please understand I'm not trying to crap on anyone else's setup, nor am I trying to buck the laws of physics here. In my mind goals are something to strive for, not necessarily hit, so I won't be too disappointed if I don't get 30MPG and 10 second quarters. I know how a 305 built for the street runs, and I know from reading about them how a 302 would run, but only when built to operate as a flat out racing machine. I'm pretty sure I could come close to my goals (closer to mileage than quarter times) with a 305 and careful part selection, but it's difficult to find suitable heads. This is what prompted me to look at the 302. I read through the comments in the other page, and while helpful they didn't really address my question, so I may not have worded it properly. I do realize that the speed would be easier to achieve with a large cube engine, but the speed is really secondary to me. What I'm looking for is:

How would a 302 run if built the same way as a 305, with (for example) 9 to 1 compression, a Comp 258 roller cam, a 5500RPM redline and for simplicity's sake a TBI injection? Would the shorter stroke with larger bore make it a dog compared to the 305, or make it run better? Does anyone have any experience with the 302?

Any information would be great, and won't invite a "sez YOU!" argument from me. My real problem is I'm 50/50 on which engine I should go with and I'm looking for tiebreaker information.

Incidentally, building a 302 won't cost very much more than a 305. I've already sourced the parts and priced out a rebuild from the local shop. The hard part was sourcing a 3 inch stroke crank, which really turned out to be easy. The L99 4.3L V-eight that came in the 94-96 Caprice was a 3.750 bore/3 inch stroke engine based off the LT1 block, and I'm pretty sure the guy said it was a large journal crank. It'll fit in a Gen 1 block with a 1 piece rear seal no problem. Aside from rods, all 350 parts can be used to complete it. The local rebuilder has several 4.3 blocks awaiting rebuild (they like to keep them around just in case) and have already said they'd have no problems using the crank out of one if I want it.

I guess that's it. Wordy, I know. Thanks in advance for any help on this. If I'm not welcome anymore and nobody wants to answer let me know and I really will go away .

 

You're mix and matching a lot of odd parts to get what you want. There's no guarantee any of them will work properly. If building a 302 that way is so easy, there would be a lot more people doing it. There's more to it than just that. I really doubt the 4.3L crank will even fit into a early 4" bore block. Main bearing and journal sizes may not even be the same to easily use conventional parts.

With enough time and money you can do whatever you want. I've seen a Olds 498 that used 6" Buick rods that had a smaller journal and the Olds crank was offset ground for an increased stroke to use the smaller journal rods. If you're willing to spend the extra money to make a one off engine then that's up to you.

You can't equally compare a Chev 302 and 305. Because of the bore/stroke combination, they're 2 different engines. If built the same way, the 302 would make more HP because of the increased bore size which could allow more upgrades such as bigger valves. The 302 would make less torque with the shorter stroke which would need to be compensated with tranny and diff gearing.

Torque is what you feel going from stoplight to stoplight. HP is what you feel when you accelerate to pass a car on the highway.

You want 30 mpg? Put a T56 behind your 305 and some 2.73 gears in the diff.

We're giving you advice that making a pieced together 302 isn't worth the extra money and you're ignoring us.
----------
Let us know how the build goes and what the final cost and performance/mileage is.

 

The 4.3 crank and 5.94" rods will DROP RIGHT INTO a 1987-1995 305 or 350 block with a 1 piece rear main seal. You can use regular old 305/350 pistons.

That being said, I would build the 305 over a 302. Similar RPM range for a street engine and the 305 will make more torque because of its longer stroke. My 305 in my brothers lightened Camaro went 11.8 @ 119.1 mph in the 1/4 with a heavily modified, naturally aspirated 305 TBI and 4L60E. It is driven nearly daily and gets 25-27 mpg.

 

Telco- I saw your first thread and was disappointed to find it closed. I have goals that have some similarites with yours and have been considering the same combination myself. As Fast355 said, the combination is a bolt together if you use the 4.3 rods and crank together.(listen to him-he knows what he's talking about.) The L99 also has 5.94" connecting rods which put the wrist pin at the same height as a 3.48" stroke crank and 5.7" rods, and the journals are the same size as a 305/350 crank. This also means that you can use a standard replacement 350 piston with this combo(custom pistons are NOT required). The only issue that may arise is with the balance. The larger diameter 350 pistons are going to be heavier than the small bore 4.3 pistons so you may have to add mallory to the crank to get it to balance. That can be expensive depending on how much you need. I haven't gotten as far as to figure this out yet-that's a question for an experienced machinist/engine builder.

I also have very specific reasons for keeping my engine size around 300 cubic inches. If all out power was my goal I too would be building a 400. With modern engine technology and electronic engine management it is quite easy to make MORE torque than you can make use of in many applications, even with a small motor. Going to a 4" bore block opens up a lot more choices of useable cylinder heads. TFS has some very nice looking heads for small bore 305 blocks with 1.94/1.5 valves and good combustion chambers, but with a 4" bore you can use any head you like without having any issues of impaired airflow by the cylinder wall. If an iron head will work for you the 305 vortec head is a great value and has both good ports and good combustion chambers. I need aluminum heads for the weight reduction to meet some of my other goals aside from the engine so the vortec head is not an option for me, but if there was an aluminum version of that head it would be perfect. I am going to be doing a conversion from tbi to tpi, which is a bit of work itself, so the option I am seriously thinking about right now is just building a 306" LT1, and doing the whole LT1 conversion since it's not that much more work. The alum. LT1 head is a very good piece, as is the intake manifold, and that stuff is common and dirt cheap. If you are already doing an engine swap maybe this would be a good option for you?

I have a strong suspicion that the 3" stroke 6" rod combination COULD yield some noticable gains in power and efficiency but I have no real idea of just how much at this time. I think it's important to remember the history of the 305 in making these comparisons. The 305 was born in the mid seventies when electronic engine management was nothing more than a GM engineers wet dream. They were in a scramble to get better mileage and enough torque for driveability out of engines that couldn't make any power going into overweight cars. They really needed the extra torque of the longer stroke, and it was also a cheap solution for them to just reduce the bore size. Things are different today. I don't think for a second that the short stroke combination "won't make torque" with modern engine management. Remember that 5.0 Mustangs are all 4" bore 3" stroke and in stock form they make plenty of torque. (yes I know the rods are shorter)

To set the record straight on the history of the small block chevy, ALL small blocks made thru 1967 were "small jounal" engines (smaller diameter rod and main bearings) EXCEPT for the new for '67 350 which was only offered in the Camaro SS. The '67 350 was the first "large journal" engine. ALL small blocks went to the large journals in '68. So, '67 Z28 302's are small journal, '68-'69 Z28 302's are large journal. For reference, 302's are 327 bore-283 stroke(4"x3"), 307's are 283 bore-327 stroke(3-7/8"x3-1/4"). Small journal rods are not weak, although large journal rods are stronger. GM went to the larger rod and main journals to increase the bearing overlap to make the cranks stronger with the longer stroke engines that were inevitable as the engine sizes increased. The 400 small block is proof of this, and the oddball of the small block chevys. It has the standard large journal rods and even bigger main bearings that are unique to the 400, required for crank strength with the 3.75" stroke.

The 302 has a reputation as a "high rpm" engine because that's the only way GM ever made them. 327's were made as both 6500 rpm screamers and low compression 2 barrel truck engines, so they didn't get the same reputation. If you put the 302 cam,heads,intake,and compression ratio in a 307 it will be a fast,high rpm engine too-even though they are regarded as a low rpm dog.

five7kid- If you don't want "305 vs. 350" flame wars then you need to edit the posts of the idiots that turn any 305 discussion into a flame war, not ban any discussion of the 305. TGO is a reference source for a lot more than just the 3rd gen community. There is nothing wrong with a discussion of information that is common to other applications if it is still useful to us with 3rd gens.

Stephen 87 IROC- You just don't have a lot of your facts straight and need to do some research.

I know you are both moderators and I just don't care- you are both human and still fallible.

 

I'm not banning any discussion of the 305. The originator was talking about a 302, and making mis-guided statements. Nothing has changed, but to show what a good guy I am, I'm letting this one proceed.

For now.

Neither of us thinks we're the pope.

BTW, your statement about the 400 main journal size is incorrect. Just to set the record straight.

And, for the record, I've built 283, 302, and 305 SBC's, along with 350's and a 400. The 302 was the wildest, but it wasn't the fastest, nor was it even close to the best combo of power and economy.

As always, you can take the advice offered, or go off and prove to yourself what does or doesn't work. Just be sure to come back with the truth (I've got a great recipe for crow sauce).

 

350 main journals are 2.45" dia.
400 main journals are 2.65" dia.
That's why they have different part numbers for the main bearings. To put a production 400 crank in a 350 block to make a 383 you have to cut down the mains. To put a 350 crank in a 400 block to make a 377 you have to use bearing spacers or spacer bearings.


Agreed. The production 302's didn't really do anything better than a 365hp 327, and economy was never,ever a consideration with those engines. The only reason that GM ever built them in the first place was for homologation to get them into the SCCA Trans-Am series. It was a set parameter that they had to work within. I think any comparison to the original 302 in this discussion is irrelevent-they didn't have EFI back then.

I have a very specifically defined set of parameters that I am working within also. My performance target is very modest-comfortably in the 13's in everyday street trim. I know that I could easily do that with a stock L98. But that would conflict with another of my requirements-that the car could handle the power reliably with the stock drivetrain(T5 & 9 bolt). 350's make too much torque, and I don't want to spend $5000 upgrading the drivetrain (TKO,12 bolt) for a 13 second car-that would be dumb. If I choose a higher performance target in the future I would be glad to do those upgrades. L98's also have a sharply defined powerband that goes up to around 4500-5000 and just stops. I want an engine that has a broad,flat torque curve that tapers off at the top end so I can also have a good autocross/track day car that doesn't have a tendency to get caught "between gears". Notice I didn't say a competitive autocross car,as in for a given class-that is a completly different thing. I also want to get greater than 35mpg hiway. The car won't be everyday transportation I just want to achieve it. That is high enough target that less cubic inches will help towards that goal. I also want to accomplish all of this without spending a fortune. As I said before, The small bore block really limits your choices of useable cylinder heads since most of them are designed to work with a 4" bore. To achieve my goals I really need a good cylinder head/intake combo. Good ports allow for a broader power band with less overlap. Short stroke engines have less frictional losses, and I think that long rod engines should have less pumping losses. Is it significant, or even measurable? I don't know. I would like to know.


There is a wealth of knowledge on this site on what IS known to work on 305's,350's,383's, and even 400's. And plenty of what is known NOT to work with these engines as well. But I did a search too and there is isn't any info one way or the other on 302's. If anyone has tried it and really knows why it "won't work" they aren't saying. And won't work for what? Whether something "works" or "doesn't work" depends on the objective. And we are back to the original question (underlined in post #5) - Would a 302 run worse, better, or different than a 305? Has anyone tried? Does anyone know? Is a small block chevy with a 2:1 rod ratio a bad thing? Why?

I will probably have to be the guinea pig and go find out for myself, and I have no problem with that. I don't suffer from a fragile ego so I have no problem admitting failure either. I have tried plenty of stupid ideas that didn't work at all, but I have also had great results from things that no one thought would work. I am sure something useful will be learned even if my goals aren't met. Just looking for some intelligent discussion on the question.

 

From reading the moderator's posts, I get the feeling that I'm suspected of being somebody that has posted on this before, please be assured I'm not. I am actually looking for information to compare the two engines.

Heh heh, this is actually the sort of info I'm looking for, a comparison between two different engines to see which would be the best choice in the end. I'm as cheap as the day is long in July, and don't want to be spending money where it won't do any good.

Outstanding! That's pretty close to my goal as a combo, which shows that it would be possible to have a 30MPG truck in the 13s, maybe low 14s on a 305. I wouldn't mind knowing what sort of mods were done to this, with specific info on what heads were used. I wouldn't ever have even started looking at the 302 as an option if there were a bigger selection of heads for the 305.

I appreciate that, because I really am here for information, not to spout off on my opinion of the best engine in the world, bar none. Really there's no such thing as a best engine in the whole world because there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all engine. My only preconcieved notion is I don't like 350s, IMO they have the power of a 305 and the economy of a 400. But that's just my opinion, I don't expect anyone else to agree with it or run with it. I've built my last 350, if I need an economical engine I'll do a 305, if I need a huge power engine I'll go straight to the big dog, the 400.

No need for the crow sauce yet, but I'll definitely report back on what combo I go with and how well it works. I realize you folks know little about me as I've not posted here before, but I am one who reports failures as well as successes, and am not one who thinks that whatever I have is the greatest, fastest machine on the planet until I sell it.

Any idea when this guinea-pigging might happen? I'd love to be the ...SECOND... guy to do this... heh heh....

All in all, good responses folks, it's given me plenty to think about. Fast355's brother's car has definitely pushed the 305 to the front of the list.

 

I know the journal sizes are different. You said the 400 mains are required for 3.75" stroke, and that isn't true.

 

just let it go...we are

 

This thread rocks...I am finding out alot of info because I am interested in doing something similar, how about a chevy 302 with port FI and a procharger with maybe 6psi to help out with bottom end torque or perhaps a turbo? My object is to not build a 1/4 mile car though! I am looking for something different kinda like a street-rally race-road coarse type of car but can still hold its own off the line. Keep on keepin on as Joe Dirt would say. I dont dislike 350's as I own one but I would like to do something different with the wifes car...maybe a twinturbo straight 6 in a F-body...lol! The reason being it would be alot of fun smoking someone in a race and have them ask you (What ya got under the hood) almost expecting 350 as the common answer and them watch them scratch their head when you tell them what ya realy got.I seen a site where they did a 302 buildup for a power tour in a chevelle that was blown it was a very interesting read 549hp and 23.3mpg in a 65 chevelle! http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/3...une/index.html

 

Great article-thanks. Here's a link to part one- http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/3...ild/index.html

 

More likely for you to be asking what smoked you.

In my experience, I outrun cars with more motor, and get outrun by cars with less motor. It's all in the build level, but if the build level is the same, more motor will outrun less motor.

There ain't no gettin' around that.

 

Oh I agree 100% I have owned everything from turbo 4 bangers to a built BB ford but its the cool factor that comes into play whan you got a screamin little motor that can hang with the big dogs. Can you tell me a Blown FI chevy 302 under your hood would not raise that cool factor to another level?

 

My daily driver 454SS can probably be beat by a third gen with a 305. Power to weight is a big factor. My truck only has 260 hp for a 454 smog engine and weighs 4600 pounds. The 400 pounds of torque at low rpm is what makes it fun to drive. It runs 15.0 on the 1/4 and low 13's with NOS. Now on the other hand, my truck can easily get a 700HP engine dropped into it with little effort.

It's possible to build high HP small engines using a power adder but these are engines that will cost a lot more than building a big engine. A 4 cylinder import that runs 9 second 1/4 miles costs a lot more than my race car doing the same thing.

 

I built a tpi 302 and get laughed at or made fun of in every thread I post. I had a 302, 305 and 350 tpi. I like the 302 the best, but on this board your retarted if you don't build a 383. The 302 needs more gear and stall than the 305. It spins right to it power band and has another 1000 rpm of usable power. This is where it makes the same horse power of a 350 tpi using stock intake, heads. injectors and cam. 383s need bigger than stock injectors, cam, intake, heads and exhaust to work. How is it cheaper to build. I like my horse power peak at 5500 not 4000. With a 700r4, the steep first gear will launch the car. The engine hits its power band without blowing the tires off the car. Have fun drifting with 383 and 500 ft/lb at idle. The piston speed is lower with the 3" stroke, less friction and wear on the parts. The oil ring is not in the piston pin hole. Went you are not on the gas, it gets better gas mileage too. O well, I guess I will go back to the pipe now before I get banned.

 

While a 302 is not a bad engine, the reason I used a 305 is because I wanted my peak torque rpm a little lower. I even have a L99 crank and 5.94" rods at my disposal and a clean .040" over roller cam 350 block with 4 bolt mains.

With the 305, I only have to run a 2,400 rpm converter and get GOOD acceleration with 3.08 gears. Cruising down the road at 80 MPH the engine is only turning 2,300 rpm. I can roll onto the throttle, with the TCC locked and the transmission still in OD and accelerate responsively. Try that with some of the shorter stroke, larger bore mills.













This is what the little 305 did on a trip that likely averaged 80-85 MPH, LOTS of WOT acceleration to cruising speed. In general, driving it like I stole it. 5,600 lbs of Chevy G20 Van.

 

They say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Perhaps a corollary would be, exaggeration is the silliest way to make your case.

I spent a good bit of time starting and maintaining a thread on the FAQ forum about 305's. The intent was a tech discussion of the different 305's offered in 3rd gens, and how to get the most out of yours. I point people to that thread often. Nowhere in that thread does it say, "Don't bother with the 305, get a 350", or "... get a 383". It doesn't suggest any work on the 305 shortblock, because that's the limit you shouldn't exceed for the best bang for your buck.

"Different" is highly over-rated. Sure, you could call Greg Anderson "different", but one of his DRCE's costs more than most of us make in a year. "Budget" has a lot of influence on the effectiveness of "different".

(For the record, it's "retarded".)

 

kanexpl - What cam and heads are you running in that engine, what sort of mileage do you get and do you have a dyno chart? I'd be interested to see what you did vs what you get. Thanks.

five7kid - Where is this 305 faq thread? I poked around in the faqs and was unable to find it, unless I'm just missing the name. Thanks.

 

The thread title starts with "Differences between. . ."

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/faq-...5-engines.html

 

Good deal, thanks.

Oh, and I just found the 327 vs 350 thread and read through it. I understand where you were coming from now when you shut down the previous thread, that 327/350 thread started off OK but then snowballed into a real whinefest. I'm really hoping that this thread won't turn into one, because I really am trying to weigh the differences between the two builds on the street, since they are the same displacement (3 cubes is nothing) but have radically different bore/strokes. I'm pretty close to making a decision now and am leaning towards the 305, but still want to see if kanexpl can answer the questions I put to him about his own 302.

I might actually be better off with an engine with a higher RPM band than I'm speccing here due to my truck's super lightweight rear, danged thing will spin the tires with the 2.8L in. Either engine will be a huge improvement in mileage and fuel economy over the 2.8.

 

You wouldn't believe the time it takes to read through every bit of threads like that, just to make sure people are behaving. I suppose you could call it laziness on my part to squash discussions when I see where they're headed, but you can see right here how long some posts can get, when it has all been discussed before.

Since this Board is dedicated to support 3rd gen f-bodies, Rule #2 is it has to at the very least relate to 3rd gens (Rule #1 is keep it civil). This topic has been covered many, many times before, and you aren't planning on putting it in a 3rd gen. That's where my itchy trigger finger comes from.

(BTW, there are a couple of LUV trucks that run at the track here. One has a 427 BBC, fairly mild {meaning more torque at low RPMs}, runs low-12's with no traction problems.)

 

The same type of argument can be used on what's better, a 400 SBC or a 396 BBC (406/408). Both have very similar bore/stroke and if built using identical cam profile, compression, induction etc, they become very identical engines. The differences in what it takes to make them better is what sets them apart.

On the same scale, the difference between a 302 and 305 are very close to the same. They're close enough to be similar engines however the 302's bigger bore gives it more potential for performance. Same goes for trying to compare a 305 to a Ford 302.

 

Lets not forget about the 307 that is in my wifes camaro right now...this summer I put a cam, hooker 2055's 3" exhaust and edelbrock performer and holley 600 VS and it is a screamin little motor and will hold its own. I was real interested in the 302 but I can see that would get real expensive. We will just leave that one in the GM history books and work on the little motor thats in it right now.

 

Telco, perhaps it's time for you to consider a LSx. By nature, they give up some low-end for top end power, the 5.3 truck engines are plentiful and less expensive than the passenger car LS1's, etc., and they are renowned for their excellent economy.

 

I've already considered it, saved for it, then discarded it. The LSx engine requires some frame mods that I don't want to make right now. You have to notch the crossmember under the engine for the oil pan, and use a modded oil pan to put one it, and you have to box the frame for the AC compressor. Ultimately I want to install a 4.5L turbodiesel after they come available, and I don't know what kind of frame mods will be required for that engine. By the time the 4.5Ls are available in the salvage yard I'll have both kids out of the house and be in a new house on acreage with a shop, at that point there won't be an issue with the truck being completely down for a year or more. If the new diesel turns out to be a turd though, a 4.8L will be the next engine to go in.

I also don't want to take the truck down for several months to a year to make this next swap happen. I can put a Gen 1 engine into the S10 with no frame mods, with the truck being down a couple of weeks or so. The only alternatives for me is to either run the 2.8L or go to a 302/305 V8, and I just don't see the 2.8 being an option.

 

Thanks for the assist folks. Since nobody with a 302 was forthcoming with an actual dyno with build list for comparison, decided to run through various scenarios with a couple of different cams and heads on DD2000. I know it's just a simulator, but it's supposed to be fairly accurate, and even more accurate when comparing two almost identical builds with only a couple of parameter changes. The engines were run through with a Comp XR264 cam, either L31 Vortec heads or Trick Flow 23 degree aluminum heads, and 9 to 1 on the Vortecs and 10 to 1 on the TFs.

I ran through the 302, 305, and for grins the 327. Of course the 327 made the most power, followed by the 305, then the 302, as expected. The 302 crosses the 305 in making more power after 6000RPM, but that's beyond my redline so is meaningless. The 305 actually crosses the line over the 327 at around 7000RPM, once again beyond my redline.

The 302 and 305 made almost the same HP up to 5000RPM, where the 302 started making more HP. But, the 305's torque was 10TQ better to 4000RPM, but the falloff rate was the same and beyond 4000RPM both engines made within 2TQ of each other. The 327 made 10HP more than the 305, increasing to almost 20HP by 5500, and torque 30TQ more at 2000RPM with the difference falling to 3TQ by 6000RPM.

So, looks like I'm going to look at doing an aluminum headed 305 with a 9.5 to 1 compression ratio and a Comp XR264 cam. This should produce the kind of power and fuel economy balance I'm looking for, while still leaving a little room for a turbocharger later on, if I decide it isn't quite enough.

Once again, thanks for the assistance with this project.