305 HO TO 350
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Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 24
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Car: 87 camaro
Engine: 305 soon to be a 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 383's i think?
305 HO TO 350
OK SO THIS QUESTION HAS BENN PROLLY ASKED 100 TIMES BUT HERE WE GO so right now i'm debating wether i want to swap a 350 into my car
i have a 1987 camaro with a 305 ho and a 700r4
the reason i want a 350 is because my dad and my cousin both have mustangs with hyped up 302's dad's is a 1989 and cousins is a 1994 and i just wanna show them there's no replacment for discplacment and wanna put a locker in my car so it's posi do you guys think i could get good horsepower out of my 305 or should i swap a 350 cause it will be easier,faster and cheaper to build up my 305 because my dad said that if we build a 350 it's gonna be from almost the ground up and tht'l get kinda pricey
i have a 1987 camaro with a 305 ho and a 700r4
the reason i want a 350 is because my dad and my cousin both have mustangs with hyped up 302's dad's is a 1989 and cousins is a 1994 and i just wanna show them there's no replacment for discplacment and wanna put a locker in my car so it's posi do you guys think i could get good horsepower out of my 305 or should i swap a 350 cause it will be easier,faster and cheaper to build up my 305 because my dad said that if we build a 350 it's gonna be from almost the ground up and tht'l get kinda pricey
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 42
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
First, there was no "HO" 305 (or any factory engine) offered in 1987.
So, which engine do you have? VIN "H" LG4, or VIN "F" LB9? It makes a difference.
In general, you have to do the basics - exhaust, air cleaner, intake, etc. - to either the 305 or 350. If you don't, it doesn't matter what else you do to either engine.
Having said that, it is important to know whether you've got carb or TPI. Carb is easier and cheaper to get power out of, whether 305 or 350.
Having said that, it is cheaper and more cost-effective to go with a properly built 350 than it is to try to get more power out of a 305 - assuming you listened to what I said in Paragraph #3 above. But, if you start talking about the Goodwrench 350 or a 350 out of a '92 pickup - well, we have more talking to do.
And, for what it's worth, the 305 has handicaps that the 5.0 doesn't have, that generally makes it necessary to go to a 350 to put the whoop on the 5.0's.
So, which engine do you have? VIN "H" LG4, or VIN "F" LB9? It makes a difference.
In general, you have to do the basics - exhaust, air cleaner, intake, etc. - to either the 305 or 350. If you don't, it doesn't matter what else you do to either engine.
Having said that, it is important to know whether you've got carb or TPI. Carb is easier and cheaper to get power out of, whether 305 or 350.
Having said that, it is cheaper and more cost-effective to go with a properly built 350 than it is to try to get more power out of a 305 - assuming you listened to what I said in Paragraph #3 above. But, if you start talking about the Goodwrench 350 or a 350 out of a '92 pickup - well, we have more talking to do.
And, for what it's worth, the 305 has handicaps that the 5.0 doesn't have, that generally makes it necessary to go to a 350 to put the whoop on the 5.0's.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Car: 87 camaro
Engine: 305 soon to be a 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 383's i think?
Re: 305 HO TO 350
it's got a junk lg4 i have a gm good wrench 350 in a old non moving blazer outback of my house only prob is it's my uncles
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 69
Likes: 2
From: Orwigsburg, PA
Car: 94TA 87IrocZ
Engine: 350 305
Transmission: 4L60e 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 3.23
Re: 305 HO TO 350
You can get a junk yard 350 for nothing, and beef up the internals, get some cheap heads, mild cam, intake and good carb and you'll be eating those 5.0's for breakfast.
It won't be a monster, but it'll be fun.
It won't be a monster, but it'll be fun.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 24
Likes: 0
Car: 87 camaro
Engine: 305 soon to be a 350
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 383's i think?
Re: 305 HO TO 350
i just talked to my dad he thinks they did a engine swap because he says it goes to good to be any 305 besides a ho and the coil is seperate from something can't remember
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 42
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
In '87 they went with a small cap distributor and a coil separate from the distributor cap, unlike HEI distributors from 1975 to 1986.
A 305 can go pretty well, but still difficult for them to keep up with 5.0's.
Okay, you mentioned the Goodwrench 350 - the only way you should consider it is if you replace the heads (Vortecs are a good choice) and cam. The stock carb is fine (mine outruns stock LS1 automatics), you'll need a different intake manifold with the Vortec heads - just get a spreadbore Vortec version. Full exhaust, including headers, well-built y-pipe, and full exhaust out to the rear bumpers is a must.
A 305 can go pretty well, but still difficult for them to keep up with 5.0's.
Okay, you mentioned the Goodwrench 350 - the only way you should consider it is if you replace the heads (Vortecs are a good choice) and cam. The stock carb is fine (mine outruns stock LS1 automatics), you'll need a different intake manifold with the Vortec heads - just get a spreadbore Vortec version. Full exhaust, including headers, well-built y-pipe, and full exhaust out to the rear bumpers is a must.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 43,187
Likes: 42
From: Littleton, CO USA
Car: 82 Berlinetta/57 Bel Air
Engine: L92/LQ4 (both w/4" stroke)
Transmission: 4L80E/4L80E
Axle/Gears: 12B-3.73/9"-3.89
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