I have a 87 TA with a 305 4 barrel (LG4). I want a 350. The car has 125,000 miles on it. The Transmission is fine. I can run it hard and it shifts really firm. everything seems to be in good shape as the drive train goes. I dont want to stick a lot of money in the 305 with that many miles on it. And it would be just as cheap to swap a 350. I have about a 3000 budget on it. I'm planning on putting mostly high performance parts in it. with what i want it will have 10-2 compression. I'm just wondering if this is going to cost a lot more than i exspect. will the tranny hold up... I plan on getting a B & M shift kit. I can do most of the labor my self... I dont know if there are going to be a lot of unexspected exspenses. should i wait till i get some more money or will 3K be enough, what do you guys sudjust?

 

Unless that engine hasn't been taken care of, 125k miles is nothing.

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-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, 700R4, P.A.W. 14x3 open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips, Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248)
Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options

 

I bought the car about 4 monthes ago. i have put a compleate tune up on it. the car is in great shape inside and out. It doesnt smoke or anything. So i wonder if i should just wait till this upcoming summer and drop a 350 in there.

 

Take a look at my sig. That engine had 143,600 on the odometer when I drained the radiator to start those mods. It simply runs great, and is emissions legal.

You had better set aside at least $650 of that $3000 for exhaust. If not, please put a $3000 350 in your car with the stock LG4 exhaust and come out for a visit and let me embarrass you.

My transmission also withstood my running it hard and always shifted really firm - until the mods produced a big increase in available power - "firm" no more. You had better save something, about $150-$400, for transmission improvements. Please do yourself a favor and stay away from B&M for TH700 stuff - click on Pro-Built Automatics site above and get his Transgo stuff - if you have any questions, give Dana a call and he'll give you the straight scoop.

My mods cost me right at $2100, including a screaming deal of $75 for the take-off intake, but also the rebuilt torque converter ($125) and incidentals such as gaskets, porting tools & supplies, new radiator hoses, ATF, oil, etc. I'll be spending about another $100 to get a dual snorkel air cleaner on it (finishing touch for the emissions-legal part).

I'm still waiting for the person who has put $2200 total into a 350 swap, emissions legal, willing to challenge me. (I also spent $165 on subframe connectors that are waiting to be installed)

My point is, sure, go ahead and do a 350. But, don't assume that a 305 can't be made to run, emissions legal to boot, for a reasonable amount of money even when the engine has a good bit of miles on it. And, if you don't do that 350 correctly, one of those 305s will show you its rear bumper.

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82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4, 2300 stall TC. Ported World 305 heads, Crane PowerMax 2050 cam. ZZ3/4 intake, oil pump, pan & baffle. Accel HEI SuperCoil & module. Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" catback w/dual-opposite Flowmaster 80. 2.93 limited slip. Spohn SFCs waiting to be installed. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily year-round driver. Best ET, speed TBD...
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7:1 forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 700 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).

 

I wasnt so worried about the emmisions... i just want a bad *** sounding car. the 305 i dont know... you can buy 350 parts cheaper than a 305. I was going to run headman headers into a 3" pipe then back to a flowmaster, or another muffler.. not sure on that. I figure the headman headers from northwestern motor parts will fit 82~92 camaro/firebird.. for $120 then the pipe and a muffler arouind 250... i can buy a GM crate motor with out exhaust and intake for 2000 bucks... with 330 Horse power... Looking at that or just rebuilding a 350..

 

Greg Kuhlmann,
I put a 350 in my 86 Z28 with 4BBL Rochester. At the time I did not know that there was an article put out by GM in which they put an emmission legal 350 into I believe an 85 Z28. If I find the magazine, I will post all the part# needed to do the swap. But for now, since your motor is doing fine at the moment, I would save money or maybe use some of it to beef up the suspension and the exhaust.

 

At this time, the only certified legal carb'd 350 is the HO 350 conversion kit, which uses a ZZ4 crate engine as the base. It'll run you about $4400 plus tax and shipping. It is fairly complete, though, only thing I would change is put headers on it and add subframe connectors.

If emissions legality isn't a problem, then a 350 can be put in with few hassles (emissions guys can even do it if they don't say anything about the displacement of the SBC in there). The point I was trying to make is, if not done properly, a 350 can be easily embarrassed by us little guys.

As for 350 parts being cheaper than 305 parts, that is only really true with things like pistons, rings, rebuild kits, etc. Cam, exhaust, intake, even heads, are no different pricewise (most aren't even different). If you've seen anything I've said in my defense of 305's over the past year and a half or so, you'd know that I part company with the little guy when you have to put any money into rebuilding the shortblock - which, obviously I didn't have to do.

I'll say it again - go ahead and do a 350. Just don't assume: 1) that's the only way to get any performance; or 2) that just putting in a 350 is ALL you have to do.

 

I was planning on making the 350 (if i rebuild one) a complete performance motor.. my plans... 350 bored to 355, get the crank turned. buy new pistons, rings, cam, all new bearings. Edelbrock E-tec heads. Edelbrock performer intake. edelbrock 650cfm carb (around there) K&N air filter, Headman headers either Open or back through a 3" pipe then going through a flowmaster. I can get all that done for about 3 grand. with me and my dad doing most of the work. but i dont want to waste my money on a motor then have the trans or rear end fall apart... then id have a nice car with a Good motor setting in the drive way. I think I might save another 2 thousand and buy a new transmission and a new rearend when i do this... there is so much i want to do and not too much money. Before next fall I think the motor should be swapped out and a new drive train.