I helped a friend put a motor into his 84 camaro and he gave me a 350 as payment for my work. I thought this motor would be a good candidate for a build-up I would like to do for my 88 GTA 305 5-speed. However, this motor isn't equipped with a roller cam. The guy who I got it from thought it was out of an 1989 1/2 Ton Chevy and it was basically free anyway so I wasn't real concerned with where it came from. I checked all the casting numbers and it was cast on Feb. 27, 1987 for use in either a truck or an F-body (The serial number is kinda hidden so I'm not positively sure). Now, the block is cast with the little "pedestals" (not real sure what else to call them) so you can drill and tap holes to bolt the sheet metal spider on. I have a complete roller-cammed 305 here so i have all the parts I need. So, can I just drill holes for this spider and put in a different cam and lifters and the retainer plates over the lifters and lastly the spider and get away with it? Or is there something different about the lifter bores or anything else that would require machine work? Thanks in advance

 

Drill and tap the pedastals and get the factory roller cam goodies and you are good to go.
That is exactly what I did.

 

Make sure the tops of the lifter bores have been machined to accept the lifter bars. I found one 88 truck block that wasn't machined for roller lifters. 4 bolt mains too. Other wise you'll have to use after market roller lifters.

 

or buy aftermarket parts and not use the silly parts gm designed. funny how well the aftermarket stuff worked since the 60s and gm saw fit to reinvent the wheel.

 

Or use the SILLY? (It works) factory stuff at less than half the cost of aftermarket. I paid $200 for the factory lifters,retainers,holddown spider and timing chain brand new.
Besides the fact you already have this stuff in your 305.

 

I have a chance to get a block as described in this post, actually a complete motor from a van. I want to use the block to build a new motor and want to use the factory roller lifter setup as I already have a new set of lifters and want to use a roller cam. What exactly is meant by this statement regarding the block being machined to accept lifter bars? It's been so long since I saw the inside of my L-98 motor that I can't recall any machining in this area. Is this referring to the area for the lifter guide plates that the spider holds down, and if so what machining / app. cost would be involved to allow use of the factory stuff?

Thanks for the info.