I'm looking at getting a new (to me) 87 trans am with a 305 v-8 HO -that's what the guy told me it had at least. I've been told the 305 is a chevy motor, how can i tell if it's chevy or olds?? Also I'm looking to rebuild the motor (and the whole car basically) but as far as the motor I'd like to get a stroker kit. If anyone knows of any reputible companies that sell a 305 stroker let me know. Also let me know if i should just get a junk yard 350 and rebuild that bored and stroked. I don't want to spend TOO much cause I'm in school working only part time, but i can do all the work myself so labor time is not an issue. I'm looking for around 300hp when I'm done without idling at 3000 from a "hot" cam or being far offset in the power band. I want a beast but I want it to be able to go on the road as well. Any info on these things would be greatly appreciated.- Isaac-

 

Well all thirdgen v-8's are chevy motors. An OLD's motor would be an engine swap, they have very large intake manifolds and just look huge. I'm not sure there was a HO motor in 87. Powerhouse at www.enginekits.com sells a 305 stroker or 335 kit. But why? Just get a 350 slap a carb on it and you will be worlds ahead. Or build a 383 stroker. You can build 300hp from a 350 like nothing.

 

If the 305 shortblock is in good shape, rings and bearings, just work with that. 300 hp is easy enough. Follow the parts in my sig.

 

olds never made a 305, they made 307's...just for your info

 

Don't bother stroking a 305. A 350 is already better, and people won't make fun of you for having it.

Don't bother rebuilding the 305 either. For the same price you could rebuild a 350. Do some reading around the boards and you can figure out what you want to do.

 

Your best bet would be, if you have a good 305 and you don't want to swap or haven't decided YET!!

Buy parts that are interchangable onto a 350, that way if you do swap you will have some parts already to go.

Sitting Bulls list looks about like what I plan on doing, only some minor changes to be different


Also in 87 there was no HO carb motor, it was an LG4 that produced about 170HP 245TQ.

 

Yes! Listen to Drakar!!!

He is obviously a scholar and a gentleman--and a fine judge of female flesh to boot

 

www.enginekits.com

 

Start with exhaust and air cleaner. Those two things alone will make a significant difference, and will swap over to later SBC (if a 350 is in your future, for instance). Exhaust (headers, y-pipe, high-flow cat, cat-back) will run you about $750. Get stuff for '86-'90 TPI single-cat application (I know you don't have that - just do it). If you buy a single exhaust piece that will fit to your current configuration, you will be tarred, feathered, run out of town on a rail, and possibly shot.

Cam needs to be changed next for more power improvement. You've got a roller cam, which run about $250 each. You can re-use your stock lifters and such.

Since there is no free lunch, the cam replacement will necessitate a torque converter stall upgrade. More $'s.

Bull and I will argue 'til the cows come home whether you should do your factory heads or get aftermarket. $'s-wise, port and upgrade intake valve size on the factory heads, along with better valve springs. Better performance (I say) can be had by treating World 305 S/R heads to a do-it-yourself porting job (cost you about $300 more, but you'll have a better end product). Either way, the other improvements will be limited if you don't do something about the heads.

So, for a student on a next-to-zero budget, start with replacing that piece of junk factory single-snorkel air cleaner. Then start saving your loose change for a few years (took me about 18 months to get all my parts together).

 

You can save on the cam by getting a used LT1 cam off of eBay for about $50. It should work just Jim-dandy on a 305.

 

Thanks Sitting,

I figure I will follow in your foot steps my western brother

Female Flesh :hail:



Also question for five7 and Sitting

If you port 416's and S/R's and get 1.94 put into the 416's which would end up being the better head, and by how much $$?

 

We Westerners got to stick together

I don't think there would be much difference between the two types of heads, performance-wise. I think either one can feed a 305 everything it needs and more. But the 416s will cost less because you are doing the porting yourself.

 

Sitting Bull...I've got a set of 305 S/R's (complete)on the way to New Zealand as we speak. How much better are they once ported? and at what stage hp wise do they require porting? ie if 300hp is the goal, will the S/R's require porting, given that the selected cam will go to 300hp ?

 

SRs are good out of the box. But talk to five7kid. He pocket ported his for his 305 and knows just where to touch them up.

I think the SRs would support well over 400 hp as long as the other parts are just right. But you'd need a 350 or 400 to get there.

 

Actually, I did the full Standard Abrasives porting job on them. What I've said about pocket porting is that the S/R's need it. Out of the box, they will be hampered by the way their standard machining leaves them. Getting the bowl opened up and smoothed out to the recommended 85% of valve diameter makes a significant difference. I also spent a good bit of time cutting down and smoothing out the guides. The rest of the port and chamber areas cleaned up nicely, including the gasket matching. The factory head I did for practice (one cylinder's worth) took a lot more work, and the finished product wasn't as clean.

The combustion chambers of the S/R 305's have a different shape and spark plug placement to them compared to 416's. The port routing is slightly different. I don't know of anyone who has done back-to-back comparison of similar level-of-effort porting of the two heads, but knowing the corners cut by the factory for production heads vs. the aftermarket care taken by World, your chances are much improved going with the Worlds over 416's.

 

Roger that "five7kid". You have the flow numbers for a standard set of 305's vs S/R's lying around mate?