need some help, do I need a special timing cover for a stock 305 tbi, just looking at chroming a lot of items....not into doing any internal work

 

You don't need a special one per se but you need to make sure you get one that has the right timing tab provisions on it. I would be leery of aftermarket chrome covers since I have never heard of one not leaking.

 

the proform one i bought is thicker than stock. it wasnt any different than my 89 timing cover

 

Chrome usually looks cheesy (just my opinion though) on a 3rdgen... cast aluminum looks much better, especially for the intake, valve covers, and timing cover. Cast aluminum almost always seals better too when it comes to parts like valve covers and timing covers.

 

Don't buy the cheap stuff. I bought a cheap set of valve covers and timing cover, and I have an oil slick under my hood from the timing cover leaking and getting on the damper and slinging it all over.

 

I'm kinda with the crowd,I don't dig the chrome a bunch.But if it's what you want,any chrome cover for an early smallblock will work,and I'd recommend cleaning up your stock timing tag,you know it's right.

Just a little sealing tip,it helps on chrome to sandblast all the sealing surfaces to help seal the gaskets.I know it sounds stupid,but it truly works.

 

You don't need to sandblast exactly, but yes, at least take some form of abrasive to the sealing edges. I used a 3M Roloc disk.