Hi am i better off replacing my 5.0 v8 for a 350, or tuning mine!!
It's alredy got a cam, electrics and a perfomer inlet man and carb. Should i just change the heades and get it set up right, then put a small shot of nos on it? Or just get a 350 ?????
A lot of people here (uk) don't think its worth putting the money into a 5.0v8. I tthought that they had been around for ever and there fore good!!!!
I want the car for having a bit of fun in. The odd run down the strip and messing around with the hot hatches, but must be fairly usable........

Any help or advice !!!!!

Thanks

joe

 

Build a 350 then spray alot into the 305.

 

So you think theres no point tuning what i got?????

 

I'm currently refreshing a 305 with a cam, inlet, headers, port/polish etc etc. When it's finished I'll be building a 350 from scratch to transplant at a later date. I'm on a budget right now, but the cam and heads I can reuse so I don't see it as waste. I'm in the UK too so I know what you mean.

If you can locate the 350 and have the money and the means, then it will be ultimately better. As the Americans say, there ain't no replacement for displacement. Any modifications you do to a 305 you will see as much (or more) benefit in a 350, but you have a better platform and more power to begin with. As the 350 is not as readily available here as it is in the States, then the initial outlay for a 350 is the biggest hurdle. I've seen a few change hands on ebay recently for not too much money.

Nobody will think less of you if you drop the 305 in favour of something bigger, but nobody can poke fun if you have a firebreathing 305 that'll give a good 350 a run for it's money either. What's your budget?

 

Hi Mate,

Well i've been chatting to some uk people today and there talking about £3000 for a fitted 350, using my carb, inlet and headers but with a cam !!!

Seems like a lot a cash, my budget is around £2000 all in. I am not really good enough to replace the lump my self and don't have access to the facilities.
I was thinking about sticking some heads on it (£700) getting it set up properly and putting a 50/75 bhp nos kit on it and seeing what happened.

The engine isn't that old and is giving great oil pressure.......

Not sure, this is doing my head in.

What are you doing to your lump and what out put are you expecting??
Also i was thinking about lowering the final gearing to increase acceleration ??????????

 

Lowering the final gearing a little will make a helluva difference, but top end will suffer, as will fuel economy on a long drive, what with the engine spinning quicker at cruise speeds. I'm contemplating it myself, but with any serious power increases a need for posi (limited slip diff) will probably arise first.

My main modifications are port/polish, headers, comp cams XE262, inlet manifold (not yet chosen) and rods/hangers for the Quadrajet. I've already ditched the computer and I'm running a vacuum distributor. I'm not keen on putting an expected power output on my work, as I'll be lining myself up for a disappointment. I'm lucky in that my pistons are not dished, so the power output would probably have been higher than some LG4s to begin with. If I were to dyno and get a piece of paper saying 250bhp, I'd be happy. If not, I won't be disappointed because it beats the Renault 5 I'm currently driving. Look up a TGO member called Sitting Bull. He's squeezed 305hp out of a 305, and his modifications are listed in his signature.

£3000 sounds a lot for an engine, but with labour that's not so bad. I recently saw a 300hp LT1 engine from a Corvette, complete with computer and loom, go for £2000 + vat in Custom Car mag. If you're worried about your ability to swap an engine, then have you considered porting and polishing your heads? If you did a valve job to boot, the 305 heads would work well on a 350 when the right block comes along.

I'm trying to keep a record of my work at The Camaro Batcave but it's not up-to-date right now as I'm down to a bare block.

 

Thanks for that.
How do i find some one in london who is any good on camaro's?????

I am wondering how i find out what the rear ratios are? and who to go to change them?

 

Unfortunately I don't know of anyone in London - I try to avoid the place. Swing over to the Euro board, I think a couple of the guys there are **** A Knees.

The only true way of finding out the gear ratio is to take the diff cover off and look. You can either count the teeth on the ring gear and work it out, or look for the markings like in the picture below.

 

Nice one mate!!!!!!

 

if you want to build a 305 that screams and will eat a whole lot of more expensive 350's and 383's check out mw66nova ...'s car. his combination is not difficult to reproduce. But there are specific key parts that work well together. You can visit his site and probabily email for details. Mid 12's from a daily driven 305 is not to shabby. Many people have more wrapped up in their cars that don't run as fast.

 

I'd keep the 305. Nothing wrong with it. True it doesn't make as much power as a 350. But there will always be something faster.

One way to find out the gearing, other than opening up the rear and checking the RPO codes is to get into 3rd gear (if you have an automatic ) or 4th gear if you have a manual, get up to 70mph hit and see where your RPMs are at. If around 2700 you got 2.73's. If around 3200 you have 3.23-3.27s. 3400 you have 3.42s.

 

ok so the lower the geaqring the better the acceleration????

cool will check later!

 

That would only work if you know both your speedometer and tachometer are accurate. The proof is in the stamp! That said, there is another way.

Jack the rear of the car up and turn one of the rear wheels one full turn, counting the number of times the drive shaft turns. Multiply by 2 for an open differential, and that gives your ratio.

 

thanks guys!! i've got a guy checking the whole lot out later this week.
And i've been chating to sitting bull who has encouraged me to work on the 305. so watch out you 350's !!!!