Hey everyone, I'm new to the board. I'm a long time reader but first time poster. I recently bought an 86 berlinetta from a friend of mine. The engine is a 305 (LO3?). Its got 140k on it and it runs decent, but its going to be a daily driver for me when i got to college next year. So I decided that it was not going to be reliable enough for the long trip ill be making there and back every so often. It has had all the pollution control stuff taken off of it, and all the computer stuff taken out of it.
Instead of rebuilding the 305, i decided to just buy a 350. So two days ago i bought a 350 long block, its a remanufactured 1981 350. I also bought a edelbrock performer intake for it. And i have an edelbrock carburetor on there right now, but i dont like it very much, and I'm not sure on the size. I bought a holley 650cfm DP, with mechanical secondaries and a manual choke.
The exhaust on the car is pretty much stock, except for a 2 1/2 inch dynomax cat back. I'm just wondering if anyone has suggestions on what i should do for a cam. I want something very mild that will work with the stock heads, maybe with just new valve springs. I was also wondering what kind of 1/4 mile times i can expect?

 

So.... do you have a question?

I think you're doing a good job, pat on the back.

 

Yeah the questions are now in there, I edited it cause i hit the post button on accident.

 

just one question... why a 2 1/2 in cat back... why not 3?

get that holley on there and do some tuning i bet 14s

 

Yea, compxe262 is a good bet for a pretty stock looking 350 SBC. Use comp981 springs, or any performance spring with around 100/300 for the spring rate.

 

put headers on when you drop the new engine in.

 

stupid computer... double post....

 

I didn't put the cat-back on there, if I did it would definitely be 3 inch. If I were to put headers on wouldn't I need a y-pipe, and to do some other work? If there isn't much involved I might consider it. My bank account is already drained. I got about $200 left to spend. so a cam and springs is about all I can afford. Once I figure out if I'm on scholarship to lincoln tech then I may have more money to put into the car. For now, I'm broke.

 

Another thing that might help with suggestions, I would like it to make power from idle to 5500, I wont be raising the shift points.

 

Ok, do the headers and y-pipe then. They'll be a better investment at this point then the cam.
Headers and y-pipe add power, make the car sound cooler, and have no ill effects.
Cam will hurt your mileage a bit, a chance of wiping a lobe, and you don't get full use of it until you get the BIGGEST bottleneck taken care of anyway (exhaust)

 

where can i get some cheap headers ans y-pipe? I'v read the post on the exhaust section, but the ones on there are name brands and kind of expensive. I don't really care if they are shiny, or ceramic or anything, as long as they are headers. I don't really want to modify my k-member, so long tubes are out.

 

No headers made for a camaro require modifying the k-member. The real reason you don't want long tubes is because they're like $800. About 4x the cost.

Non name brand headers are exactly that. They suck. Don't even bother.

"shiny" doesn't seem important now, but after owning non-coated headers for a while, you'll be kicking yourself for not getting the ceramic ones. Might as well get the non-coated ones now anyway, you can always pull 'em off and get them coated at a later date when (not if, but when) you change your mind

Ok, hedmann headers are barely more expensive then the no name ones. No name headers have no y-pipes meant to fit, so you can't even really buy them without shelling out for a custom y-pipe, which puts you at more money then buying the hedmann or others in the first place.

Hooker 2055 is also good. Add up the cost of the hedmann headers and the y-pipe, and compare it to the hooker 2055, "2055" in english means "headers and y-pipe".
Edelbrock makes some also, but I have no experience WRT to those.

 

yeah there is a post on the exhaust board right now and they are talking about the same thing. Post is called "$90 headers?". Another reason i wanted to do the cam though, is because of how much easier it will be with the engine out of the car.
So if i get the headers and y pipe, do i have to reroute the rest of the exhaust?

 

Anyone have a guesstimate on a 1/4 mile time?

 

I just talked to my uncle who is going to help me with the engine swap and he said that getting a cam would be a bad idea. His theory is that the 350 will run better with the parts that are on it because they are matched up better. If anyone has some specs on a 81 stock 350 cam that would be great. I searched google and this forum, and didn't find anything.
The heads are also going to have some minor port work done if that makes a difference on cam selection.
I'm sorry for being annoying but I simply can't afford to mess up right now.