I am no motor expert but I am planning on pulling my 305 and rebuilding it putting cam/lifters, performer RPM intake, 600CFM carb, MSD HEI dist. And porting my stock swirl ports.

I am on a tight budget being 16 and having a minimum wage job, but It would be soooo much cheaper to hone this bad boy out than have a machine shop bore it .030 over for 900$. Then throw in some nice flat-top pistons. . maybe more. planning 250hpto the wheels.

 

that is largely dependent on the condition of the cylinder walls (which you wouldnt know until the engine was pulled). if they are in rough shape you will need the bore, if they are not too bad, you might be able to get away with just a hone.

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for the long run you would be better off with the .030 over.

 

If you felt energetic enough you could get a set of telescoping gauges and a cylinder hone. Measure the cylinders to make sure they're not out of spec and not ovaled. If it's good you could just hone it yourself.

 

i agree it could be done yourself, but IMO i would have it done. if you are dumping a decent amount of cash on components, do it right. you will thank yourself in the long run.

 

Let's go back to first principles - Why are you rebuilding it? Does it burn oil? Did a compression check come out low? Has the engine been neglected (oil changes, tune-up) or abused?

The lower end of these engines (pistons, rings, bearings) will last a very long time with simple maintenance. You can do your cam/heads thing without touching the rest. Having gone through the 305-hop-up process, I still maintain it is a poor use of performance $'s to spend any money on lower end machining on a 305. Plain truth is nobody cares if it is "just a 305".

Are you set on switching to carb? The benefits are minor if you keep the swirl ports, and the disadvantages are significant. It's no more expensive to improve the TBI than it is to switch to carb, and you won't have any of the carb disadvantages.

Porting swirlports is an exercise in porting, not in performance improvement. You might get a little benefit from deburring and short side radius clean-up, but more than that, you're going to need better castings.

 

Motor is tired makes little power, no smoke. Bad trans, have a new trans with shift kit and corvette servo ready to go in. Thought I would hone the 128,XXX mile motor put bearings/rings and flattops in it with a new intake 600cfm edelbrock carb, cam and lifters for it and possibly RRs. But heads are a definate concern of mine. Probably will get some 08X vorecs. Just depends if I get my stolen 350 back. I had been making payments to a guy for a nice 350 fresh.030 over flattops, cam lifter kit + RRs. With some 2.02 camel hump heads. had 400 down on it owed him 200$ more was going to pay him last week and he sold motor out underneath me. Now I am out 400$ plus my mallory 4309 and Accel incap HEI, torker intake and holly 750 DP carb are in his garage and he will not dive me them. I am going to a small claims court for the things I have receipts for. This sucks.

 

16 and small claims court might not hold up too well. considering you are a minor and even if you signed a contract for the engine it is invalid becuase you aren't a legal adult. hopefully your parents will be able to help you out.

but regardless it does suck.

 

Wrong course of action. Go down to the sherriff's office and swear out a warrant for theft of the manifold, carb, distributor, and the $400. If you have reciepts+$400 totalling over 1K it's grand theft.
You'll be suprised how his attitude will change when he sees the county boys...
You can get that done in 2 hours.
It's their JOB, it's what they do.
They'll be happy to oblige because there's no telling what they might kick up while they're there.
Oh, and they take a dim view of adults that take advantage of kids.

 

Sounds like the dude is taking your money. I just had a 350 block punch .30 over hot tanked new freeze plugs threw out and new cam bearings for 248.00

 

Much better route than SCC. Faster and cheaper too.