i bought a 1984 camaro Z28 with a L69 305 how can i squeeze as much power out of this engine without breaking the bank? i just want a nice camaro that will shred all the rice burners around to pieces. im only 18 and dont have alot of money to work with so i just want a nice car.

 

Headers and exhaust.

 

Yup; everything else external is already far in excess of the internals. Not alot of worthwhile bolt-ons for that motor, as the factory already took care of that.

Cam would be next.

And of course, maintenance should always be as perfect as possible, if not better.

 

I'm trying to be REAL here, OK? Don't get bent just read ...

1) You'll never "shred" any ricers with a 305 Camaro - so hang up that notion right now.

2) If you're thinking about racing "ricers" or anyone else on the street, you might as well just drive the car of a cliff now - you'll just end up in a wreck, bang up the car, lose your driving privilege, and be running 25mph on a 50cc scooter before the end of April anyway (and nothing says "chick magnet" like a 50cc scooter!).

3) The rest of us have kids playing in the street, dogs out for a walk, grandmothers going to the drug store - again my point - race at the track or don't race at all.

4) You said it yourself ... you want a nice car! The ONLY way to have a nice car is to make it nice, and KEEP it nice. Racing does neither - tears up the car internally and externally. Brains always wins over braun EVERYTIME - if you like the car, then make it yours, make it nice, and cruise in it. Trust me, the "ricers" are jealous enough because you have good old American muscle that looks nice. Anyone racing in the street is just trying to compensate for smallness in other areas (catch my drift here?). The big dogs run at the track, the teeny weeny (another Freudian slip) putz's endanger their lives and others by being stupid on the street.

Now - after the "dad" lecture ...

GET TOOLS and learn to do your own work! 95% of "shops", "mechanics", etc. just end up ruining these cars do to lack of knowledge. We at TGO will tell you everything you need to know, you just need to do the work yourself.

a) Tuning - that will spend all your cash and then some. Plugs, wires, dist cap, rotor, change oil/filter, change fuel filter.
b) Brakes - new rubber hoses in front and rear - check pads/rotors replace if necessary.
c) Suspension - new tie rod ends, ball joints, sway bar bushings and endlinks
d) Exhaust - headers, new cat, new muffler (Hooker Aerochamber really nice for $80)

None of this will increase your hp enough to notice, not even the exhaust. But it's all safety issues that your 27 year old car needs attention to in an effort to keep your 18 year old self alive and kep your car moving instead of being parked or wrecked. And the exhaust will transfer to a 350 later.

You get all that done, then we'll talk more mods. No sense trying to add power if you can't keep it on the road! Save for a 350 to swap in.

OK - I know - you'll blow all this advise off, spend your limited cash on chrome exhaust tips and a sub so loud you won't be able to hear yourself think, and race the engine the minute you see a "*****". But I'm telling you honestly - you can't win, so there's no need to even try. Give me ANY car you can think of, and I beat you everyday - period. Forget "ricers" - take pride in your ride! And enjoy the privelege of driving, and of having a car you like.

Good Luck! I'm really on YOUR side here! I was 18 and stupid once too! I might still be stupid - but I've got an award-winning Camaro that I'm proud of, and I'd like for you to be able to claim the same!

 

i agree with everything above, i am 18 turning 19, have had more cars then i can count on both hands including s10s cavaliers an 89 Z24 that i still have, a 85 IROC, and a 90 RS that i still have, and i agree with everything dude above said, i tore up my iroc, sold it to my buddy cuz i couldnt aford fixin the **** i broke on the street, he tore it up even worse

point is, take pride in ur car, treat it well, build it nice how u want, if u wana race go to the d*mn track lol

ud cry iv u saw how my buddy tore up my z28 after i tore it up and sold it to em, its shame, but hell, hes doin same stupid s*** we all did when we wer young lol
iv realized what camaronewbie is saying lol, and hes right, listen to em

 

When did the word ***** get uncensored?!

On another note, the guy who lectured you is right in multiple ways but I won't go into the moral side of things since I could give two sh*ts about your safety or the safety of random pedestrians that live nowhere near me. Your 305 will never kill a rice burner, it is possible to beat one with limited money into the motor but not by much. I had a cam/manifold/headers/weight reduction 305 car that did 14.3-14.4's; hardly anything I'd confidently want to use in a street race because you'll look like a fool when a honda blows your doors off.
Next, if you want a street car you go for torque. Your best bet is a 350 block with your 305 heads and a low lift/high duration cam. You can squeek a low 14 second 1/4 easily, high 13's if you can tune the carb. That's the lowest budget build you can really do... probably cost less than a nitrous kit anyway.

 

i will never race on the street. i live too close to a track and just run at the test and tunes. lost way too many friends from street racing. and i catch his drift. its nice to know there are people out there that actully care about other people. but i really want a car i can be proud of. thank you to all the tips guys its much appriciated

but on a different note my dad and i have been working on cars my hole life, mostly buicks in the 70's though/ this is our first camaro and we just are not quite sure what to do to have a nice car i can be proud to call mine.

 

The 305 will respond well to exhaust upgrades, very mild camshaft, RPM air-gap type intake manifold, underdrive pulley, and a performance distributor like an MSD.
With the stock heads you can run about 0.450" valve lift. A performance camshaft will need upgraded valvesprings.

 

all of the above =)