my friend has a daily driven nova we are gonna spice up. i just am wondering what the cost of machining a block (cheaply), and reworking his heads and porting them would cost. just rough guesses on the cheap side. thanks.

 

also how does this setup sound:
No smog
305 with a summit rebuild kit, 8.5:1 comp.
machined, bored block
Heads ported, reworked
full length headers
a performer intake with a 500 cfm carb (daily driver)
true dual turbo mufflers
just a rough estimate on horsepower.
and a streetable cam that is a little lopey
thanks

[This message has been edited by unknown_host (edited September 02, 2001).]

 

Uh, why not toss in a 350 sb? My friend has a 350 sbc that runs constant 10s. If your gonna pull the motor get a block of a 350 and just build it yourself. Then you have a brand new motor and have the option to do whatever you want with it.

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1990 G92 5spd LB9 - 3.42 80,000 miles

Accel Ignition/Wires (8.8mm), Advanced Timing, TB Bypass, Ported and Gasket Matched Plenum, Synthetic Motor Oil, 160 Thermo, TPIS Airfoil, K&N Air Filters, Centerforce I Pressure Plate and Clutch, Edelbrock TES Headers, Dual Cats, Edelbrock RPM Series Catback, Homemade Ram Air, Bosch +4 Platinum Plugs

14.4 @ 94mph w/2.0622 60ft (w/o headers and catback)

14.426 @ 96.19mph w/2.167 60ft(w/headers and catback)

Also newly modded w/o track times:

Holley AFPR, Underdrive Pulleys, KYB Shocks and Struts, Crane Ignition

 

we have two 305 long blocks and more want a car that runs nicely, sounds good, and knocks down gas mileage. he doesnt have a lot of money so i want to save him the hassle and expense of getting a long block 350. we are set on a 305, i know 350's are better, but we are more gonna do a "which heads are better" "which block is better" swap in. anybody else?

 

you gotta go with vortec heads on a 305 if not, porting the stock pieces should provide ok air flow. With the combo you listed there in your post, you should have maybe 250-280 horse or so, which is plenty streetable and should haul nicely in a nove. What year is this nova? I'm assuming '73 up because of the smog junk. Oh and don't bother with a different engine, use what you have. A small block is a small block.

 

thanks for the reply. actually, we want a block to build up so we can just do a swap one weekend, that was the purpose. also, i just meant whatever block tested better, wasnt cracked or whatever lol. thanks

 

Skip the 305 and get a 350. You can thank me later.

 

this is a daily driver that will have to drive to college in another city everyday. like i said above, i am a 350 guy, but this guy needs a car he can drive and knock down good gas mileage. this car's priorities go gas mileage, performance. thanks tho

 

I'm about to start helping my wife's 16-year old cousin mod the 305 in his 78 camaro,you should be able to get decent h.p. out of it,and get great gas mileage too.

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82 firebird with 305H.O.,Block bored .30 over,Keith black hyperutectic flat top pistons for 10 to 1 compression,Turned crank,Magnafluxed connecting rods,Melling H.V. oil pump,and double roller timeing chain,Ported and shaved heads w/3angle valve job,Z-28springs,Summit push rods and comp cams magnum roller rockers,Ported Edelbrock performer r.p.m.intake,Carter 625 afbcarb,Accell spark plugs,wires,and H.E.I.super coil,Heavy duty cap and rotor,Clevite performance cam with 450-460 inches of lift,Comp cams lifters,700r-4 tranny rebuilt with trans-go rebuild kit,corvette servo,New torQue converter,Flowtech headers,Flowmaster muffler,3.73limited slip rear end,Energy suspension bushings from front to rear,Energy suspension tranny mount,New center link,ball joints,trans-am steering box,ASP power pully.

 

Personally, if I were going to get a car for fuel efficiency, I wouldn't get a small block chevy... My car and has a 305 and I get at best 21 MPG... I would bet you get maybe 18 MPG with a well built moderately modified 350 with an easy 300 Hp (new 5.7's get 28 mind you). Of course, my ambition is to make my car into a "sleeper" using my 305... I am sure on my own convictions that it's not that hard... I mean look at the 4.6L Ford (that word makes me shiver).

Go with the 305 if it's cheaper, otherwise I wouldn't concern myself with the difference in mileage and I would get a 350.
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1984 Firebird - Daily driver, 305 LG4, T5 - Hurst short shifter, Edelbrock 600 CFM Performer Carb - Edelbrock Pro-Flow air filter, gutted cat, IROC 16x8 Wheels, Goodyear P215/60/R16, AIWA bargain basement (from Sears of course) CD player, Fuzzy dice, Eight-ball shift ****
Check out my ride here $1600!! Bye Bye on board computer!

[This message has been edited by ChillPhatCat (edited September 05, 2001).]

 

i know in the long run a 350 is better, this is just one of those things where we have 2 nice 305 blocks, not to mention long blocks, and it is just overall cheaper and makes more sense to use a 305 for the buildup. there is literally no guess work for this, we know the blocks havent been raced, and he has driven a 2 barrel 305 with 140 horsepower before this engine. this engine is plenty powerful for the application, the only reason we want a 305 is for a nice rumbly exhaust. thanks for your help all.

 

hey what year Nova is it...cuz my bro has a 73 and it came with a straight six...so ya know if ya want really good gas mileage i got the hook up.. .....but anyway....he dropped a cheaply built 355 bout $1200 and put on new manifold and a nice holley and it can beat his friends 97 SS camaro.....and he said he got like 20mpg.....but he was only doin 55mph..lol

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84TA T-tops L-69 305HO TH-700R4 stock 190hp and 240 ft-lbs.
new best E.T. (dont laugh) 15.986 @84.93mph
old best E.T 15.997@86.04
http://www.geocities.com/K_towngangsta

Mods-

K&N Air filter

 

The new 350 get no gas milage. I got a lt1 adn i get like 12mpg. I dont know if its a problem or they really arent very effiecient.