First I want to thank all those who reply
I just recewntly bought a 1985 iroc ,aoutomatic with 60,ooo original miles
Im new to working on and fixing up cars...
I want to invest a few thousand into this car
but a friend told me dont get a 5.7 liter 350 and gop from there..what do I do!!!!!!!!!!

thanks again
btw......i have run all the codes on trhe code thing on here..but my iroc has now power locks windows ect...it looks like a rally sport.....help

 

If you have the time, tools, and skills needed to do the swap properly go for it. If you need to drive the car, I say stick with the 305 for a while and see what you can do with it. Get a set of headers and exhaust on there and see how you like it. If theres not enough power for you then, swap for a 350. The headers and exhaust will be needed for the 350 anyway so its not like wasting money. I wouldnt recomend doing heads or a cam because they will not swap over well. How fast do you want this car to be? I'm happy with my 305 as a daily driver but If you want it to really move, go 350 on its @ss
peace

 

Check out the thread "$1,500" on a 305?" about 3/4 of the way down the post page. You should find all your answers there and then some. Good luck.

 

If you aree undecided on 305 vs 350 do stuff that can interchange if you want to swap later. Start off with the basic open element K&N on the MAF, do your free mods. Upgrade the ignition and Ecxhaust including headers free flow cat and a full cat-back exhaust. You ignion upgrades should be complete with a MSD box or similar, Wires, cap rotor, high out put coil. After that you should consider porting the Whole upper intake and get and adjustable fuel pressure regulator. This will aid you fro tuning.
Then move into suspension and chassis mods. I would start off with a set of 3.42 gears, LCA Panhard rod Poly urethane bushings, SFC's, and other little stuff here and there. THen you should be able ot get about 250hp and a car that can put it all tothe groun with out touching anything inside the motor. Then if you decide to swap to a 350 you can and everything will still owrk, or if you want to stick with a 305 then you can start eith the cam change. Eventually with any mods you will need to get a custom prom to unleash the full potential of the car.

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89 Trans Am Turbo 3.8L All stock 43,000 miles #1053 of 1555

Past Thirdgen:
86 Trans Am w/ built 355TPI with SLP goodies and too much other stuff to List. One sweet *** car, wish I would have had a good enough Job to pay insurance on three cars so I could keep it, but for a 89 Turbo Trans Am w/ Low miles, I think I made the right choice!

 

If you are concerned about it being an IROC, look for the B4Z option code - that denotes an IROC package. Just because it doesn't have power windows or locks, does not mean that it can't be an IROC. I used to have another 86' IROC that had very few options.

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1986 IROC, fully loaded, Mini Ram'd 383, Art Carr 700R4, Accel DFI, 12 bolt rear, etc, etc......

 

im gona be in the same boat as you soon. i am planning on buying an 85' Z28 w/ 40,000 miles on it. thats just way too nice to hack up right away so i may do some chasiss mods like SFC so it doesnt twist. but i have a 350 block in my garage. so i am going to build the crap out of that and get the camaro's body ready to handle it. but probably i will just enjoy a nice reliable ride with the 305 for a few years b4 i drop in the 350 (to be a 383) another thing to keep in mind is in stock form your 85' has an advantage over other auto 305 TPIs, it doesnt have the weeny peanut cam that was introduced in 86' however the ECM in 85 is prehistoric so major mods to that particular engine may be inpractacle.