Learn me: Cheap 305 power upgrades!

In reply to Junkyard_Dog:

Thanks. Unfortunately, the only Olds club in Canada is in Alberta, and all of the clubs in my area are make-specific. Thanks for the suggestion!

If you're looking to Auto-X in a G-body power isn't really going to be your biggest concern. The G-bodies were known for horrific chassis flex. Every Make had their own way of dealing with it. your best bet is to prowl junkyards and try to incorporate all of the methods.

for example the Gran Prix had a bar that triangulated the "jounce" bars under the front end. Some Monte Carlos had long bars that triangulated from the centre of the firewall to the headlamp buckets. GNX's and Cutlasses had rear seat braces. a frame mount trailer hitch will re-enforce the rear of the frame. the more of these you find the stiffer your chassis will be.

I actually made most of the braces out of steel tubing on my GMC Caballero and I can tell you, it really makes a difference.

look into the Jeep steering shaft as well. Takes a bit of play out of the wheel.

My Father and I did something like this, this past summer, but we did it with one of the most undesirable Chevy small blocks ever, a 267 in our Malibu wagon. To put this in perspective 305 has a 3.736 inch bore, the 267 has a 3.5 inch bore. The 267 was only produced 3 years for a reason.

We started with about 100hp and did a bunch of modifications. We did an intake and carburetor swap (2 barrel to 4 barrel), headers, electric fan, removed power steering, removed smog pump and egr, a lower temp. thermostat, and ducted the air into the radiator. We saw an estimated 50 hp gain from all that.

We went about these changes with the idea that, one day the car would get a 350. This is what I recommend to you. Make little changes to the car to prepare it for a 350, and don't do anything crazy to the engine itself. Remove the emission stuff, if it is legal. Do the intake and carb swap, so that you can figure out throttle linkage now, and make the eventual swap to a bigger engine easier. If you are up for it, upgrade the exhaust. Most importantly, solve any overheating issues. More power means more heat.

You may not see extreme power gains now, but you will thank yourself in the future for knocking out the tedious things that people often overlook.

I look forward to seeing a build progress thread!

Just be happy the car doesnt have the more commonly installed 307 olds and save your money for a 350

As far as handling goes:

Duster to the white courtesy phone...

In reply to dropstep:

Amen. The 307 would have been a deal-breaker.

I just sold my pre vortec era 225 hp 305 (marine) out of my old Glastron Carlson. Obviously marine rpm range is rarely optimal for street/track use.

Way back when I was in the military a buddy had a 305 IROC Camaro. Being young and dumb as we all were he blew the motor in short order. Well since he was from Cali and wanted to move back he had to keep the car smog legal. Although we all told him otherwise he was convinced that meant he had to keep the 305.

He spent a lot of very good money building up a "hot" 305 and at the end of it all my little GMC truck with a 4.3 still smoked it.

As others said, get where you can with bolt ons but the minute you have to break into the motor, pull it and drop a 350 in it.

In reply to JThw8:

Thanks! Will do.