Is this worth it?

Hey everyone!
I'm new to these forums, and I'll admit, I'm a Ford guy (don't flame)...so I really know almost nothing about Chevs and Camaros; but I've got an oportunity to pick up a 1984 Camaro, with a 305 and an auto tranny (the only downside)...for $750 canadian (about $620 US)...

Is this a worthwhile buy? is there much potential from the Chev 305?

Thanks everyone!

Yes, I have obtained near, if not, 300hp and 350lb's for VERY cheap. If you have some money for other things you are in luck. What model engine is it? Is it a 4barrel HO? If so you are in luck. If not, well then you are still in luck your just down 40hp :D

if your looking for a project car, and the body is in decent shape, i'd say go for it...that sounds like a nice project for a nice built up 350 or something...its up to you, how much do you wanna dig into the check book..

305 engines are horrible, they have really cheap cranks, put hp to them and they twist, give it 300 hp get it up to 6500 rpm a couple of times and you'll throw a rod, don't do anything to it and you won't get above 5,500 rpm before it starts backfiring, you do that a couple of times and you throw a rod. If the body and interior are good buy it grab a 350 and toss that 305 garbage out. If you do all the work youself you can get 400hp out of a 350 for about $2000 and a 350 block at a junk yard will only cost you about $250, you can't get that power out of a 305, they have really cheap heads too, the rockers are pressed on and they break real easy too.

^Actually the 305's are really reliable engines. They have no problem winding up to 6k stock. Somebody on this board told me that they were *trying* to blow their 305 so the held it at like 6k or 6.5k for very lengthy times, and it *still* wouldn't die.

Oh ya, and if it takes you 2g's to get 400hp out of a 350 then you dont know what your doing ;)
I spent about $700 for a COMPLETE rebuild, from hoses and clamps, all the way to a dual-snorkel intake and a clutch-slave cylinder install :D

I see you have 300 hp thats not 400hp if you want to build a motor that will last, you will put new cam, pistons, rods get the block bored and decked plus get a new intake, water pump, distributer and I only build roller motors so the price for parts goes way up. Just the machining for the motor would cost $600 and if you rebuild a motor without boring it and getting the block and heads decked than your just asking for trouble. Also why doesn't Jegs sell aftermarket heads, cranks and or pistons for 305's, becuase they are junk. They are not well balanced have cheap cranks that twist and spin bearings and the heads are cheap too, but this is just my opinion not the final word by any means, some people may like there 305's but a vast majority of people would take a 350 anyday.

Hey hey hey.. i never said I wouldn't take a 350 over this engine ;) In fact, I may look into a boosted LS1 after I graduate from college. But yes, I only have 300hp. Give me a good set of heads, a steeper cam, better rockers, and electric accesory devices, and I guarantee you I will be WELL over 400hp :D
Oh and btw, if you really look at Jegs site (or even call them), they have all those 305 parts :)

I see you have 300 hp thats not 400hp if you want to build a motor that will last, you will put new cam, pistons, rods get the block bored and decked plus get a new intake, water pump, distributer and I only build roller motors so the price for parts goes way up. Just the machining for the motor would cost $600 and if you rebuild a motor without boring it and getting the block and heads decked than your just asking for trouble. Also why doesn't Jegs sell aftermarket heads, cranks and or pistons for 305's, becuase they are junk. They are not well balanced have cheap cranks that twist and spin bearings and the heads are cheap too, but this is just my opinion not the final word by any means, some people may like there 305's but a vast majority of people would take a 350 anyday.


Wait....so you're saying Jeg's doesn't sell parts for a 305 (Which they do by the way) because they're stock parts are junk? How does that work? The aftermarket parts replace the "junk" ones.

I'm not advocating a 305 over a 350 but your logic seems skewed alittle. Besides, a 400 is better than a 350 either way. :)

I work on sprint cars and if youve never heard of one there a 1375 lb car with a small block aluminum 410 making around 950 hp easy. They have no transmissions just a direct drive off the crank to a quick change rear. Now i told you that story to tell you this one. Theres a class called 305 sprints they have a 305 chevy motor and those guys are making 450 hp and the motor lasts them all season no problems. So Im thinking they can make good hp and are reliable. But thats just my opinion

I see you have 300 hp thats not 400hp if you want to build a motor that will last, you will put new cam, pistons, rods get the block bored and decked plus get a new intake, water pump, distributer and I only build roller motors so the price for parts goes way up. Just the machining for the motor would cost $600 and if you rebuild a motor without boring it and getting the block and heads decked than your just asking for trouble. Also why doesn't Jegs sell aftermarket heads, cranks and or pistons for 305's, becuase they are junk. They are not well balanced have cheap cranks that twist and spin bearings and the heads are cheap too, but this is just my opinion not the final word by any means, some people may like there 305's but a vast majority of people would take a 350 anyday.

Yeah, anybody in there right mind would take a 350 over a 305 but dude, honestly you are way off. The stock crank is the same material and virtually the same as any stock 350 crank. They will hold up fine in a 400hp 305. There are plenty of 13 second 305 powered camaro's. They may have been poorly balanced from the factory but so were the 350's. When you rebuild an engine you dont necessarily need to bore a block, you anly do that if it has experience trauma, or is out of spec for STD pistons. I wouldn't hesitate to use a stock 305 crank, with some cheap eagle I beams, and a good lightweight forged piston for a 400-450Hp build. There are also plenty of 305 performance parts for the 305, and just because you don't see them listed in your summit catalog doesn't mean they don't have them. Also there are some decent 305 stock heads from the factory, and you could always swap a set of L98 350 vette heads on it and have decent set of aluminum heads, trick flow, and world products also sell heads for the 305.