Hey, guys.

I've been missing the old '89 Formula I had once upon a time. It was a 305 TBI, so feel free to throw in any jokes, etc now.

Anyway, was cruising some cars for sale and see a really nice GTA. Through doing some research on thirdgen.org, it seems like it has a bit of a rare combo -- 305 mated with a 5-speed manual, which my best guess means the LB9 V8 with 230 horsepower and 300 ft/lbs of torque -- just 10 hp shy of the L98.

Now I'd love a 350, but I also love driving stick. I'm just curious as to how much potential the 305 has without really going deep into the engine. Any thoughts would be appreciated. The car I found looks pretty damn immaculate.


I'm just going to try to forget all the headaches I had with the formula...Hot-start problems, electrical nightmares, etc...

 

The most fun I've had with the 305 in my car was hooking up a simple 75hp show of nitrous and dropping 1.4 seconds off of the 1/4 mile time A Simple LT1 Wet Kit plumbed into the MAF sensor on the engine side of the wire. I highly reccomend it if the car is in good running condition and the fuel/ignition parts are up to date.

Other than that, I've seen quite a few 305/5 speed cars that are suprizingly quick. Some dipping into the low 14's and high 13's with the usual bolt on parts and good driving.

I'd say grab it up if the price is right and even if it's a performance dog, it will be fun to drive simple because it handles nice and is a 5 speed which seems like that's what you want the most.Goodluck!

 

As long as it's not TBI (which I believe that LB9 *isn't*) you will have TONS of potential in that 305. You have a starting point of approximately 80hp more than my car stock, and now I am nearing 300 if not more w/ simple things done to the car. Plus, mines a 5spd as well

 

There is some potential but nothing near a 350. I personally can to that realization when I kept dumping money into my car and it was only doing a little bit. I haven't done a ton of speed modifications and just for fun I went to the dyno and I netted 185 rwhp on an 89 5spd 305 TPI. I have a highflow cat and custom exhaust through a Magnaflow muffler. I have pullies, Accel coil, 8.8 plug wires, AFPR, ported plenum, custom programed chip, and I am sure there are other things but nothing else that I can remember right now. I think with some ported heads, headers, cam it would be 220ish rwhp.

I have since moved onto building a 383 and with it being as mild as possible I am looking at starting around 250ish RWHP (according to DD2000). Then when I have the money to add new heads and a better cam I will be in the 300rwhp range and it will still be pretty tame. My goal is to get around 18mpg in the city and pound down high 12 sec runs.

 

Sure, you wont get *as* much power out of a 305 as a 350 thru mods, but a 305 can still put some power down if you know what your doing.