I have a potential buyer for the 305/4barrel that's in my Malibu. It's an older man just looking to step up from the V6 in his Regal. Granted, I will be using the engine until my 406 is built and ready to drop in but there still shouldn't be anymore than 48,000 on it by that time.

Here's the details:

'79 305 with 46,7xx original miles
4 barrel
could use valve seals but otherwise fine.

My mechanic and I were thinking in the $4-500 range. Does that sound decent? The guy isn't one that would build a 350 because that'd be more motor than he wants. He's just looking for something better than his current V6.

I sold mine for 350 a week ago and it had tons of goodies in it and had just over 50,000 on it. For a stock 305 that runs perfect and doesn't smoke I would ask 200 tops, but thats just me. The reason I asked so much for mine was the cam, roller tips, intake and nice valve covers on it, I paid $75.00 for it when I bought it. It all depends on the buyer I guess.

Back when I was your age.... ( :eek: )

I paid $450 for a Targetmaster 305, out of a totaled 3rd gen, with 48k miles on it. (Cross-fire, fuel injected, no computer. ) I'm still driving it... heads and pan have never been removed.

Your 305 will probably last him the rest of his life in his Buick.
If he's over 70, sell it to him for $500 and throw in a lifetime warranty! ;)

What year Regal?

Back when I was your age.... ( :eek: )

I paid $450 for a Targetmaster 305, out of a totaled 3rd gen, with 48k miles on it. (Cross-fire, fuel injected, no computer. ) I'm still driving it... heads and pan have never been removed.

Your 305 will probably last him the rest of his life in his Buick.
If he's over 70, sell it to him for $500 and throw in a lifetime warranty! ;)

What year Regal?
His Regal is an '81. It's in nice shape like mine is but I'm sure it has tons of miles left in it. I'm not trying to make a killing on it since it's "just a 305" but I would like to get fair money for it to put towards the Malibu. Hell, $500 would cover my exhaust:cool:

'FAIR' for a used stock sbc is about $1 per cube. No matter that is has 4000 miles or 40000 miles. Just IMO but it's a core motor in anyone's eyes.

305s are like kittens- they usually go free to a good home.

If you can hoover $200-300 bucks out of his wallet somehow in this process, so much the better. You won't get rich selling used 305s.

wait wait wait.. to the original premise of this post.. he's putting in a 1979 305 to INCREASE power? Come again?

and 4 bbl? Did you do that yourself?

I've got a 1979 305 and it was a 2 bbl with a mind blistering factory performance figure of 140 hp.

wait wait wait.. to the original premise of this post.. he's putting in a 1979 305 to INCREASE power? Come again?

and 4 bbl? Did you do that yourself?

I've got a 1979 305 and it was a 2 bbl with a mind blistering factory performance figure of 140 hp.
He doesn't like how the V6 in there is so hard to start. I'm not going to be one to talk him out of the swap since he obviously already was thinking about doing it before he knew of my motor.
The engine is a stock 4 bbl. Looks like it delivered a little more than yours...

Optional Engine
Engine Configuration V
Cylinders 8
Aspiration/Induction Normal
Displacement 305.00 CU IN. | 4999 cc. | 5 L.
Horsepower 160.00 BHP (117.8 KW)
HP to Weight Ratio 18.7 LB / HP
HP / Liter 32.0 BHP / Liter
Bore 3.74 in | 95 mm.
Stroke 3.48 in | 88.4 mm.
Fuel Type Gasoline - Petrol

http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/default.aspx?o=1&carID=9334#optionalEngines

Nice!

I think if you could get it hauled away for free you're doing good. ;)

A V6 is a better engine than a 305 btw, this guy is not gonna be a happy camper when he finds out how little he's gained by this unwise swap. Unless of course he put 4-5 thousand bucks worth of parts into it like the above example. That little V6 would be a screamer too though, with an infusion of $$$.

A V6 is a better engine than a 305 btw

I have to disagree. The 4 bbl 305 in my '77 was a great little motor. I'll take any V8 over a V6 any day. The design just makes more sense...V6's always seem inherently unbalanced to me, like a V8 with one less cylinder cast.

I've got a 1979 305 and it was a 2 bbl with a mind blistering factory performance figure of 140 hp.

That's quite a bit more than my old 267 was rated at....:eek:

I'd say that assuming that your 305 is a good running engine a fair price would be from $150 to $300. People may disparige the 305 as some were real loosers but the 4 barrel version of them did have some good parts in them.

Thanks for the input guys:cool: I really appreciate it!

I have had 2 good 305 experences 1 was in a 85 caprice my cousin drove. With a better 4 barrel intake and headers it really picked up and was pretty fun to drive. These parts were reused on the 383 that replaced it. In the the other case I have a 84 chevy K-10 that came with 3.08s a 700 and a 305, the engineer that though up that combo should be shot. It was a total dog when I bought it. I lifted it and add 33s with 4.11s and lockers. The 305 was unchanged except headers and duals. Man switching the gears made it a whole other engine. It would cruise in Od no constant shifting and good power all around. I think most of the time 305 get a bad shake cause of the fact they were paired with horrible gears that missused what power they had. I truly think most of the time if you started at the rear axle and worked forward to your bada$$ engne the end result would be better and you could work slower on the engine while still having ok power. Oh and since I rambled this long I sold the 85 caprice 305 for a $150 and the 84 truck I traded for 4.56s for a 12 bolt.

I will give it to those people who are fans of 305s- they do last a good long time. Mostly becuase they don't make enough power to hurt themselves, at least in stock form. Ask anyone who's had a car with the lo-po LG4 4bbl 305 in it. 150HP was about as much as they were ever rated in any stock application. Absolutely bulletproof. Incapable of revving past 4500, and didn't make enough torque to snap a stick in half, let alone damage internal engine parts made of real metal.

I saw one go bottom 10s once- no power adder, but it was a purpose-built race engine designed to play in the limited displacement type classes. WAY more money into that thing to go that fast than an equivalent larger displacement engine.

If you need a cheap V8 just to thrash on, it's hard to pick a better engine than a 305 Chevy. For real power, the Chevy small block world begins at 350 cubic inches and goes nothing but bigger from there.

I've got an eddy 600 and performer manifold, 1 5/8 headers and a full 2.5" exhaust system and my 305 is gutless.

Maybe the th350 and almost certainly the 2.41:1 gears have something to do with it but... 16.5 on the 1/4 is just sad.

(that said, I HAVE had it up to 260km/h.)

and to further edit, what the heck is up with that article claming a stock 305 making 211 hp? that just doesn't happen after 30 years of neglect. That article fails to mention the essentially required rebuild you would have to put into a 305 to make 360hp...
ah where do I start.
I went through all this a while back and I opted for a zz4. Maybe I'll build up the 305 as a hobby to sell but that's not likely. Anyone in canada want a 305?

theres a used 50k mile 305 core for sale locally for 25 bucks...

Surely some of you are aware that a lot of 305s had defective cams and the lobes rounded off between 50-80K miles? A 350 with any kind of reasonable maintenance will go 200k or more. Not too many running 305s I've seen with any miles to speak of.

I had an 84 Pickup with the "high performance" 305. Pretty much a dog. It ate the cam at around 75,000 miles. I stuck in a 350 out of a 76 Camaro and that truck was so much faster and got better mileage too. I got rid of the truck with 200k+ and the Camaro engine still ran great and used no oil at all. I wish I still had that 175hp 350. If you want a small displacement Chevy find a 283 or 327. 305 was an experiment in economy gone wrong.

I know of several high milage 305's. The one in my parts camaro has 386,000 on it. It smokes though - just plain worn out. I know someone else who claims to have over 800,000KM on a 305 in his old pickup. The thing smokes like cheech and chong, but still runs good. It has had a few cams go through it and a valvejob or two. hes getting ready to swap it out.

Anyone need a good running 305? From a 88 Camaro,TBI to pan $250 :p

Anyone need a good running 305? From a 88 Camaro,TBI to pan $250 :p
TBI or TPI?
Or did you mean to say from throttle body to pan?

ReRod, I'd ask $500. He could always make a counteroffer. It's a running engine, regardless of what displacement it is. If he wants it he'll pay for it.

Surely some of you are aware that a lot of 305s had defective cams and the lobes rounded off between 50-80K miles? A 350 with any kind of reasonable maintenance will go 200k or more. Not too many running 305s I've seen with any miles to speak of.

I had an 84 Pickup with the "high performance" 305. Pretty much a dog. It ate the cam at around 75,000 miles. I stuck in a 350 out of a 76 Camaro and that truck was so much faster and got better mileage too. I got rid of the truck with 200k+ and the Camaro engine still ran great and used no oil at all. I wish I still had that 175hp 350. If you want a small displacement Chevy find a 283 or 327. 305 was an experiment in economy gone wrong.

The four barrel three oh five in my Camaro has rolled the odometer twice... No smoke. Had a nasty knock... turns out the fuel pump was shot.

The 305 is a good engine but i just cant expect too much of it even with some mods, you should sell it for 300 i guess, if it is in good