stock 1987 r10 305 build up on budget

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Honky Kong jr

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An I have been considering a 350 lol
You’d be better off in the long run. A 305 is a 305 no matter what parts you throw at it. It’s only gonna move so much air.
 

4WDKC

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2.02/1.6 valves wont work. I talked to a local expert, he speclaizes in LS swaps.
He said with my bottom end he would find a pair of 96+ vortec truck heads w/1.95/1.5 valves, replace edlbrock performer, add conversion plate for my tbi intakeand mylunati voodoo cam would be fine..and i already have stainless long tube headers....i would need to get chipped flashed and delete egr...waiting tofind the head and buy the intake then hopefully it will being...If i blow it up down the road no moremessing will just transplant a new engine 350 or stroker with upgrade trans...i may consider ls swap after what i seen he has done!

I am in the process of a Vortec head and cam swap on my 350, I forgot how much work it is. With the cost of the parts and the amount of work involved a LS swap would be about the same cost and amount of work.
 

Honky Kong jr

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I am in the process of a Vortec head and cam swap on my 350, I forgot how much work it is. With the cost of the parts and the amount of work involved a LS swap would be about the same cost and amount of work.
Or big block......
 

Rusty Nail

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The reason everyone says go to a 350 is because of the bore size limits the cylinder head choices as you are finding out and if something should happen to the 305 those heads will severely limit the capability of a 350 should you swap one in. Then you only choice is to either run the 350 with these heads or try to sell them to someone doing the same thing you are doing now. Why not just drive the 305 while building a 350?

If you must hop up the 305 do it cheaply, find a set of 305 TPI heads, a cam and you will need to tune the ecm for it to be correct.

The reason you cant use 2.02/1.60 valves is the 305 has a bore that measures 3.736 inches, the 2.02/1.60 valves would physically be 3.62 leaving a mere .11 to allow air to flow around the valves and into the cylinder assuming there is no carbon build up at the top of the bore. The .11 is about the thickness of a 1/4" washers, then it has to be divided in two leaving .055 clearance between the valve head and cylinder wall.

^this.

BESIDES!
It will NEVER make enough power or turn enough RPM to realize benefit of 2.02 over 1.94.
That's not realistic at all.
 

NCSTRONGMAN

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well the deal is done mostly, waiting on parts - set of 96-02 vortec heads, jegs intake, lunati cam, new head and intake gaskets and bolts, new stainless flowtech headers, flowmasters, converters.new pipes.and adapter to run my tbi....looking for a 454 tbi and nearly won an auction last night, then rear gear will be dealt with...should be a very nice improvement
 

NCSTRONGMAN

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my 87
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RangRayy

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Also one thing to note be careful building up your top end with out paying attention to the bottom end. Don’t want to throw parts at it only to blow out the bottom end. That’s worse than being back at square one.
 

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