So it begins, the butcher, the baker, and so on..

[Bullet]

Thought I would snap a few of the chop and slop. Here's a full shot stripped and ready to pull. No offense but I've never understood the purpose of a 305, all the weight and gas mileage of a 350 with less power.


Here's the butcher's work, this is the most disturbing


Tin snips on the radiator support, I'm so glad I have a parts car.



Control arm braces....gone






Here's the work of the baker, I bet that smelled yummy.


Home built motor mounts, looks like old model frame mounts welded to the 4 banger brackets.
It's within 1.5 degrees of level, they actually don't look too bad.




Hacked torque arm to fit 700R4


I haven't measured anything to see if the front snub is straight or twisted or sagged yet, if it is, Jegs has the cure.
I was kind of hoping to avoid that but it may be the only way to get it back right, plus it would leave me wide open for engine options.

[duckblaster67]

This looks like it came straight from a "Car Warriors" episode! Like they had only so much time to chop out the old engine and swap in the new to win the compitition! I'm sure it will look awesome when you're done fixin' it!

[cammerjeff]

Great progress, and I know what you mean about a 305 SBC, but it all depends on What you have laying around the garage, and how much $$$ you have.

I donated the 66,000 mile 305 out of a 79 Olds Starfire Firenza parts car to a Buddied son who had just spun a rod bearing on the 350 in his 71 Nova. Well they bolted on the heads, intake and cam from the 350 onto the 305, and the car actually sped up 2 tenths in the 1/4 Mile!!!!! Makes me think the 350 was undercammed. But sometimes things just work out.

[Bullet]

I know 305's are decent motors. These little H-bodys ran exceptionally well with them. I'm even seeing guys spend bucks to build them. I still can't help but wonder though if they had an engineer that was really tired one day and accidentally did a typo on a work order going to the engine plant, you know, hit the 0 and 5 out of order? Especially since the glowing reputation the 307's had. lol.

Anyway, little bright spot tonight, pulled the torque arm and found a nice pro built and balanced driveshaft.
There are signs that somebody loved on this little car somewhere in the past. S-10 spindles and rear axles, things like that.

Will pull the tranny and engine Thursday evening and get busy on that front clip. I haven't had a hotrod in almost 15 years (temporary Harley fetish) and I tell ya guys, it's good to be back in the saddle.

Tranny is a F-body 700R4, right number of gears, wrong type of clutch, make mine manual please.