80 malibu 305

[jamie2370]

So you want to race Stock huh..... Long Story. I sold this car back to Sarge(he built this car) 6+ years ago. It left as a 79 and needed a new block assy done.

Somehow I manage to get it back from a friend that bought it out of Texas. He had a new engine done by a builder that has done this before. I get it from him, fresh engine, zero passes.
1st test day, engine has no power over about 5800. Runs right at the index for L....frustrating already.

2nd test day, tried to move shifts out with no luck, still no power. Came home and performed leak down. Found all 8 exhaust valves bent. Pulled heads, replaced valves, did not second guess springs as they were new beehive PAC, installed by engine builder.

1st race at SGMP, 60ft decent but started fluttering around 800ft. Loaded up and went home. Leakdown showed 8 MORE bent exhaust valves.
My local engine guy once again installed some new valves and I finally called Bullet and they had me check clearances. PTV was within specs but we noticed a slight tightness of rotating assy. We pulled heads again to check springs.....80lbs to light on seat. Replaced with correct PAC 1409x springs per Bullet.
Figured I might need to investigate to rotating assy. Only to find out that I had to pry to camshaft ALL the way out. Sent the cam to Bullet, they fixed it and sent new lifters back with it. Also had to install new cam bearings as it destroyed them
Reinstalled it all with ZERO issues. All is good, engine sounds great, installed 5.38 gear instead of 5.13....................still no power, actually worse but I did run under enough I did not have to dial the index lol....So after the Reynolds Divisional I pulled engine AGAIN!! 3rd time in as many months

Leakdown showed 5 of 8 cylinders with 20% plus ring leakage. FINALLY, it wasn't the valves lol
Pulled it completely apart to find 2 front cam bearings "smeared" and several cylinders not even close to round and one with a crack in it.
Since this was an oem, filled 305 block, I decided to go another route.

I called Dart to find out the Little M 305 has been discontinued with no expected date for a replacement block of a different part number that will need to be approved by NHRA

SOOO.....I have a 307 block at the machine shop getting 8 sleeves and hopefully we will try this again at some point in the next 20 years lol
Meanwhile people are going .97 under at a divisional that didn't go mineshaft or come even close to the #1 spot. So I am sure I will need some MORE lead for next year.

But yeah....get a stocker, it will be fun.... Did I mention this is #4 stocker I have bought that was supposed to run under the index .3-.4.....none of which did. Remind me again

[jamie2370]

Here are some links to the Malibu, also the 74 Nova and 89 Camaro I had recently
Malibu https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Hu4vLWMpKSd4J2F9
Nova https://photos.app.goo.gl/e2MV3oyYDmBt5gWV7
Camaro https://photos.app.goo.gl/NMyHE4LGUVyCAzfz6
I really wish I had the Nova back. I really like it

[jamie2370]

84 camaro I had that went to Florida and haven't seen it since 2014. The Nova went to NY, the 89 Camaro went to Iowa for the Nova, then to California, then i am not sure where.

84 Camaro https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZoTHg3z3cp4t7y2C6

[nickh]

Jaime keep us updated many of us old retired farts like to follow builds and the hills and valleys of building a car, we have all been through this, thanks.

[Chris1529]

You bring an open trailer to the track and have the seller bring the car to the track and make a pass. If it runs as they say, then load it up on your trailer near the return road after the ET shack. If it doesn't run as advertised, then drive away.

[MR DERBY CITY]

Originally Posted by Chris1529

You bring an open trailer to the track and have the seller bring the car to the track and make a pass. If it runs as they say, then load it up on your trailer near the return road after the ET shack. If it doesn't run as advertised, then drive away.

Pretty good advice right there ..

I tried to do this in 1994, but it rained and I was 500 miles from home …..

[Billy Nees]

or you could just build your own ( which you're apparently going to wind up doing anyway) and then you only have yourself to blame!

[Signman]

This is exactly why when deciding to run stock did not take the advice: "buying an existing stocker is lower cost". It may or may not depending on the seller.

[Rick J]

If it's not too late, offset sleeve a 350 block, will help the intake flow even if the flow bench says it didn't.