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View Full Version : building a 307, suggestions please



DFJ6000
04-04-2005, 11:26 PM
Ok, so I have my 1971 307 chillen and I want to build it for my Firebird I just bought. I'm lookin to get 300hp if not more out of it, infact more hp would be awesome, but I'm tryin to keep this relatively cheap. Anyone have suggestions for cams,heads,intakes,carbs and such to acheive this goal? thanks......

Prince Valiant
04-04-2005, 11:42 PM
Ok, so I have my 1971 307 chillen and I want to build it for my Firebird I just bought. I'm lookin to get 300hp if not more out of it, infact more hp would be awesome, but I'm tryin to keep this relatively cheap. Anyone have suggestions for cams,heads,intakes,carbs and such to acheive this goal? thanks......
throw it in the lake...it's a pretty good anchor :goof

Seriously though, starting with a 307 isn't ideal...but as with anymotor, power can be made with it..there is a pretty strong 307 on this board as a matter of fact.

cheaply? I don't know. Any decent rebuild kits and pistons might run pretty steep...307, while a SBC, is a very very uncommon engine to work with...so rebuild kits tend to be costly vs 350. As well, rarely does anyone seek high compression piston when rebuilding the 307 anyways. It might just be cheaper and CERTAINLY more productive to find a good 350 core and go from there.

BUT, if I was in your shoes, and cheap is the game then I would:
Pull the motor apart
New rod and main bearings
Hone the cylinders
New rings
Mill the heads .040-.050 for higher compression (~.5-.8:1 more than what you've got...should get you close to 9:1)
Three angle valve job.
Cam: Get the summit (SUM-KK13 and correct valve springs) 214/224 .050 .442/.465 (hey, new cam and lifters for 80 bucks? can't go wrong there!)
Use your current 4 barrel intake.
Rebuild the carb (seriously...)
Cheapo headers
Get a rebuilt ignition for mild performance...it's VERY important.

300hp? Nah, probably not. A hell of alot more than most would expect? oh yeah...

I'd guess a build like that would be around 260, maybe a quite bit more...no slouch, that's for certain. You wouldn't be dissappointed. Should cost more than 500 bucks total for everything too...

a motor like this won't last forever...but will give you around 40-50K miles of strong running. If you want a longer lasting motor, a complete rebuild is in order, so might as well go with a 350 again.

good luck

lotsals1
04-04-2005, 11:57 PM
for the extra money you would have to spend --just find a 400 small block chevy - best bang for the buck ---they put them in everything --trucks ect. ya just gotta find one. Sell the 307 use the money for the 400 or a 350 --it would cost you hundreds just to hang with a stock 350 that is tuned
so figure the hundreds you save you can stick into the 350/400 --i'll see if i can find ya one cheap through some peeps i know

DFJ6000
04-05-2005, 12:10 AM
reason i chose 307, is because it already has the crank and crap all in it, i dont have a 350 for another reason, and im not so sure about buyin one from someone i dont kno.....im lookin to do around a grand on the engine.... the bird is sittin with no engine so the sooner i can get er done the better, gotta make the money tho.... oh and i got a machine shop that said theyd sell me some 1.94 heads for like 200 a piece all rebuilt n stuff, and i have 2 aluminum intakes, both edelbrock...but i have the torker 2 and a performer, i also have a holley carb, not sure on what cfm and i have a 600 cfm edelbrock

and hell yeah thanks lotsals1, that wood be cool if ya found me one, i appreciate the effort

Prince Valiant
04-05-2005, 12:14 AM
Just cheaply pulling apart and doing the list above shouldn't be too expensive. Even nice rering and bearing kits are less than 120 bucks. What did the TA have on it already? Headers? exhaust? what ignition?

Prince Valiant
04-05-2005, 12:17 AM
oh and i got a machine shop that said theyd sell me some 1.94 heads for like 200 a piece all rebuilt n stuff, and i have 2 aluminum intakes, both edelbrock...but i have the torker 2 and a performer, i also have a holley carb, not sure on what cfm and i have a 600 cfm edelbrock Don't bother with those heads...you aren't sure if they have the springs you need, plus you'll still want to mill them down to get the CR up a bit. Just get the milling (~75 bucks), three angle valve job (125), and springs (50) and you'll be way ahead otherwise with the purchased heads...

DFJ6000
04-05-2005, 12:21 AM
the TA had a 305 with a performer intake and a holley, open manifolds and a rod knock.....real ace mechanic and oh yeah, all the computer crap it did have at one time, is all disconnected

Ricky Bobby
04-05-2005, 05:48 PM
man i wish i would of known sooner just bought 2 79 chevy pick-ups for 300 both drove on the trailer and one became a derby ride and the other got scraped, i c trucks all over ill keep an eye out as well

Memphis
04-05-2005, 06:56 PM
I've got a 350 2 bolt block I'll sell ya for $100. I might have a set of stock rods and pistons and a crank for it too. Any heads I got would probably be anchors but I can check numbers.

DFJ6000
04-05-2005, 07:32 PM
any good headers suggested"?

DFJ6000
05-25-2005, 12:33 AM
Back to this 307 BS, does anyone have a good suggestion for some good aluminum heads for this motor? or would it be best just using the stockers and having them all done over like princevaliant had suggested?

Al
05-25-2005, 01:58 AM
Call all of the local junk yards till you find an LS1.

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