Chevy Truck Needs Help

[Guest Bonedaddy]

Granny's XXX. Just sayin'....

[gregintenn]

 

And btw, that blue paint job is a $700 barn job that has cracks and runs...nothing special up close.

You're a damned good photographer!

 

Why don't you consider selling that truck and buying one someone else already butchered....eh, I mean customized.

[Ramjo]

You're a damned good photographer!

 

Why don't you consider selling that truck and buying one someone else already butchered....eh, I mean customized.

Thanks. Both the trucks are special. The orange one my papaw bought brand new in 72 and the blue 85 was my great uncles and he passed away last year. I'm just now getting a chance to acquire the truck. I couldn't sell it. I've wanted it since he got it.

[bersaguy]

Ramjo the girls may love them jacked up trucks until they have to get in and out and then they are not all that cool. Now with that said I understand that the 305 struggles on take off but you must also know that even though your transfer case is not locked in your still turning your front differential gears adding extra load to the motor performance. My first move if it were my truck would be a set of lock out manual hubs that will free up that front differential from turning all the time. That will surprise you how much more power that little 305 can provide and it won't break the bank to do. You can buy the kits with the hubs and the gear change that you make in transfer case which all can be done in less then 2 hours. The kit comes with all the instructions and it's easy to do................jmho

[Guest RebelCowboySnB]

http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CC&Product_Code=12-210-2&Category_Code=HFTHE

 

http://www.carburetion.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?part=E-1406

 

 

TI have built a lot of toys over the years an it is true that there is no replacement for displacement, you can make a smallblock preform pretty good.

 

This cam an the carter version of this carburetor (carter sold out to Edelbrock) turned a 84 camero with a shot 350 in to a car that was running side by side with a mid 90s SS 454 truck. I crashed the car an my brother put it in one of those trucks an it did great with 35s.

 

It should get a 305 to pull 33s pretty good. Its the most aggressive setup you would want to go with in a auto. It is at the edge of what will idle without a stall in it. You will be standing on the breaks pretty hard siting at redlights.

[Ramjo]

http://www.compperformancegroupstores.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CC&Product_Code=12-210-2&Category_Code=HFTHE

 

http://www.carburetion.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?part=E-1406

 

 

TI have built a lot of toys over the years an it is true that there is no replacement for displacement, you can make a smallblock preform pretty good.

 

This cam an the carter version of this carburetor (carter sold out to Edelbrock) turned a 84 camero with a shot 350 in to a car that was running side by side with a mid 90s SS 454 truck. I crashed the car an my brother put it in one of those trucks an it did great with 35s.

 

It should get a 305 to pull 33s pretty good. Its the most aggressive setup you would want to go with in a auto. It is at the edge of what will idle without a stall in it. You will be standing on the breaks pretty hard siting at redlights.

 

Now I like your thinkin with the cam...I just don't know what else goes with it. Do I need different rods or anything else special? Oh wait...just saw the kit available...

Edited December 17, 2013 by Ramjo

[Guest RebelCowboySnB]

I had mine gave to me when the old cam was warn out in my camero. I got gaskets an a chain an reused everything else. I had no money an did what I had to do. It worked great. If I had the money I would get the kit though.

[peejman]

This is probably one of those projects, where if i was rich, I would pull the 305 and auto tranny for a 350 and manual tranny

 

To me, the engine/trans swap is step 1.  Big mud tires (and the typical use) will kill the 305/auto in short order. 

Edited December 17, 2013 by peejman

[bersaguy]

Now I like your thinkin with the cam...I just don't know what else goes with it. Do I need different rods or anything else special? Oh wait...just saw the kit available...

No, you can keep the flat top pistons that should be in that engine. All you need to re-cam your motor is a set of valve cover gaskets, timing cover gaskets, intake gaskets and if it were me I would add a twin roller timing chain and gears. I think I would probably go with a Crane blazer 288 Camshaft. It is a great duration RV cam and will not need a stall converter but add plenty of zip. I am guessing you have a Quadra jet 4 barrel carburetor. Might want to step up if you do and put some 74 jets in it if you have the Quadra jet. Should give your 305 some serious pep but I would still do the Lock out manual hubs on front wheels and stop that differential from working when not needed. 4 inch lift and 33's should serve you well. Everything listed above does not require real deep pockets but won't be cheap either. Tires and wheels will cost you more that most all the rest of it combined. Have fun and take you time and if you do this enjoy the time working on the truck. I was an ASE certified Master Mechanic for 35 years and I loved working on cars and trucks until I was forced to quit due to health issues. I have built quit a few toys of my own over those years. The Blazer was my last one. Youngest son still drives it around on his farm when he goes deer hunting and he painted it all up in Camo.

[McGarrett]

I've got a jeep. I just want a jacked up truck. I've never had a jacked up truck and the girls round here love it lol so....

 

And btw, that blue paint job is a $700 barn job that has cracks and runs...nothing special up close.

I will give the same advice that I just gave one of my employees prior to jacking up his truck. I told him to keep a stuffed sock in his pocket and save the money. He did not listen.

 

Nice trucks. My 2 cents, forget the gears, lift, and big tires and if you feel the need to spend money build you a stout 350 for it. Your mileage will definitely vary. As my dad would say, "pass everything but the gas station".

[Ramjo]

I've got 3 vehicles to rotate between so I can spread out the gas usage. I won't be near as concerned about it after I get topped out at my job. I work 60 hours or more a week so all that overtime has left me with something to play with.

[tennessee01tacoma]

If you can't pull 33s with 4.10 gears and that 305 then the motor is shot. I daily drive a 4cyl Tacoma on 33s with 4.30 gears. And 80 mph is no problem, and it has 300k miles on it Edited December 17, 2013 by tennessee01tacoma

[10-Ring]

If it were mine and I wanted to do what you are doing on the cheap...

 

I would keep my eye's open at Pull-A-Part.  Most of the time if you can find what you are looking for there it will already be junked, but every now and then you get lucky.  If you get lucky you will get a good used front and rear axle for about $200 out the door.  At the same time I would be looking for a good used 350-454, you will be able to find plenty of them laying around the junkyard, pick one up and either freshen it up and put it in the truck or stick it on a stand and do a complete tear down and rebuild on it as time and money allow. 

[McGarrett]

I just sold the perfect donor truck to a guy doing basically what you are wanting to do. I had on '80 3/4 ton suburban 4x4 with 14 bolt rear, 10 bolt front and 4.11 gears, SM465 4spd manual, NP205 t-case. I had already built the 350 to go back in it and decided not to finish it.

 

He's going to transplant all the running gears into his '84 Chevy truck about like your but not near as nice. The body on the suburban was pretty rough and I ran out of steam/ funds on the project. Used the money to fund TGO lower black rifle projects instead.

Edited December 18, 2013 by McGarrett

[rugerla1]

I just sold the perfect donor truck to a guy doing basically what you are wanting to do. I had on '80 3/4 ton suburban 4x4 with 14 bolt rear, 10 bolt front and 4.11 gears, SM465 4spd manual, NP205 t-case. I had already built the 350 to go back in it and decided not to finish it.

 

He's going to transplant all the running gears into his '84 Chevy truck about like your but not near as nice. The body on the suburban was pretty rough and I ran out of steam/ funds on the project. Used the money to fund TGO lower black rifle projects instead.

That would have been perfect for this truck! Maybe he can run up on another on like this. They aren't for sale like they were when I started messing with 4x4's but there is occasionally an old 3/4 ton farm truck on Craigslist. After several years of tearing out 10 bolts, I swapped in 3/4 ton axles and did that to every single truck/blazer I had. Nice upgrade. 

[McGarrett]

I think there are still a lot of the M1008 military cucv axles from the chevy p/u around, dana 60 front, 14 bolt rear with 4.56 gears. I think they had detroit lockers in the rear.

 

Check out this site; http://www.hillbillywizard.com/axles.html. I have not done business with them but there are a lot of good pics on there. 

[Ramjo]

I think there are still a lot of the M1008 military cucv axles from the chevy p/u around, dana 60 front, 14 bolt rear with 4.56 gears. I think they had detroit lockers in the rear.

 

Check out this site; http://www.hillbillywizard.com/axles.html. I have not done business with them but there are a lot of good pics on there. 

Now those are some heavy duty axles! A friend of mine said he would just bore and stroke that 305 to a 383 if I plan on keeping it, which I do. Just not sure what order to go in on all this...guess the heart of the truck is the motor so it needs to be first.

[bersaguy]

Now those are some heavy duty axles! A friend of mine said he would just bore and stroke that 305 to a 383 if I plan on keeping it, which I do. Just not sure what order to go in on all this...guess the heart of the truck is the motor so it needs to be first.

It may be a typo but their is no way on Gods green earth anyone can bore and stroke a 305 out to a 383 and still have any block left. Even if you bored a 305 out 120 thousandths which is the maximum it could be bored and still have any walls at all would be about  318 I use to race circle track cars and built all my own motors from scratch and if I punched out a  327 30 over it was a 331. If I punched out a 350 30 over it was a 356. If you go any more than 60 over your gonna make a blow pop out of your motor and I don't recommend anything over 30 for highway.and then you need to increase your radiator by at least 1 core to make sure it runs cold enough. Then you still may need to add an external tranny cooler. if the right person were to rebuild your 305 it could remain 305 and the HP could be pumped up by 18 to 25% just by putting the right parts in it with out any boring of the block.............jmho

[tennessee01tacoma]

Now those are some heavy duty axles! A friend of mine said he would just bore and stroke that 305 to a 383 if I plan on keeping it, which I do. Just not sure what order to go in on all this...guess the heart of the truck is the motor so it needs to be first.

I don't recommend a stroker motor for off road vehicles due to the fact that most all stroker motors have overheating issues and a 383 is a fairly radically bored and stroked small block Chevy. I would find a 350 short block and add decent heads, cam, intake and carb since that's where most of your power is made anyways. And by decent I don't mean the most expensive but if you do some research there are some combinations that just plain work well together. Edited December 20, 2013 by tennessee01tacoma

[Ramjo]

I thought a small block was a small block. Same size just different bore? This truck won't be doin any heavy off-road. Probably a pavement princess. It's too long for the winding narrow mountain trails here. Edited December 20, 2013 by Ramjo

[tennessee01tacoma]

I thought a small block was a small block. Same size just different bore? This truck won't be doin any heavy off-road. Probably a pavement princess. It's too long for the winding narrow mountain trails here.

I'm not a Chevy guy but I believe your right the bore is different but heads and intake will interchange.