New guy and a ton of questions

[Guest]

I just bought an 87 Cutlass Salon with a 307 talk about pathetic. Its the Y code, 140 hp. I don't think its even that much. I have long term plans that include a 403, but in the mean time I might as well use the perfectly clean 66,000-mile 307 mill stuffed in there until I blow the main webs out the oil pan.<P>I'm thinking about a head, intake, and cam swap. I'll need heads (or serious milling) to help the wheezy 7.9:1 compression, an edelbrock 3711 intake, and a Comp cams Xtreme energy 262 stick and matching springs. I want compression in the 8.75 range, and will need screw in studs. I'm mostly a pontiac guy, so I don't know what heads I need. The edelbrock catalog says that the intake will only fit on 307s with 5A heads. Uh, why? Are 5A heads a good choice? Are they common? Screw in studs? I can tap them, of course if they aren't. Chamber volume? decent flow? Cam specs are as follows: 210/216 duration, .505" lift both sides, 110 degree lobe sep. Very aggressive ramp for the roller lifters. This stick sounded better than a typical 204/214.<P>1) What heads should I use? I'd like to keep the air injection...not that my area worries about emissions, It just doesn't take much hp to keep the air that much cleaner.<BR>2) What heads do I have now? 7A?<BR>3) Does this sound like a good combo?<BR>4) Am I overdoing it for a weak-cast 307?<BR>5) Is there a good oil pan choice that will hold more than 4 quarts? I'd like 5 or 6.<BR>6)Anyone make a cam gear drive for the rocket crowd?<BR>7) Headers for my cutlass?<BR>8) is it true that the diesel G-bodies have dual hump tranny crossmembers? That might help me with exhaust fabrication.<P>Thanks to all in advance. I know its alot of questions, but I'm new and stupid <P>Curtis

[rocketraider]

Why waste all that time and money on a 307 if you're gonna do the 403 thing later on? Run the 307 for now, get yer 403 and start building it. You'll be more satisfied in the long run. <P>This topic gets visited often on all the Olds BBs. There's only so much you can ask of a 307, even a code 9.

[Guest]

That's very true, however the 403 is a few years into the future. I'm not asking for 350hp from my 307, just basically more than what I have. I think with that combo 235 is a fair assumption, which will put me in the area of performance I can live with for about $700 for now...until the 403. I use the car for work, but it will make cross-country journeys (LA, PA, IN, ONT) at least three times a year towing a small boat. As it is, I can't even cross a bridge at 75 without it downshifting (literally) Even down here in LA where its flat as a pancake, it'll shift just to cross a ten-foot rise. I really need more power out of this engine for the next few years as I don't have a garage (and move every three months or so). I want to take a week off and do this swap for now. Later when I have $3000 for parts and machining, and spend more than a hockey season in one place, I'll do the 403. <P>Thanks for the opinion (and I totally agree) but I'm too power hungry.

[Guest]

Curt, Your're on the right track as far as engine mods go.<P>Your most bang for the buck will be had with headers and dual exhaust. Don't go bananas with huge pipes and race headers, you'll end up losing low end torque.<P>I suggest 1 3/4-2" pipes (dual) with small dia. headers (1 3/8-1 5/8") if you can find them. Remember you want high gas speed through the exhaust not volume, this will improve scavenging at low to mid RPM and give a nice hump to your power curve down low. Forget the expensive mufflers, buy what you can afford and put resonators on unless you like the noise. <P>Those fancy mufflers might be worth 10 horsepower at 6000 rpm, right where you will never use it. Besides the resonators will negate that increase. And if I catch you on the street with a 5" inch tail pipe/exhaust tip I will never talk to you again.<P>If you can find a dual plane aftermarket intake that will take a small Quadrajet carb, this will give you decent mileage while giving a boost to the midrange. the small primary throttle bores on the Quad makes them very responsive and efficient for street engines. <P>Stay away from factory intakes, they are notorious for poor cylinder to cylinder mixture variation. Remember big carbs are for men with small penises who have an inferiority complex, some of the fastest cars I've built had 350 cfm two barrels on them and made over 400HP. Put that in your pipe and smoke it. <P>I only wish I could get jets and needles and carb bodies from the aftermarket so I could fit Quads to more engines I build. Definitely one of Chevy's better ideas.<P>The kits with the Carter carb and Holley intake combo are good alternatives but you will still have to jet to fine tune. If you want get the kit that includes the cam, the combination is tested to work together and works well for the application you have in mind. I have seen 275 HP from this combination, very nice because the torque at low RPM is impressive (about 350 ft/pds).<P>There is nothing wrong with the 307, it just doesn't make a great race motor. What they do best is make nice torquey street motors. At least they didn't have the same problem as the 305 Chevy motors did with the soft cam syndrome.<P>Rear gears around 3.25-3.50 will make a good street combination and will really wake up the car without killing the mileage. <P>Some grippier rubber may be necessary because this kind of torque and HP will roast the tires off the car.<P>After doing this you might not want to sell the car because it will haul ass and tow trailers like mad. If you drag race it, you can always ask for a handicap because it's only a 307. When you win, count your cash and smile because you just taught someone a lesson.<P>I always do.

[Guest]

Thanks for the great info, chuck. I'm so excited to do this... This is my first car under 3900 lbs! (with the exception of a Beretta in college) I've had almost all big, old B-bodies that I used to tow big campers. Its always been torque and 4000 rpms for me. I'm just happy to be going with gears over 3.08 for a change. I think I'll use 3.42s, although a dream I have is to add a T56 some day. Those really high double overdrives might benefit from 4.10 or 4.18s, and still have a final drive around 2:1.<P>Don't worry, I'll never use huge exhaust. I like stealth. I love cars that would benefit from 3" exhaust, but run 2.5" so you don't wake the neighbors. I put three-chamber delta flows on a caddy 500 with 2.5" and they sound so sweet and make very little interior resonance, but are too noticable at WOT. I want some kind of fiber-filled muffler that doesn't restrict too much. Sure, they deteriorate, but if they're cheap, who cares? I may even take it to one of the big national muffler brands.<P>I think I'll use an edelbrock 3711 intake. I'd rather have the RPM but it won't take a spreadbore. I may use an open spacer to get a little more plenum volume. Future? EFI, baby. plumbed right into the 3711. I'll probably have Jet performance do my Q-jet. They are expensive but every carb they've done for me has been so spot-on perfect. I got exactly what I asked for in each one.<P>Thanks again!<P>Curtis