New project need in put

40 Chev Coupe · August 30, 2013, 09:46:13 AM

Bought a 69 Camaro with a 350 motor, also got the original 307 motor. The 350 is all decked out with Holley top end kit.
But I just want a cruiser, so, my question is to rebuild the 307 or put the 350 back to allmost stock.
What exactly can a guy get out of the 307, because I understand that it only has about 200hp?
What are your thoughts?

unklian · August 30, 2013, 10:41:21 AM

Everything else being equal, bigger is better.

GPster · August 30, 2013, 10:53:12 AM

Just my thoughts. I bought a '69 Nova with a 307 new. It never got any better than 13.5 MPG and at 50,00 the cam was worn out with a couple of flat lobes. I had a friend that bought a "Totaled" '74 Corvette with 4,500 miles on it and was going to build another SCCA racer and I used the occasion to buy the "base Line" 350 out of itand put it in the Nova rather than replace the cam and do a "Top End" on the 307. The 360 with the quadra jet got better than 15MPG which was better than the 307 with a 2 barrel ever got. There are some people that like the 307 but a stroked 283 can also be looked at like an under sized 409. Not all sizes work for everyone. GPster

Beck · August 30, 2013, 11:38:30 AM

I wasn't sure what a Holley Top End Kit included so I did a search and came up with this http://www.holley.com/data/Catalogs/SysteMAX.pdf
If the Systemax is the kit you are refering to there are 2 available for the SBC. The mild one would work well on the street as a cruizer. The bigger one may lead to minor issues. Even the bigger one could be tamed a little by a cam swap. The bigger powered one would be more fun when you have your right foot depressed. Just because you have more HP doesn't mean you have to use it. When you pull into the cruize with the stronger motor the sound will draw more attention. Isn't that what it is all about. If you want a good fuel economy commuter the '69 wasn't the car to buy, get a 4 cyl. We buy a Muscle car for the muscle. Go with the 350. If you have to justify it tell everyone the aluminm heads and intake are lighter than iron. That helps with fuel economy.

Thats my 2 cents worth

40 Chev Coupe · August 30, 2013, 12:22:27 PM

Its the System MaxII, heads, cam intake, the works. To radical for cruising and only premium gas ($4.49) a gallon.

rumrumm · August 30, 2013, 05:03:29 PM

It will be a lot more fun with a 350. I have never been a fan of 307's.

wayne petty · August 30, 2013, 05:34:39 PM

the 307 has a 3.25" stroke.. like a 327...

its a decent motor...

a trick... DON'T run a STOCK cam... call up joey over at american custom cam grinding.. in glendora ca... have his grind you an H230 on a small block core..

stick it in straight up..

do some light porting to the 307 heads.. just a clean up port.. you don't really want to enlarge the passage.. just take out some of the lumps..

chuck the valves into your drill press and spin them fast... hit the backs with sand paper to polish them.. if you have a friend at the engine rebuilding shop.. pick up some 0.342 valve guide liners.. cut one in half.. slip that into your drill chuck.. to protect the the valve grooves from your drill chuck... you can use a complete guide liner also..

if one had a lathe.. one could create a steel holder with some custom tapered thread on the valve end of the holder.. so you could chuck the holder .. then use a jam nut on the tapered thread end to tighten it around the valve stem... a thin hacksaw to cut slots could allow you to clamp it with the nut..

leave the 2 barrel on it... be sure that you use 307 intake manifold gaskets.. as the port size is smaller...

with these things.. one could build a decent running 307 that might get tremendous fuel economy and except for the marks on the ends of the head.. would look like a 327 or a 350..

Warpspeed · August 30, 2013, 06:56:25 PM

I suppose it would depend on the condition of the 307, and why it was removed in the first place.
If its totally stuffed, It probably isn't worth the trouble. But then again it could be in absolutely prime condition or just have one minor easily fixed problem.
Give it a leak down test and eyeball the bearing shells, and have a good look over it, then base your decision on what you find.

tomslik · August 30, 2013, 08:27:34 PM

spare yourself all the hassle and build the 350...it'll run better, cheaper to build slightly, worth more if you sell it.....mileage will be about the same depending on your right foot...

UGLY OLDS · August 31, 2013, 12:42:51 AM

The 350 already has the good parts .. Go with a smaller cam to make it more streetable ... The 350 in my Olds gives 17mpg on the highway with the air on ..... Will still put you back in the seat with a big grin on your face on command .........

As the others have said .... The 307 was not that good the first time around ..... :|

Bob....

Arnold · August 31, 2013, 01:12:52 AM

Quote from: "40 Chev Coupe"Bought a 69 Camaro with a 350 motor, also got the original 307 motor. The 350 is all decked out with Holley top end kit.
But I just want a cruiser, so, my question is to rebuild the 307 or put the 350 back to allmost stock.
What exactly can a guy get out of the 307, because I understand that it only has about 200hp?
What are your thoughts?

Wayne's idea is interesting..and fairly cheap.IF the 307 is good.Pull the heads and cam.Clean up the heads,buy gaskets,cam.. away you go.IF the 307 needs rings or bearings=boat anchor.Maybe someone would buy it as an oem motor.
307 200hp? Back in the day..advertised hp the way it was measured.
Real world..never,ever ,ever would one of these make 140 hp.Probably around 120hp.Stock they would impress you with how little hp they made and how much gas they burned.I had them..as well as the 165hp 350 4 barrels..and the 350 165 hp was ten times as powerful as a 307 and waaay better on gas.
307's in stock form=low power and used tons of gas
When real world net hp ratings came out in 71/2..your run of the mill 350 4barrel had what..I think 165 hp..advertised.It was a long time coming before the average 350 had 240-250 hp.

Warpspeed · August 31, 2013, 02:24:16 AM

It all depends on what is most important, horsepower or miles per gallon, and the available budget and ongoing future costs of the project.

We are living in difficult financial times, and things are about to get a whole lot tougher for most of us, especially in America.
Each of us has our own priorities.
But the key to this might very well be making best use of what you already have.
I know this is a Hot Rod Forum, but we also have to be realistic....

Mikej · August 31, 2013, 11:20:11 AM

I had a 71 nova with a 307. Installed a 4 barrel and headers. Beat the * out of it. Street raced all the time. Head cracked finally. Put a 65 327 vet motor with 11:1 rather unstreetable cam, 2-4s and couldn't get anyone one to race after that. 4 MPG Those were the days.. my daily driver..........350 would be a better choice.