Aluminum heads

[Layne]

Does anyone know where I can get aluminum dart heads for my 305?

[lowriderbowtie]

buy some 350 ones and have them shaved down

[eventhorizon66]

At one time Trickflow made a set of entry-level heads that fit the 305's bore without any milling.  Not sure of the part number or if they still make 'em.  You'll have to try and contact them.  I'm not sure that aftermarket aluminum heads for a 305 is a good investment, though.

[Layne]

I was thinking of putting Dart heads on there. Why would alum heads be a bad idea?

[Unofficial]

I was thinking of putting Dart heads on there. Why would alum heads be a bad idea?

I'm assuming that it would be a bad idea because putting money into a 305 might be a waste. Most people would probably agree that you'd be better off spending money on a 350. That's just my guess though.

[Layne]

I was told it was a 350 till i bought the truck and it's a little disappointing but its my first 8 and I'd like to mod it a tad, nothing serious. lol

[Unofficial]

I was told it was a 350 till i bought the truck and it's a little disappointing but its my first 8 and I'd like to mod it a tad, nothing serious. lol

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with that, That's what I'm doing to the 305 in my '87, I just happened to come across a really cheap 350.

I've got headers and true duals on my truck right now and I don't care how unsatisfying someone might think the 305 is, that thing roars!

[bigkountry]

A small cam, headers, exhaust and upgraded carb would be about it for a 305. These little engines aren't made for HP, but I have had a few that would pin the ears back pretty good.

[Layne]

All you've said and intake and a serpenine to add and you've got what i'm doing.

[eventhorizon66]

Well you would certainly improve performance on most any engine with a good set of aluminum heads.  But it may not be a very good hp-per-dollar investment with the 305.  First off "there's no replacement for displacement" (I'm sure you've heard this many times before).  Second the 305 has a smaller bore that impedes airflow at the valves and most aftermarket SBC heads are designed for a 4" or greater bore, thus airflow suffers considerably when one mills the heads to fit and slaps them on a 3.74" bore.  In short, the heads cost the same whether they're going on a 305 or a 350 or a 383, but the power will be considerably lower with the 305 compared to the higher displacement 4" bore engines.

For a 305, I'd limit myself to stuff that can be transferred to a 350 later on like intake, headers, ignition, etc.; maybe even a little RV-type cam since they're so cheap.  I guess by this reasoning, you could transfer heads as well, but I'd just hold off on that one.  And don't forget you can see some pretty nifty gains on ignition timing and carb tuning alone, especially if its currently out of tune.

Dang it!  Two new posts while I was typing...man I'm slow.

[VileZambonie]

I wouldn't waste that kind of $ on heads either. Headers, cam, intake, ignition otherwise yank it out and put the $ into a 350.

[Layne]

Guy i bought it from put a new stock cam in it and when he put the covers on he put the oil cap in and all the other holes on the rocker covers were exposed. so its got a valvetrain clatter and if i gotta fix that it would just make more sense to put a set of assembled heads on her...

[VileZambonie]

Guy i bought it from put a new stock cam in it and when he put the covers on he put the oil cap in and all the other holes on the rocker covers were exposed. so its got a valvetrain clatter and if i gotta fix that it would just make more sense to put a set of assembled heads on her...

I can't make sense of what you are saying here. Regardless if you put any heads on it you will have to adjust the valvetrain accordingly.

[Layne]

It's got a tick in the valvetrain and I am mechanically inclined enough to do heads, but I can't diagnose the tick and I think some new haeds and a rocker cover set would brighten it up a bit.

[VileZambonie]

Why don't re-adjust your valves and see if the tick goes away.