Try not to laugh... but has anyone in here ever "built" a 307 Chebbie?

Ok... so "buyer beware" shame on myself not checking the casting # before hand... was supposed to be a 283. Guess what... it's a '68 307. I do some research before I get all bent out of shape. Essentially the 307 is a 283 block with a 327 crank... ok... so it's a stroker ... or whatever. It was cheap at least... turns by hand and all the valves seem to be working just fine. I'm planning to use this in my "A" coupe down the road.

Not a lot of good info on the 307 online but this little article makes me think for the $75 I wasted that I may as well use it anyways... just to be different.
http://www.superchevy.com/tech/sucp_0604_chevy_engine_performance/

So my thinking is that if I apply (on a budget) the same hop-up items I would use on a 283 or 327... it should work just fine. A pair of power-pack, 601, or world 042650-1 heads (58cc 1.94/1.50), a duntov grind cam, air gap intake and a 600-650cfm carb, go through the bottom end, hone cylinders, re-ring, better slugs, etc... should be about 300h.p.-ish or more at the crankshaft. Hopes are to accomplish this for less than $1500.

Whaddyall think?

Craig

edit
Partslist thusfar...
6-08 n.i.b. world "torquer" heads via the HAMB)
9-08 n.i.b. weiand stealth #8016 (ebay)


307
A 307 cu in (5 L) version was produced from 1968 through 1973. Engine bore was 3.875 inches (98.4 mm) with a 3.25-inch (82.6 mm) stroke.

The 307 replaced the 283 (but are the same engine block with a longer stroke) in Chevrolet cars and produced 200 hp (149 kW) SAE gross at 4600 rpm and 300 lb·ft (407 N·m) of torque at 2400 rpm in the 1960s. The later emissions-modified versions produced just 115 hp (86 kW) SAE net, giving the engine one of the lowest power-per-displacement ratings of all time. Chevrolet never produced a high-performance version of this engine, though they did produce, for Outboard Marine Corporation, a high-performance marinized 307, rated at 235 hp (175 kW) and 245 hp (183 kW) SAE gross, depending on year, that shipped with the Corvette/Z-28's cast aluminum valve covers and Rochester QuadraJet carb. Chevy also built other versions of the OMC 307 rated at 210 hp (157 kW), 215 hp (160 kW) and 225 hp (168 kW) SAE gross.

 

ALSO... has anyone tried a Vertex HEI "mag-look" distributor ***embly yet?...
http://www.taylorvertex.com/Products/pdfs/taylorcatalog27.pdf

Tech info...
http://www.taylorvertex.com/Vertex/pdfs/Electronic_Distributor_Installation.pdf

Looks like a good alternative to running a MSD set up with a box... and probably about the same price by the time you are done.

 

some guys have decent luck punching the 307 out to 4" bore, to make a 327 out of it. Or you could bore it as much as it needs to clean up (30 or 40 or 60) and call it an undersize 327. or find a 350 block and make a 327 that way. The engine itself doesn't know what numbers are on it....so it won't know that there is that low-perf stigma eternally attatched to the 307 moniker...heck, it might even run ok if you do the normal hot rodding tricks you'd do to any other small block.

 

They got a bad rap because they appeared about the time performance started taking a dive, and because they were never offered in any kind of hi-po guise. The small bore does hamper valve size a bit, but not any worse than when they were running stroked 283s 50 years ago.

Slap a good set of heads on it and find some good high-compression pistons. A decent cam and intake will make it a screamer, like any other SBC. Good luck.

 

I'm trying to keep the budget low on this one... but you might find this particular article interesting.
http://www.popularhotrodding.com/tech/0207phr_307_chevy_block_build/index.html

One good thing about sbc's... everything has at least been tried once.

 

307 hop-up info:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45615&showall=1

 

Thanks! Maybe there's some hope for the lame-duck after all.

 

There's no particular reason not to use it. For what you want it will work fine. I would probably opt for the World heads, on a price vs. efficiency scale, compared to rebuilding the OE-type heads (unless you want that look, or there's some other factor, like they are all ready to go ).

My other two suggestions would be to use a better cam profile-yeah, I know the 30-30 is a cl***ic, but it's just not that effective compared to modern profiles- make it a solid lifter if you want that sound, but a hydraulic would do just fine- & plan on doing some work with the distributor advance curve- the most overlooked area for performance gains, usually for low or no $. Add a set of 1 5/8" headers, or even rams' horns for the vintage look, & yer good to go.

 

If my memory serves me correctly, a lot of the dirt track guys (modifieds) are going to the 307 over the 350 lately due to the ability to rev the 307 higher.

 

love my 307 in the coupe. Has not given me any major issues in the 2yrs I have owned it. Perfect cruiser engine for my chevy

 

Being a Chevy Guy for 40 years may not give me any credentials ,But I have had and worked on several 307 engines.
The 307 is a good little engine that got a bad name as a result of GM's early experimentation with cost cutter-cheap[soft] camshafts and [4 cyl] lifters....
other than that I can say, they are of proven componetry for the most part...
the 327 stroke is a winder, so if a decent cam is used and possibly even adding better heads -you are well on your way.

The fact you are planning use it in a light vehicle ,as a RPU is -will yeild even more satsfying results.....

 

My first engine back in early High School was a 307, bored .040, flat top pistons, stock camel hump 2.02 heads a roller camshaft, with a 750 double pumper feeding it........it ran like a Banshee.........Littleman

 

That 307 decker posted the link to is mine. Came out of a '68 Nova originally, transplanted into a '67 wagon, then ended up in my garage for $200. Bottom end is all original. The guys at the machine shop were really surprised at the numbers it pulled with the heads, valvetrain, intake/carb, and ignition. I was just happy it didn't blow up.

 

Fat Hack is the resident 307 guru. I had a 307 in my old wagon, power pack heads, edelbrock 650, ramhorn manifolds. Ran really well.

 

Yeah, from what I've heard the cams were really ****ty and if you want to spring for some catalog stuff like a cam and lifters and a decent intake, they're not too bad.

 

the 305 and 307's had some of the worst heads ever as a result of the smog era and cheap components. the World heads don't cost very much more than re-manning your used heads(correctly). If you're going to buy an intake anyway, consider the Vortec heads, too...especially since you're somewhat limited on valve size due to the small bore. 2.02/1.80 valves are just too big.

World has the S/R Torquer 305 heads that have a slightly smaller valve and I believe a 58cc combustion chamber.

if you're buying an intake, SDPC has a bunch of different options and sells head/intake kits with gaskets, hardware and rocker arms from stock heads to several upgraded heads(better springs).

http://www.sdparts.com/catalogsdparts.aspx

 

A set of camel humps with 194/1.50 valves, a better cam and a 4 barrel will wake it up. It was built to be a pedestrian motor, it had a 2 barrel, tiny smog heads and a cam that would barely lift the valves off the seat whan it was made. All the normal stuff works and I don't see why 300+ hp is not acheivable.

 

68 307 has the same cam lift specs as the 210/250/275/& 300 hp 327 plus the 295/350, lift of 390/410 per NHRA blueprint specs

 

Thanks for all the info, links and good vibes.

I was pretty pissed off at myself first for not making the guy get me the casting #'s... but I'm feelin' lots better now.

At the worst I have a $75 ashtray that will be a ***** for someone to steal.

P/S... I sent FatHack a thank you pm for his highly informative post.

 

I built one for my 69 chevy short wide p.u. That thing ran great!!!! Flat top pistons, camel hump 1.94's 1.6 rockers on the exhaust, with the 300 h.p. 327 cam and an Edelbrock C3B intake and a Holley 650 double pumper with a 4 speed. Ran Low 15s High 14s with an open rearend and 2.60 60 ft times. Probably would of went faster with better traction. It was a burn out machine. It was my daily driver and I drove that truck HARD!!!!! Good engines with little work.

 

Back in high school when I worked in the machine shop, one of the "hot" builds was the 307. The little 283 was more common then, and adding a 327 crank to stroke it was a common mod. The 307 got a bum rap in the 70's for being an "econo" engine, but its a good combo that runs well.

I wonder how it would respond to some late model Vortec heads? 300 hp should be real easy.

 

I'm running a '68 307 with an RV cam in my little roadster. Don't let the smooth taste fool you. That engine has been rock solid for me.

 

Biggest problem is low compression but you can get around that with 283 pistons and 5.565" 400 chevy connecting rods and your away.

You'll still need summit like 55cc chambers to get even 9.5-1 but you could deck the block some and play with chamber size to match your available fuel and desired quench, all very doable. KB do pistons under PN KB165

Then do the cam, manifold, carb and exhaust mods that are normal and you'll easily be well over 300 hp and kick some but with just a 307.

Gotzy

 

My brother in law is building a 307 with flat tops, a decent cam, later model heads and a throttle body. Seems to be a good combo, but it's still on the engine stand so we'll have to wait and see. I remember a while back, one of the cl***ic trucks magazines built a 307 with 300+ hp. It was a nice article. I like the idea of running a 307...

 

decker, Was it already rebuilt or was it a low mile car? if it needs a rebuild, the parts will be pricier than a 350. If the thing is solid with little wear, I say go for it.

 

Not a clue... turns by hand and took the covers off... all the rocker arms and push rods seem to be moving freely. When I get some time I'll start tearing it down and inspecting things.

A Three-Fiddy???... nah... everyone has one of those... kinda like "opinions and a$$holes".

It's time for a 307-Chevrolution

If the thing winds up being a turd... then so be it.

Thanks for the encouragement

 

I feel the same about the 350's...good engines, just too damn common...

 

When I bought my old 72 nova it came with the stock 307, 2 BBL and a factory muncie M-21, 4 speed. I replaced the stock flattened cam with a factory 350 hp, 327 cam and bolted up a stock Q-jet on a factory iron intake. I bought one of those HEI advance weight spring kits, had new dual exhaust with turbo mufflers and kept the Q-jet tuned. It ran pretty good with the 4 speed, got 18 MPG on a road trip to the west coast but needed a full rebuild soon. I'd loved to have put some hi-po 305 heads on it with headers and flat-top pistons but I lived in an apartment complex at the time. I really stretched the apartment rules by swapping the cam in the parking lot.
I also installed a 10.5 inch Zoom clutch that was a real grabber! Eventually busted off the block-mounted pivot-ball for the clutch Z-bar. Swapped the old shifter out for a good Hurst compe***ion-plus shifter as soon as I got the car.
Those engines are ok for a commuter car but a 4" bore is really needed for performance work, IMHO.
The Chevy piston rings were junk in the early 70s and mine was no excception...smoked a little under acceleration..showed some blow-by too but it always ran good...
Came off the line great and buzzed to about 4800-5000 where it hit the wall...hard! The little engine was RPM limited by the small valve/port heads and small bore/long stroke ratio.
Great engines for all-around use in a really light car.

 

... been running a 307 in my Studebaker for over 10 years, lots of miles. quick and no fuss.

 

questiona bout the 400 rods, whatcha gonna do about the bearings?
they might run a bit loose
oil pressure's gonna ****,too....