Is the 307 small block famous for anything good or bad? Just curious, as I'm going to be pulling this motor to replace with a 350 and will be selling it. I would like to know more about it before I let it go. Good, strong motor. I would guess close to 300 hp, but it's only a 2 bolt main. Anyway, if anyone knows anything about these motors please chime in. big mac
nothin special. I don't remember what a 307 was, was that a 283 bore with a 327 stroke r somthin? Maybe that was the 305. Whatever they were, I don't think they were real good.
The 307 has a 283 bore size (3.875") and a 327 stroke (3.25"). They were originally an economy engine that only came with a 2-barrel carb, but there's nothing inherently wrong with a 307. They did have some camshaft problems due to soft materials used during manufacture, but of course replacing the cam and lifters cures that.
Oh my God , Only a two bolt main!!! People say that like there is some epidemic of crankshafts falling out of small block chevies. Sounds like you already made up your mind on pulling that 307 stump puller.
LOL! theres nothing wrong with a 307 i've had a few. i wouldn't build one for racing but there is nothing wrong with them. they're just as reliable as the rest of the SB's.
as far as I know and I have 2x 307s to go by, they are great motors......as stated, many had cam problems and they didnt have the "327" roll off the tongue cool factor happenin, so they didnt get the status the 283 327 350 got.......I remember a couple of cars years ago at the drags pullin good 1/4 mile numbers running 307s, they are cheap motors and send em my way those that dont want em......think of them as a stroker 283 and you will appreciate what they can do with some headwork/carb/exhaust etc...and run a decent cam...quality wise...........Bert
Yep, not real high on the cool scale to some folks, but the three I've had....and run the livin' **** out of...continue to pull great. Reliable as all hell and not too bad on gas mileage either, but two have been left stock and one just got a four barrel, all been pulling chevy trucks around since 1969.
fat hack did a pretty informative tech on the 307 awhile back. heres a link to that post. i had a 307 in a Tbucket and i had no issues with it. ran like a champ. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45615
They ran good stock but in stock form they are way low power and torque. If you leave the 2 barrel on it they can perform surprisingly well.I did know of an old guys 307 Nova 2 barrel that would smoke the tires.As for me there is no replacement for displacement!
Cam problems? Never heard of it. I know those limp-wristed 307 Olds motors and almost every mid to late 70s SBCs all had "soft" cams due to a heat-treat snafu, but 307 chevs? I never met one that didn't run like hell forever. Knew a kid that tried real hard to blow one up and couldn't. Kool factor is pretty much zero but reliability is over the top. Just for reference it's really a 316 but that number probably wouldn't market very well. Kinda like the 402 version of the venerable 396. Just my thoughts on the subject...
I´ve built two of them for a friend so far, still 2bbl with a mild cam. He was going to use them in daily drivers .Both of them had flattened cam lobes on the stock cams, but no wear elsewhere so I just rebuilt them with a new ( higher quality) cam. They´re reliable as hell and quite good on gas.
Had 2. No problems. One is in my 1974 Toyota Landcruiser... with bus tires, chains and plow. No body... a "tractor" now. Not much stops me around my property. Runs like an engine should.
Have one in my '60 Biscayne right now. Put in an Edelbrock RVcam after the original went. Also put a quadrajet and intake from an early 80,s 305 on it. Runs real strong with lots of low & mid torque. I prefer 'em for dailys as I get close to 20 mpg with the 700r4 hooked to it. Wish I had one in my 57 truck! Run it and run it hard, I do all the time...
The best kept secret of all SBC's 'them 307's are junk,you wan't it free'?? Really, they used to give them away.....They are a GREAT motor(engine)!!! A cam change, carburation,HEI,good flowing exhaust,and the'll scream! Tell them it's a 'stroker' 283...
if you want to sell the 307 and you think it's a good,strong runner and want to get some $$$.... i'd recogmend you leave the motor in the car until sold. that way any potential buyer can check it out , hear it run..even drive the car. Ebay , swap meets and craig's list are full of motors that "ran good when pulled" . unless i personally hear a motor run i consider it a core for rebuilding...and pay accordingly
I just pulled a 307 out of my '29. That was a damn good motor. We're going to rebuild and it use it on a different project. Knowing that it had been rebuilt a long, long time ago...I was apprehensive about it. I tried to kill that motor with high revs doing burn out and donuts and we really thought that it wouldn't make it back from the drags in Temple. Ran like a top.
Wow, this has me re-thinking my decision. I don't know much about the motor since I didn't build it, but it has to have some headwork done to it. It's real strong. Like I said, I would guess around 300 hp. I always thought it was a 350 until I pulled the numbers off the block and did some research. The only reason I was going to swap it out is because I got a great deal on a new 385 fastburn w/hot cam and 1.6 roller rockers (zz430 clone). I thought that would be a little more fun and still fairly reliable. Maybe I'll save the 307 for my future model A 5 window project, if I ever get it!!! big mac
I am in the process of rebuilding a 307 right now.It was cheap and I wanted to prove they can make could power.You could take the crank and rods from the 307 and use them in a 350 block and build a 327 if you dead set against the 307.They are all good,it just depends on your wants and budget.
We used to run them in dirt sportsman(modified) circle track cars years ago. The hot set-up was to find a late 327 steel crank which dropped right in replacing the O.E.M. cast one. Add some pink rods/forged pistons and a decent set of heads and you had a reliable torquey small block. I think .030" over gave 311C.I.D.,.060"=317 C.I.D.
I had one in a new '72 Nova, backed by a manual 3-speed ($2,600, if you can believe that). Anyway, the motor sure outlasted the body. It was pretty quick, too, considering it's low H.P. rating
I have had a couple of them. They are low compression SBC. they are not the fastest engines but they are cheap and they are reliable. As others have mentioned, if you don't want it, there are many of us who will take it off your hands. I suggest keeping it for the next project. But as 61 fairlane mentioned as a stock motor they are only running about 175 hp. Not the 300hp. Still that is plenty of go for a light small car that you want to be a good daily driver. The 307 are the ******* step children of the SBC family. keep it.
As everyone has said, 307`s are a really great engine, but just never got the "rock star" status of the 327. I had a 307 in my very first vehicle - a 64 Chevy pickup with a 3 on the tree and 3.73 gears. I spanked many a new Camaro`s *** (this was in 1980). As a punk 16 yr old, I literally abused the hell out of this little engine and all I could muster was burned up clutches. Keep the engine and just tell everyone it`s a 327.
Check out what Wikipedia.com has on it, and data on other Chevy's. Pretty cool. Just search for "Chevrolet 307". The whole history of SB's come up. Good reading. Did some research on Old's recently. Really help's when preparing to buy right. Here's the 307 info. Later Loppy. 307 A 307 in³ (5.0 L) version was produced from 1968 through 1973. Engine bore was 3.875 in (98.4 mm) with a 3.25 stroke. The 307 replaced the 283 in Chevrolet cars and produced 200 hp (149 kW) SAE gross at 4600 rpm and 300 ft·lbf (410 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 motor, though they did produce, for Outboard Marine Corporation, a high-performance marinized 307, rated at 235 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, 215 and 225 horsepower (168 kW) SAE gross. One of the biggest myths about the 307 is that all the blocks were cast with a very low nickel content. However, some 307 blocks, such as casting number 3970020 with suffix V****THA (x's in place for date), had 010 and 020 stamped under the timing chain cover indicating 10 percent tin, and 20 percent nickel. If thinking of using a particular block check these numbers first to determine if the nickel content meets your standards. Just one number stamped indicates only tin in the block.
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