350 as well .Nothing wrong with a 305 until you have weight in the bed .Gas mileage the 305 is better but you won't notice a big savings .If you want to enjoy your truck go with a 350 .
The 305 Cam that you asked about I believe its part number 2102 .I saw an article dyno testing this cam with edelbrock intake and carb package in 87 It surprised me . I would still go with a 350 considering the weight of your vehicle.
I'd go w/the 305 unless you want a 350. They are very stout motors, and the bore is only like a 1/4" smaller than a 350 stock. From what I've heard....alot of dirt track guys on a tight budget are steering toward the 305's for the economy of parts. Fuel economy is up for grabs. Every aspect can come into play, but if you keep it tuned to the hilt(to the best of your ability). It shouldn't kill you. It's my worthless opinion.
I have both 350s and 305`s.I like the 305`s cause they get the job done and are better on gas then a 350. I once had a pickup that I use to tow my race car to the track.it had a 305 in it and it did the job even with a camper in the box of the truck. Now on the hills it lost power.I pulled the 305 and put in a 350 with a RV cam. Never lost power on the hills but I went from $70 of fuel both ways to $120 both ways.If I had my time back I would of stuck with the 305. I have a 305 in my Studebaker project and quit happy with how it works. If I was drag racing,4 wheelin or looking for lots of power with no worries on fuel mileage.Then the 350 is better.
Does the 305 run well? If it's clean and tight, just do the build and drive it. When it gets tired, you can build a 350 unless gas is $5/gal
Thanks everyone for the tips. I am going to see how things go but leaning towards leaving the 305 in for now at least until I get it driving then see how the motor checks out. Any other insights are still welcome. I will have to post some photos of the progress in a little while. I just pulled it into the shop and got the stock suspension cut out. Now I have it sitting down closer to the ride height I want it.
no replacement for displacement you get more power for the same or less mone with the 350 its a no brainer
my 2 cents... if you decide to do it; the 350 rebuild will be marginally cheaper; and with the gears in your donor rearend (2.75:1 or 3.0:1's)? the extra torque could be benefical from the 350. If you change out the rearend for something around the 3:50 gear ratio range running the taller than stock tires (you are running 215 75r15's vs the stock nova 205 75r14's? right? and you're high gear is 1:1 in a turbo 350 trans?); I think the 305 would do fine (those early campers are light). Either way; it will get there and should do ok.
The Chevy 305 and 307 didn"t get a bad rap,they earned it all by theirselves,good for a grocery getter or old farm truck.
i have a 83 heavy half truck with a stock 305 in it. i pull the car and trailer with it with no problems. to me a 350 is a gas hog never did see one that got good gas mileage.
get the 350 bigger bores so it has better flow around the valves what ever you do to the engines the 350 will work better
I have a 305 +.030 over, with a 400 crank (334 CID), and an RV type cam, single plane intake, Edelbrock "AFB",the small chamber-small valve-small port heads, and dual exhaust. It runs fine, and really likes freeway speeds. After all that work and money, I should have just dropped in another Goodwrench Target Master 350 replacement. Don't believe everything you read in HOT ROD/CAR CRAFT magazines. Butch/56sedandelivery.
I have a 77 Nova 4 door, with a 305 and a turbo 350. It goes really well, even with the small valve open chamber heads. It has a mild cam in it, .442 lift and 266 duration, topped with a factory aluminum 2bbl intake and a 500 cfm Holley 2bbl. They will give you better milage, but still nothing to write home about. In your case You should figure how much towing time it will see, opposed to normal driving. If it's doing hauling most of the time the 350 is better. I'd try the 305 and see how it goes before jumping into engine swaps or hopping up the original. Also with a unit body I'd be leary of dragging too much behind it. Perhaps subframe connectors would stiffen it up. Good luck!
We used to have a '85 Caprice station wagon, about the biggest thing you can drive without a CDL, with a 305 in it. It was a dog. Underpowered and geared too high, and it was hard on gas. The same drivetrain and gearing would have been fine in a lighter car such as a Nova. I think it would have gotten better gas mileage with a 350. Nothing against the engine, they just put a perfectly good smaller cubic inch engine in a car that was too heavy for it. That being said, I have a '68 vintage 307 (out of a '68 GMC pickup) in my '38 Ford pickup and love it.
If it is money, then so whatever works best for you. If it is about anything else, go with the 350! Good luck with your project. Sounds cool.
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