Help me wake up my 305 in my 78 Salon

[HAFROD]

OK guys, our local car club is renting our local drag strip in July. A guy in our club has a 79 Lemans with a 305(I think). He has CALLED ME OUT!!! I would like to pep up the 305 in my 78 Salon. It is a new stock rebuilt motor and has the Saginaw 4 speed stick. I don't want to put in a 350 since the 305 is new. It WAS a 2 barrell but I installed an Edelbrock Performer RPM intake and a new 600 Holley carb. I have also did a thorough tune up with plugs, Accel wires, cap and rotor. Would headers be a big improvement? Cam swap? I need all the input I can get!!!!

[Omicron]

3 ways you could go here: improve the base engine build, forced induction, or nitrous.

Cheapest would be nitrous. Basic kits run $500-$1000 complete, and can add up to over 100 HP. Problem is, too much can grenade your engine, and you can't be sure how much the engine will take if it's not built for NOS.

Second route is improving the basic build. Since you've already done the intake and carb, next steps would be a good set of ported and polished heads with oversized valves, along with a better cam and a set of headers to round it all out. Anything more than this is going to mean pulling the engine, new pistons, etc. All in all this will probably run you in the $2500 range, maybe more depending on the parts you choose or less if you do the labor yourself or have it done.

Third possibility to consider is adding forced induction - either a supercharger or turbocharger. An ATI Procharger or Magnacharger will run you around $2500-$3000 installed, less if you do it yourself, and will add 120+ HP. Again your motor has to be built to withstand boost, but most can handle ~8Lbs reliably and that'll add the 120HP I quote. I can't speak to turbochargers on V8s cost wise nor what kits are out there, but they can add the same or more but tend to be better for midrange and high end and not as good for drag racing unless you build the motor for them and use massive boost etc.

Finally, you can add some combo of the above items. Just how much do you want to spend?

Hope this helps.

[z11375ss]

Put a 75 shot on the thing and beat him by 4 carlengths. The 305 unfortunately will never wake up. Drive it and enjoy it.

[Pfiffle]

I know you asked about engine but did you consider better gears in the rear? You might have something like a 2.41 although with the 4 speed it might be in the high 2's or low 3's. 3.73's will wake it up out of the hole. If your good at shifting I think you can take that Le Mans now, if he's stock. I'd love to see a good 18 second 1/4 mile race!
Tom

[matt_jh]

I know my 260 ci with a 4 speed rockcrusher, 3.55 rearend,235/75 r15 tires runs about a 12-12.5 second 1/8 mile with me dumping the clutch off the line. That might give you an idea what the 305 should do. Granted the last owner dropped an MSD in.