Cheap horsepower on V8 G-Body?

[CaliCuttie]

Hello,
I'm the proud owner of an 86 Cutlass Supreme with a stock Olds 307 V8 and 4-speed Automatic on the floor. My knowledge with cars is fairly limited. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the highest), my knowledge is probably at about 2 or 3. Not clueless like most women are when it comes to cars (is that not PC of me?) but not very much in the loop. I know names of things and what they do. Familiar with such terminology as intake manifold, forced induction, carburetor, fuel injection, catalytic converter, alternator, etc etc. so I guess very average. ANYWAY I RAMBLING

What are some cheap ways to increase horsepower? I'm already looking at putting in a K&N Air Filter, hella cheap at $50 and can get that badboy in in 5 minutes. What are some other good cheap ways? And for the hell of it what are some not so cheap ways (say the $200-400 for parts and DIY drag-my-car-nut friend-to-help-me-install-it route). Lastly to top it off, can you tell me how these upgrades are exactly helping with heightened performance. Thanks much!
-Mike

 

[madmaxstyle]

Define cheap.....
tighter valve springs is fairly cheap. Different cam is potentially cheap. Taking the stock fan off and replacing it with electric fans from a wrecker is cheap. Junkyard heads such as vortecs are also cheap. Theres also 305 heads that can boost compression that people pretty much give away, but you need to increase the valve size for increased flow. some people say they're no good, but I personally think they're ok for street use.


for a couple hundred you could replace the rear end gearing and go with something that would make it seem like it had more power.theres more than one way to skin a cat......

thats what I think anyways.

 

[v8power]

Theres also 305 heads that can boost compression that people pretty much give away, but you need to increase the valve size for increased flow.

305 heads are a wast to put on a 350...the k&n filter is a start. get a set of headers, maybe a nice intake. electric fans are nice to. just a fair warning once you start to make it go faster you wont stop. and horsepower cost money..lots, so if you have patients i would save to do a small block chevy swapp. if its the olds 307..ahh dont waste you time or money, can only make a boat anchor go so fast.

 

[megaladon6]

you said stock, so i'm assuming it's a olds 307 or chevy 305. if it's the 305, headers with full exhaust, 305 vortec heads, and an intake is the easiest/cheapiest way to go. the more expensive route is to junk the 305 and get a 350. headers/exhaust will swap over, possibly along with the intake. be warned, the vortec heads are very good, but require a specific intake.
you can also junk the electronic carb and distributor and get a regular q-jet and vac advance dist.

 

[pontiacgp]

I'd stay away from a K&N filter..there is a reason they increase hp, they don't stop much from going through the filter. I'd go with an amsoil filter, it's better and to clean it all you do if blow off the dirt, there is no oil needed. Also the vortec 305 heads are junk unless you port them and install larger valves. You'd be better off to find some 350 vortec heads

 

[megaladon6]

the 350 vortecs need to much work to go on a 305

 

[midwestls]

A factory 4 speed huh??? NIce! Got any pic's? After we figure out what you've got for a motor 305/307 then we can figure some things out for ya. I just found a 70's Olds 98 with a 455 rocket for $200 that runs and drives. THATS CHEAP!!!! But theres alot of other things we can do that are alot easier then a motor swap for ya. And that 4 speed.... wow! I wish I had a manual in mine factory.

 

[Blake442]

That'd be a 4-speed auto...
The manual trans option was long gone by '86.

 

[midwestls]

Oh wow! And just when I thought I knew what I was talking about!!! lol Thanks for clearing that up Blake. I think my new boy has clouded up my brain a little. So now that were talking about a 200r4 yeah a 455 would be dandy!!!

 

[Minion1186]

well,cold air one is thing that could help,i made a redneck made a dual snorkel air cleaner like on the 442 g bodies ,depending on if you have a non computerized carb,you could put a pretty hot camshaft in it,stiffer valve springs,put an older non computerized carb on it.All those upgrades(including a dual snorkel air cleaner) would probably shoot up to about a 70-80 horsepower upgrade.Summit offers good low prices,so do junkyards find an 80's camaro dual snorkel air cleaner assembly from a yard and buy the valvetrain parts and carb off summit.A good holley or remanned q-jet go for about $200-$500.The most expensive upgrade and the best (probably)is to junk the 307 and put a 350-403 olds in it and 373 rear gears.