Marine heads

[bracketchev1221]

I don't think you'll find too many guys running 4:11s on street cars. It seems that 3.23, 3.42, 3.73s with overdrives are the norm. All way less lame than 2.29s or 2.56s that lots of Gs came with.
Deeper gears really do make our cars feel like they've got an extra hundred horsepower.

I’ve run 4.10’s on the street. And it leaves you wishing you could put bigger tires to at least use the car for longer trips. It’s great around town and under 50. At 60 it turns 3300 rpm and you get passed by everything on the highway.

And I did a Malibu gear swap once. I had a 79 267 automatic car, so whatever gears were in there. But I went to a 3.73 and no other change the car went from 15.20 to 14.12 in the 1/4.

 

[DRIVEN]

Must have been a hot little 267. I shaved a full second going from 2.29s to 3.42s but the best my 305 would run was 16.64 @82.58.

 

[bracketchev1221]

Oh no it was a stock 400 but I figured that was a different conversation. Eventually it went 13.60’s with a converter change. But it was just to show the difference a gear made. And that was just swapping in. Monte ss 7.5 rear.

 

[84 El Camino 231]

The only marine heads that would be worth it for 305s would be the 8059 Vortec heads for 305s. There are guys on Thirdgen making 300 hp with 305s with 059 heads.

Yes, vortec heads are definitely the way to go with a head swap if you can find them at a decent price. I think this requires at least modifying the intake or getting one that fits the heads (vertical bolts?). I believe the vortec heads have the valve cover bolts through the top of the valve covers so new covers are also on the list?

 

[Clone TIE Pilot]

Yes, vortec heads are definitely the way to go with a head swap if you can find them at a decent price. I think this requires at least modifying the intake or getting one that fits the heads (vertical bolts?). I believe the vortec heads have the valve cover bolts through the top of the valve covers so new covers are also on the list?

Vortec heads require a vortec intake due to the taller ports. They also need vortec valve covers and an external egr line.

 

[84 El Camino 231]

Yes, quite right, and the intake if marine, won't have EGR AFAIK there are no EGR provisions for marine.