I just joined this Forum due to I just recenty aquired an 86 Monte SS. I am fortunate that it is just about completely rust free. But it is completely factory. I would like to make it quicker than it currently is but the 305 is just not really a racer. So with out spending a ton of money and modifying this to far where should I start? I would like to keep it somewhat factory looking. What seems to be the "Best Bang for the Buck" with these. I am currently thinking headers and better plug wires a better ignition system, maybe a bigger carb and a shift kit for the Transmission?

 

with the 305, you can easily get 240 hp and about 300 or go with some work. your best bang for your buck i'd say is the 350. plenty of mods availabe and cheap to modify. but it all depends on how much power you want

 

 

My Monte is Black, with the Grey interior, with the orange stripes. The idiot before me put a bunch of extra stripes on it so I am getting it repainted. There are only like 27K on it and thats true miliage. I am going to try to keep it as origional as I can. I would like to keep the origional Engine in it because it is a numbers matching car as of now. If something happens I would not do the 350 thing... I would go straight to a 400. I already own one of those. Paint somewhat sucks and like I said it has odd looking stripes on it. The interior is pretty decent, however there is a tear in the drivers seat, looks like somebody jumped in with a screwdriver in the back pocket. Other than that the rims and all are perfect and most of the rest of it is in very good shape. Just needs a lot of TLC after an uncaring owner. Will try to upload the few photos that I do have of it.

 

If you already have a 400, then build that and swap it in to the Monte. You can keep the 305 to put back in later if you decided to sell the car and want to sell it as a "numbers matching" car. Don't waste your time, money and effort on the 305 if you have a 400 sitting around. The less you put into the 305 the more you'll have for the 400, and that 400 will make that Monte worthy of the H.O. designation with a decent build.

 

But I really do not want to pull the 305. I am thinking just putting in a better Cam, Better Ignition, Headers and a chip for the computer. They are all somewhat cheap and will increase the HP without a ton of money and a lot of work.

 

 

I am trying to keep the tag below 1500.00 initally. I can do the work its a parts price only.

 

i wouldnt swap the cam in it. doesnt seem like a worth while investment without a different set of heads. stroking the 305 to a 335 is pointless cause you could just build a 350 instead for less with less aggravation not to mention the extra cubes youll have. i would get a set of headers and a decent exhaust. if it has a computer controlled ignition get a regular hei for it a performer or rpm intake, and a vacuum secondary holley carb. the 305 isnt really the best choice for performance but at least the bolt ons i suggested can be used on a larger small block once your disappointed with the way the 305 goes. you could always pull the 305 and store it and bolt in your 400. the 400 is most probably going to need work though. they were never a performance motor either, but if i were 2 choose which motor to put a cam in i would cam the 400 its going to be the same amount of work and with the 95 cubic inches its bound to make more power. once again to get the most out of the cam swap your going to want some aftermarket heads no matter what motor you do.

 

headers & a carb / intake would be where i would put my money into a 305...

but like everyone else says, a 350 is a direct bolt in swap, the engines are everywhere for cheap ( my dad is constantly dragging them home for free). i can understand wanting to keep it numbers matching for such a low milage example, but personally i would pull it & wrap it in plastic for now... sounds like an awsome find, but for the BEST bang for the buck a 350 is the way to go...

also check out OPGI ( original parts group, inc) and honest charlies speed shop for other stuff you might need. both places offer a very nice selection of restoration parts for 4th gen monte's

good luck getting it togeather, and try to post some pics