I've decided to buy my step dads pick up truck for my new daily driver this winter but im keeping my olds around to work on next summer. Now i know my stock 307 isnt race worthy, but im looking to make the best of it... i really love this car the way it is, i would like to do this without swapping the motor

But anyway, im wondering if theres anything i could do to squeeze a little extra power out of it..

im thinking ignition/coil, intake manifold, possibly headers, removing the cat and increasing exhaust from 2.25" to 2.5" true duels and maybe new gears and tranny next summer if i can save enough

also does anyone know how much increase i would get from swapping vin "9" parts onto it? I have access to 2 vin "9" motors, each with around 100K on them so stripping these wont be a problem

if anyone has any other ideas on what combination of modifications will benefit in horsepower let me know, im open to any wild ideas you come up with, my budget for now is around $1000...

by the way im doing this all on my lonesome, maybe with the help of a few drinking buddies.. but i dont plan on going to a garage for anything exept maybe the transmission swap because i have limited access to a hoist and garage.. thanks again -Brian-

Hi Brianritchie21787, hello everyone,


Why not?


There's more there than most people know. It depends how much you want to spend to get it.


Waste of money.


Wait on the headers, until they can actually help. Muffler shop will have 2" or 2.5", not 2.25". Manifolds, with 2 machine bent 2.5" or mandrel bent 2.0" will be more than enough. Your choice for mufflers.

Another option might be a hi-po cat back system, which would include a second "Y", and would act as an "X" pipe.


You mean dual exhaust, as opposed to a “Yâ€

Gears make a HUGE difference! My friend had an old 60's Pontiac Acadian with a stock 305 out of an imapala. He had a custom air cleaner, and custom exhaust, stock everything else, but the gears he had made the car jump like a banshee. If I remember the ratio correctly he claimed it was 5:13 gears. He couldnt take the car on the highway, but around town it just ripped.

Hi 88delta88, hello everyone,


Quick look at my dream wheel, and guessing a 26" or so tire, top speed would be about 60 MPH.

Rrgards, Norm

Thats about it!!! Top speed was not suitable for everyday driving... Plus, weather you wanted to or not, it would squak the tires everytime it shifted!!! It was a hell of a fun car to cruise the strip in though...

[quote="88 Coupe"]
Don't know what "VIN 9â€

Hi BigBlockOlds, all,

If those HP ratings were achieved by head changes only, the numbers you've given are a valid answer to his question.

Regards, Norm

The changes were due primarily to the heads. Those 7A heads are absolutely terribile when it comes to performance. Take a "regular" Olds head and then cut the ports in half. You get the 7A's.

I do believe the roller cammed engines had a bit more torque than the earlier engines but its not much.