1984 cutlass

[quads14589]

just wondering if anyone has owned one in the past or has one right now, i know someone selling one with the 307 in it kidna restored but not all the way he wants around 1700, do you guys know the good and bad on them?

[Stevie-D]

a guy around here has one. not sure if its an 84 but the same body style. last i know it has a treefiddy in it with more than enough snot. definately a scary car. the only issue ive noticed when riding in his car is that once it hits about 120 and up, the front end lifts up terribly. steering is not much of an option hahah...but other than that, they are decent cars as long as there is a sick motor in them:macho

[scuzz]

They ride very, very nice.

Door hinges wear out pretty quick due to the big-long doors.

It's also the same platform that they used for the Turbo Gran National Buicks

[Mxjunkie]

The 307 isn't a BAD motor but it isn't by any means a power house or a good platform. They aren't much for compression and there isn't a market out there for parts, you could almost consider it a touring motor.

Other then that they are very nice cars, the common rust spots are the rocker panels, under the doors and under the tail lights so there is something for you to look for.. Also check the floor pans, they like rusting out by the transmission tunnel and under the trunk. :)

[scuzz]

Yeah if I remember correctly the 305 and 307 heads flowed horribly (for higher HP numbers)

[Mxjunkie]

Originally posted by scuzz
Yeah if I remember correctly the 305 and 307 heads flowed horribly (for higher HP numbers)

Yeah your right, they dont flow squat, weren't really ment to be power house motors.. but a good mod for them is putting the 1.94 heads on them which MANY say they won't work because the valve will come out and hit the cylinder wall but.. I have 60,000 miles on mine and it's been together for 10 years now so I don't know how much truth is behind that.. Port matching them helps too but you have to have the the snot to back the heads... I have a 305cui with wiesco pistons and 1.94 valve heads and it seems to be a pretty good combo for being a small cube motor and I can drive it everyday. One tip for you guys out there with these small motors, you can get away with a 450-540cfm carb, I have a friend with a 305 and he tryed running a 750.. let's just say he has the same holley 450 I have on mine now lol..

Thefontmaster on here has a pretty steller 305 motor he put together in a regal I'll have to hunt him down.. :)

[scuzz]

:)

It's almost one of those things where it's almost worth it to go out and get a complete 5.3 out of a truck and stick it in there. Fuel injection, aluminum heads and gobs of torque and HP.

[Mxjunkie]

Yeah, if it wasn't for all the computer nonsense my S10 would have one.. But! when I break down on the side of the road with the good ol small block trouble shooting is simple and you can rig em to get it home. :blah:

[scuzz]

It's one of those "lesser of two evil's" things.

You trade the HEI ignition for coil-on-plugs.

I dig the composite intake.

(I inherited a '79 el camino with a 305 and now have a Suburban with the 5.3...and the 285 horsepower/330 foot pounds of torque aint bad)

[Rich250RRacer]

Originally posted by scuzz
Yeah if I remember correctly the 305 and 307 heads flowed horribly (for higher HP numbers)

They're not even close to the same type of motor and parts do not interchange. The 307 Olds wasn't a performance motor of any kind, nor was it ever intended to be, so poor flow numbers should be expected from a smogger motor like it. 305's had some fair heads, depending on the application. But aside from early eighties Z-28's and Trans Ams, which were a lame attempt at performance, the 305 is just another low horsepower V8.

[scuzz]

I believe you missed the point of my post. Even if you wanted to "hop" up a 305 or 307 you would be limited by the suck-*** heads.

[Rich250RRacer]

Originally posted by scuzz
I believe you missed the point of my post. Even if you wanted to "hop" up a 305 or 307 you would be limited by the suck-*** heads.

Very true. There was one 305 head from the early 80's that used 1.94's and had a 58cc chamber, which was popular to use on 350's to get a bump in compression and had decent flow.

[scuzz]

Yeah, pretty much everything in the 80's sucked.

[Rich250RRacer]

I don't remember what that 305 head came on, but I think it was the 305 cross-fire injection.

[scuzz]

Cross fire came on the vettes, camaro's and firebirds in 82, 83 and 84.

fyi