icebird_1981

i took every ones advice and started looking around for a 305 350 car, so i was driveing down this street that has all body shops and stuff and i can see behind this fence in the back there was a red z28 camaro so i ask some one if they are selling it and he say yes and calls a guy to ask about the car, he want 1700 canadian for it, its a 5.7L car just recently done trany and motor and a new paint job done like 1 year ago. so i go and take a look at the motor and the car. the body is perfect in the inside the door panles and stuff where all off and in the trunk. when i lifted up the hood the motor was all done up, it had an edlebrock carb on it edle brock rocker covers it had no air filter on the carb, performance spark plug wires and everything. the motor was and orange colour. they garante the motor and trany are good and the car will start and all that. just looking at this cars motor made me want to cry it was all cromed up, anywayz the guy said 1700 and i can take it. the km are 098******* , and the car has been sitting for about a year. but i have really know why of knowing what i am getting. what do u think i should do??

Doward

1) Have them start it (from COLD, not warmed!) and watch the tail pipe for ANY blue smoke (black is ok)

2) Take it for a test drive. How does it feel? Smoothly revs up? Shifts good and firm? No slipping in the transmission? (revs, but goes nowhere) No overheating?

3) Decide if you want it.

Short of whipping out a compression test on it (I did that before! Guy thought I was nuts!) that's about all I'd say...

nothingssafe

do you have a v6 right now? i would take someone with experience to look at it. maybe a backyard mechanic thats a neighbor or something. as soon as i drove the car i have now, i wanted it and jumped into it right away. but it was my first V8, and the power was too much for me to think about. so i bought it right away. but it had some problems, but i didnt even think about it cause all i saw was the v8! if you dont know what to look for other than the obvious, take someone with you. just like women, there are other fish in the sea

Xenodrgn

I'm willing to bet it's a 305... unless they can provide proof (reciepts, block numbers, ect) assume it's a 305...

The blocks are externally the same... But there are descrepancies with the balancer... feel behind it, if it's stock, and solid, chances are it's a 350... but remember it could have been swapped... Some 305s came with solid balancers also, so this isn't 100% effective... To be sure, you need to get casting numbers... they are below the heads on the tranny ledge... Here's a picture of my engine to use as an example. (350, .060 over, early casting) Check the numbers agains mortec.com to figure them out...