I have some questions about a 300 motor? I have a 64 lesabre convertible that Im making in to a new style custom. lowered 20" billet wheels the works. Hopfully in time for the 2003 power tour. Anyway my car has a 300 4v motor in it with a 400 trans. That runs great. 73000 miles. I was just about to scrap the motor until I found you guys. I see the name Postons alot but dont know who they are or where I can find them? Are they still making the headers? What about any aftermarket parts? I cant even find simple parts for this motor like a water pump.What about a electronic ignition. Anyone make a dist. for it. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks Tim. One other thing what about timing cover and water pump bolts? most broke when removed.
MSD makes distributors and other components that fit the 300. Places like CARS, Year One, and OPG have many 300 parts. Last I heard, Postons will not be making any more headers for the 300/340 due to low demand. You should use the Search function for "300" both on this site and the BCA site. There have been many postings about 300 performance.
Harry Thanks for the heads up on the MSD. Ive read almost all of the postings and Ive seen people take about some offenhauser valve covers for a 300 motor. Are these still in production or are they an old aftermarket part. Where car I get a pair? Also from the posting Ive read (mainly from you and acoulpe other guys) it seems the little 300 was a pretty sound package. My biggest concern is reliablity. Im going to try the new street demon jr. carb 500cfm. anyone tryed this yet.
tbair, If you're doing up a custom, I believe the 64 300 engine is the best to start with. The reason being is that you can polish the aluminum intake and probably the aluminum heads also. If you put a close eye to other parts of the engine, you could even polish the timing cover, alterntor bracket, and small pieces here and there. Add some braided steel hoses with anodized hose ends and presto...nice looking smallblock. Offy valve covers are still in production. They were originally made for the 215 but will fit the 300. From experience, the only thing you need to watch is adequate crankcase venting. Use decent breathers with these valve covers or you may end up with oil venting through the dipstick tube. I bought a set from Classic Buick a year or so ago. D&D in Almont, MI offers also. I'm sure there are many sources for them. Ain't cheap due to low demand, but they look nice on a smallblock. Occassionally builders paint the grooves between the fins to match the car's paint color. Nice coordination between engine and body. 500 cfm is plenty for a street 300, particularly if you run a stock type cam and stock compression. The original Rochester 4GC was rated in the low-to-mid 400 cfm range. It's a bit of an archiac design though. If you're not concerned about having an original piece, definitely replace it with a more contemporary unit. The 4GC had a smaller base than the Demon, so you'll need an adapter. Make sure you get one that has adequate bores for the bigger carb. Poston doesn't offer the headers any longer. Check ebay, they come up every once in a while. You may also be able to use Rover exhausts. Check in with Greg Williams on this site. He has a lot of info on the 215-to-300 compatibilities. Cams, pistons, bearings, etc. are pretty easy to come by. The pushrods for the '64 are shorter than the '65-'67 units, so specify the year when you're buying new ones. If you're not racing it, the stock rods and crank are no problem. The intake manifold is the only performance limitation. But that's anything that a turbocharger or small supercharger couldn't remedy. Right guys?
I do HEI and MSD trigger conversions to the stock dists. Saves money over MSD billet dists if you go with 6A/6AL, Crane ikgnition boxes. I work with the 215 and 4.6 Rover engines and use cranks/heads from 1964 300 ALL the time. 300 has many, many parts, stock and performance, still very available. As in pushrods, ONLY way to go is Smith Brother's Pushrods, Bend, Oregon, that's whom makes EVERBODY else's stuff, and get the adjustable ones, they work well. They have a web site, but I don't remember the link address, Google, Smith Brothers. Offenhauser Sales Corporation 5300 Alhambra Avenue Los Angeles, Ca., 90032 (323) 255-1307 Ask for Vince, (he'll probably answer the phone anyway), tell him IgnitionMan referred you and you post on the V8Buick web site as well.
tbair.... To add to the fray... Many accessories for the 350 also fit the 300 (water pump, for one), HEI distributor (with minor mods), oil pan ('64-'68) A number of vendors make cams (Crower, for sure), lifters, etc. I think there's even a roller rocker being made... What won't fit...well, they fit but don't work well... 300 cast iron heads/intake. 340 intake manifold and heads will not fit (340 has a higher deck height) Stock intake and exhaust manifolds are pretty decent as is. The only caveat to the exhaust manifolds is strict adhereance to the torque specifications, else you'll wind up with a cracked one. I don't know about the Demon... but Edlebrock is making a Performer and a Carter AFB that are essentially stock items from the '65 onward. Both are available with electic choke, which would eliminate the coolant heated one on the '64. Cheers, John
Hey everybody thanks for pointing me in the right direction for all the parts I ask about. I went to the web sights you guys suggested and low and behold all the parts are there. I cant thank everybody enough for your help. Ill be updating the old 300 after all. One last Question, If I change cams to the hp-1 or hp-2 from classic buick due you need to change valve springs? what about torque converter. What is the stock stall speed on the 300w/ 400 trans. Any other problems with a cam change?Thanks again Tim.
Crower cams work the best in these engines, adapter plated Holley 1850 -3, -4, with primary main jets changed from 66 down to 64 on stock 1964 4bbl intake manifold. Large cap HEI is a fair nightmare to fit, intake manifold has to be ground away considerably and torx screw from V6 used, lug on head needs to ge cut off for dist to fity, then it becomes a real fun deal to getto the holddown clamp bolt. There are better ways to HEI this engine. Melling has oil pump kits that help, Corvair valves fit the heads and are oversized, 250 horsepower shallow dish pistons still readily available as are 231 V6 for .050 overbore (block will easily take the .050 over bore), as is dual roller timing chain set. Rover finned aluminum valve covers fit and can have the name milled off or covered over. 300 is far from down and out.
Hey guys, its me again. and Im stuck on this carb thing. Went to a local speed shop to check on a couple carbs today. I think the Demon jr . will work and Im sure the eldebrock will fit but my problem is this. I ask about the car adaptor and they looked at me like I was from another planet.I tryed to explain my intake was original square bore. but a smaller design than new carbs.Any how I know a couple of you guys that replyed to my first questions have already changed carbs so can someone help me out with the adaptor plate. where can i get a square bore to square bore plate. As far as i can figure its got to have to bolt patterns small intake mounting holes to the larger carb. Thanks Tim
The carb pad on a stock intake is drilled for either a Carter AFB or Rochester 4GC carb, so you'd need an adapter that bolts to the intake manifold and has studs for the carb if you run a Demon, (which is a serious mistake if you go this far). Good used Holley 1850 -3 or -4, rebuilt, downjetted, is a much better carb for this application. The adapter plate is available from the manufacturer named Trans-Dapt, p/n's 2064 (1-7/16 manifold bore holes) or 2090 (1-11/16 manifold bore holes). Will adapt Demon/Holley to the 300 intake manifold, and can act as a spacer if you go a larger AFB. Another good carb to wrecking yard hunt for the 300 is a 343 AMC Javelin AFB, bolts right on, works good, probably hard to find, though. Good luck getting the Demon dialed in right, nightmare time.
Thanks for the imfo.on the carb plate I have one on the way. Why do you think the road demon jr. is going to be a problem? Its only 5oo cfm. My second choice would be a elderbrock 500 cfm. I know they make a calibration kit and have work with them before. they are very easy to dial in. Have you had a bad experance with the demon line? or do you think its to much carb. or is the price your concern? Thanks Tim
Demons are a pain in the butt to get right, I'd go to a Deadbroke or Carter long, long before a Demon and the inane Demon techs. They will have you chasing yourself in a circle but quick.
Thanks, never delt with the barry grant techs before.Although have had some problems in the past with some other big race related companys in the past. Seems to me that if your just a regular guy just trying to work on your own car and you dont have 100 dollar bills hanging out every pocket there not real interested in helping. Thanks Tim.
Your 300 build up Hey Tim, Don't know if you've seen them before, but be watching your email. I'm sending you a photo of the Offenhauser valve covers that I've since put on my 300. Mark
Mark, thanks for thi pics of the valve covers I have not seen a good picture of them until now. they look great. they are on my list of must have. do the breathers come with them?
Offy valve covers Unfortunately not. They cost an extra $15-20. The only difficulty is finding a classy looking set of twist on breathers. I've seen billet units advertised in the rod books, but none in the twist-on style. Like I said before, polish your aluminum intake, heads, timing cover and distributor body and you'll have the makings of a fine custom engine. Best of all...people will do double-takes trying to figure out what kind of engine you have.
