"Budget build" + custom pistons = oxymoron

 

all depends on your priorities, if I'm not dropping a grand on a fancy intake, I can splurge on some pistons. custom doesn't always mean bank breaking.

 

Exactly my point, most budget build priorities are most HP per dollar on a specific small budget so as not to waste money, not some dumb fixation on a specific displacement, a largely meaningless metric.

But hey, it's your car, it's your prerogative to pay more for less performance if that makes sense to you! Go for it!

 

If you are dead set on attaining 305 cubic inches, then all the power to you. Personally, I would do one of two things:

1. Leave the 4.8 as-is and spend the money on heads, cam, intake, etc. The 4.8 has become the 305 of the LS world, and while you have an LS swap, people tend to scoff at it when you tell them it is a 4.8. Imagine the sting they feel when they get beat by one.

2. Bore the block to the LS1 bore and leave the 4.8 crank and rods in there. You'll have a bigger bore with the same 4.8 stroke. Yes, it is a 312, but the valves won't be as shrouded.

Either way, you won't have a sleeper with an LS swap. Stevie Wonder won't even be fooled into thinking the car still has a 305 once you pop the hood.

 

I like your idea of the 305 but how is anyone ever going to know. All the blocks look the same except iron and aluminum. I have a 5.3 with heads in a cam and my truck says 383 on the side. I just go with it since most don't no what a ls swap is anyways.

 

Saying you have more than you really do usually means you are
Compensating for something...
I can go with badges saying you
Only have a 427, but really
Have a 445. As long as there is
No money involved, if money is
Involved, you need to be a man
And tell it like it is.
I say if op wants a 305 try to answer his questions if you can,
If not don't reply.

 

I am not compensating for anything. The truck used to have a 383 small block that my friend now has in his 78 camaro. I just wanted to go the LS route so i started with a 5.3. The 383 was already on the truck. I don't race for money just a truck to have some fun in.

 

I give you credit for wanting to avenge the terrible 305. I would be worried anything I called a 305 would run bad just because it had the 305 name on it. Mid- late 90's when I got my license I bought a 87 5.0 auto. Gears, h pipe and cat back. I used to gap 305 monte's and irocs on the regular. They kept on bolting more stuff on them and I kept beating them.

Even if you do 'make" a 305 and it does run good, is anyone gonna believe you? And the fast revving thing is not a thing. 5.3 n 5.7 will rev up