It's at the Machine Shop

[Walys60]

I've got a great old timer here local that folks were recommending I take my 305A to. He knows the 305 well but said it's been 15 years since he's done one and was happy to see it.

However, I just got the call. "No parts available". He found some .60 over pistons for $700 but hates to do it cause they only need to go .30 over. Basically trying talk me out of it with a $2000 parts only cost so far. Figure it would total about $4k all in.

Anyway, I already knew the 'no pistons' thing was coming due to the awesome folks on this board that have already run that down. I hadn't been paying that close of attention to the rest of the stuff. My desperate plea is 'does anyone have a source(s) for engine parts'? If I can't get that bill down to something I can sneak past the wife, I'll have a 305A for sale pretty soon and I'll be stuck throwing in a 350

[Prowbar]

Originally Posted by Walys60

I've got a great old timer here local that folks were recommending I take my 305A to. He knows the 305 well but said it's been 15 years since he's done one and was happy to see it.

However, I just got the call. "No parts available". He found some .60 over pistons for $700 but hates to do it cause they only need to go .30 over. Basically trying talk me out of it with a $2000 parts only cost so far. Figure it would total about $4k all in.

Anyway, I already knew the 'no pistons' thing was coming due to the awesome folks on this board that have already run that down. I hadn't been paying that close of attention to the rest of the stuff. My desperate plea is 'does anyone have a source(s) for engine parts'? If I can't get that bill down to something I can sneak past the wife, I'll have a 305A for sale pretty soon and I'll be stuck throwing in a 350

Existing pistons are in good shape? Can't resort to cylinder sleeves in order to use std. bore pistons??

[lizziemeister'sV6]

Originally Posted by Prowbar

Existing pistons are in good shape? Can't resort to cylinder sleeves in order to use std. bore pistons??

Agree with sleeves and using standard bore pistons - used or new. Doesn't cost much to punch & sleeve 6 holes compared to ditching your V6 and living with the "quilt" of cobbling in a cookie cutter everyday "mouse" engine.

[Walys60]

Okay, GREAT point. I understood him to be saying he cannot get pistons period other than .60 over's. Let's assume he meant it had to bored so we need to sleeve it for stock. I though I had understood stock pistons weren't available for these...is that not correct?
I had figured I would take him the old ones too...they don't look that bad to me.

[Prowbar]

Originally Posted by Walys60

Okay, GREAT point. I understood him to be saying he cannot get pistons period other than .60 over's. Let's assume he meant it had to bored so we need to sleeve it for stock. I though I had understood stock pistons weren't available for these...is that not correct?
I had figured I would take him the old ones too...they don't look that bad to me.

That is what we're trying to say, if the original pistons are in good shape you can sleeve the block, bore sleeves to standard bore, and reuse your original pistons.

Hope this helps.

[Walys60]

Yeah, sorry, I see that. For some reason I had in my head you were talking about stock size piston, not original. Weird how my mind works, lol. Anyway, I will be talking with him about it today. The originals look good to me...a 'little' bit of scoring on the skirts but otherwise look fine. We'll see what he says. I'll post updates. Thanks!

[Walys60]

Well that didn't work. He took one piston out of the box and said 'NOPE'. Coincidentally I had my consult with the financial department at the university my son will be attending the same day (sigh).

He estimated that he could get it done for around $4500. I realize that is similar to a new 'built' crate 350 so wouldn't be completely out of the arena of possible engines but I wasn't really in the engine mindset yet anyway. Add that to the fact I can't do it now that I've got a massive college bill to prevent massing student loan debt for the boy...I'm going to have to put the brakes on this for a while.

I will continue to finish the front end and blast/paint the frame and the park it back in the garage for the summer. I'll be looking for maybe some NOS pistons to show up on eBay...? etc. If anyone comes across any and you're not too greedy please let me know.

Thanks all!

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by Walys60

Well that didn't work. He took one piston out of the box and said 'NOPE'. Coincidentally I had my consult with the financial department at the university my son will be attending the same day (sigh).

He estimated that he could get it done for around $4500. I realize that is similar to a new 'built' crate 350 so wouldn't be completely out of the arena of possible engines but I wasn't really in the engine mindset yet anyway. Add that to the fact I can't do it now that I've got a massive college bill to prevent massing student loan debt for the boy...I'm going to have to put the brakes on this for a while.

I will continue to finish the front end and blast/paint the frame and the park it back in the garage for the summer. I'll be looking for maybe some NOS pistons to show up on eBay...? etc. If anyone comes across any and you're not too greedy please let me know.

Thanks all!

Danged if you can't catch a break! I'm sorry about your pistons. I can tell you that you can probably catch a full engine that comes up for sale and piece together a full set though. They aren't everywhere, but they do come up for sale. I'd ask on the chevvvy boards in the want ads, those nuts pull out 305s like baby teeth to put in 350s. Or you could check with a small machine shop in a town out a ways from a big city. They may be able to make some for you cheaper than $4500 bucks.

I did a search on custom pistons and I don't know anything about making them, but a guy on another forum said they were 800 bucks a set at https://www.jepistons.com/
You might pay more since they'd probably have to take one of yours and build it off the measurements, but once it's done they could make them for any of us.

If it helps, ask them (or whomever you go with) what the number is to drop the cost and post in the market place. If it's not too high, I bet someone else would want a set in backup for the future, especially since they're so hard to find. Collectively we might pull the price down some.

Or, again, just get a used motor when it comes up for $500 and see if you can salvage the pistons.

More piston shops i found online
http://www.bmeltd.com/
https://www.rosspistons.com/
https://www.cp-carrillo.com/pt-3507-pistons.html
https://www.summitracing.com/search/...t-type/pistons
https://www.us.mahle.com/en/motorspo...erpak-pistons/

[Prowbar]

That sucks to hear! If you decide on custom pistons one could bump up the compression some, shouldn't hurt.

[Walys60]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

Danged if you can't catch a break! I'm sorry about your pistons. I can tell you that you can probably catch a full engine that comes up for sale and piece together a full set though. They aren't everywhere, but they do come up for sale. I'd ask on the chevvvy boards in the want ads, those nuts pull out 305s like baby teeth to put in 350s. Or you could check with a small machine shop in a town out a ways from a big city. They may be able to make some for you cheaper than $4500 bucks.

I did a search on custom pistons and I don't know anything about making them, but a guy on another forum said they were 800 bucks a set at https://www.jepistons.com/
You might pay more since they'd probably have to take one of yours and build it off the measurements, but once it's done they could make them for any of us.

If it helps, ask them (or whomever you go with) what the number is to drop the cost and post in the market place. If it's not too high, I bet someone else would want a set in backup for the future, especially since they're so hard to find. Collectively we might pull the price down some.

Or, again, just get a used motor when it comes up for $500 and see if you can salvage the pistons.

More piston shops i found online
http://www.bmeltd.com/
https://www.rosspistons.com/
https://www.cp-carrillo.com/pt-3507-pistons.html
https://www.summitracing.com/search/...t-type/pistons
https://www.us.mahle.com/en/motorspo...erpak-pistons/

Thanks for the tips...will definitely be keeping an eye out for options like that.

Sorry, I wasn't clear on the cost. Yeah, shoot, that may be the exact place he was looking at pistons! He mentioned $800 for custom made from someone. He was just saying that is the most expensive of a list of expensive, hard to find, parts for it and the total would end up (after all parts and machine work) around the $4500 range. No assembly but 'ready to assemble' price basically.