I'm new but have visited the site since pondering buying a Chevelle (2 years). Well I got one:hurray: , it's a '72 Malibu Chevelle with a 307 in it. The car is absolutley mint inside and has only a few door dings left by the original owner whom I bought the car from. I'm thinking of keeping the 307 in it. My question, is the 307 a decsent engine for cruisin' as I do not intend to hot rod it. My thoughts were to rebuild the engine, dress the engine a bit, and add very mild cam. This is not an SS but just a nice Chevelle. Thoughts please.

Members - No need to reply to my post I read your opinions on another members post.:beers:

You definitly wont do much hot rodding with a 307 but it sounds like you want to try and keep it original any way. Good luck and welcome to the site. If you change your mind, go BB.

Keith - You hit it on the head. Today, right now, I'm thinking original with nicer wheels, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. :wacko: And maybe I just trying to be the odd ball out.

i bet that 307 doesn't last more than a couple of summers of slow cruising..
not that the motor will ever die or anything (it won't) but you will feel the need for speed and put at least a 350 in there.

If your 307 is original to the car, and you would like to keep it, it is toooooooooooooooo easy to turn it into a moderately healthy engine. Yes, it will take some additional money to build it that way, but it simply depends on what you want.
It can be stroked very easily with a 350 crank (its a drop in), bore it .030 or .040 and buy pistons to match. You'll end up with an engine that is only about 14inches shy of a 350. The 307 heads don't have the big valves, but they can be opened up to the next larger size. After that, build it just as you would a healthy 350. Install a nice cam, headers (or keep the iron manifolds with a nice dual exhaust system) and a 4bl carb setup. You keep your original block and heads, AND, substantially wake up a sleepy 307.

My stock 307 in my '70 with 34,000 miles can smoke that little 14" tire half a block! I do agree with everyone here as I did the same thing with my '72. Didn't last long as a driver, had to have more!!!

Members - No need to reply to my post I read your opinions on another members post.:beers:

What exactly does that mean?
You already read members opinions on the 307??? or???

All - Thanks much. When I change that 307 to a BB I'll post pictures.:) Just kidding, I might want to change it to a BB later but I think I'll give the 307 a try first. You all have really made me rethink and rethink my position and that's all good. Thank you all and I love this site!:yes:

Allengator - You asked, What exactly does that mean?
You already read members opinions on the 307??? or???

After I posted my thread, I read a thread started by another member which basically answered the questions I had and I didn't want to waste everyones time. That's why I wrote it like that.

look do yourself a big favor if you are going to stick with the 307

find a set of early 305 closed chamber heads, pocket port them (ill get the cast # off the heads i have if you need them)

edelbrock eps manifold

600 cfm holley

HEI w/ MSD coil and MSD Module

Summit 1102 camshaft

ran mid 14's with a 2,000 ptc converter through a th-350 with a shift kit, and 3.08 rear gears with a peg legg diff in a 72 nova

go ahead and bump you gearing up to at least a 3.23