a use for a chevy 305

305ci and 350ci both are good motors if used with the right application.For fuel economy, decent street power, And passenger transportation. 305s (3 5/8 bore) are good.     If you want high performance.350 is by far your best choice.4 in. bore  

excuse me i am learning how to post replies  

350 is better for power. 305 is o/k for street/stock power.  They both are good motors. It depends on your need.  

Amazing how many views and replys this 305 topic has generated!  

WHY?
Everyone spends all there time talking about brand new parts and only compare prices by them. So many people spend tons of time talking bad about the 305 when more times than not they were not very inclined when they built the there 305. Some of you are right, "DO NOT SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON THESE ENGINES" USE them as an expierence tool. Spend money very wisely and put work into the parts you are going to use, such as port/polish/gasket match the heads and intake. Port the chambers. Cut and balance the rods / pistons / crank. There are a lot of people in this world that can not afford large amounts of money to spent so, they work with what they got. I myself have made a (338hp at crank) 305ci with stock worked heads, stock (used) L-82 cam, stock lightend rods, used flat top pistons and stock/cut 350 forged crank. Worked summit intake, 1" spacer, worked edelbrock 600cfm carb, 1.6 alum. full roller rockers and used headers. Cost around $300 putting a 3500lbs car in the high 13 second et zone with stock stall trans, shift kit, and stock 3.42 gears. I have built SEVERAL of these engines and I know they are not so bad. I also have done the some with a 350 ( making 402HP at the crank) and a 400 ( making 433hp at the crank) I AM AN ENGINE BUILDER NOT JUST AN ASSEMBALER.  
FKR

yep there is power to be made from chevy 305s just most people take the easy way out and don't have enough knowledge to get a respectable amount of power from them.  
Professional hi-performance engine builder

Horsepower sells Engines and torque wins races.

I think the 5.3 and 4.8 do very well for there dislacement and smallish bore, and respond to the aftermarket awesome, so what is the big problem with the 305? The ls heads are probably the reason the new motors do so well, are the 305 heads junk?  

If you had time to waist on reading the silly excuses throughout this thread you would see than many posts state the 4 inch bore messia. Some wonder brain at one time got it in their head that anything less than a 4" bore simply will not make horspower. As if .132 thousandths of an inch per bore side is going to end the world.  

Not all 305 heads are junk.  
Professional hi-performance engine builder

Horsepower sells Engines and torque wins races.

To answer the question...yes, the 305 heads are significantly worse than pretty much any Gen III or Gen IV cylinder head.  
68 Olds Cutlass ~ 350 Rocket
85 Delta 88 ~ 425 Rocket
02 Silverado 4X4 ~ 5.3L