Chevrolet 305 V8 Engine

As America faced an energy crisis and the government began to regulate a car’s emissions, General Motors made adjustments to many of their small block, V8 engines. GM introduced the Chevrolet 305 engine in 1976 to provide a smooth driving performance while allowing for lower octane fuels and lower emissions.

Inspired by the popular Chevy 350, the 305 had a more narrow bore and was placed in many wide-bodied GM model cars. The Chevrolet Camaro, Caprice, Malibu, El Camino and Monte Carlo implemented the 305 along with the Pontiac Firebird and Grand Prix, Buick Skylark and Regal, the Oldsmobile Cutlass and Custom Cruiser, and the Cadillac Brougham. The 305 was especially useful in the 1980s as many of these vehicles incorporated electronic in-car computers, carburetors, and fuel injection systems. The 305 was even used for a special edition 1980 Corvette.

After 1996, GM installed the Chevy 305 in small Chevy and GMC trucks and SUVs and renamed the Vortec 5000. In the 21st century, the Vortec was placed in vans and some commercial automobiles until 2003. Today, it is one of the more widely available engines for remodeling projects.