Time was when cars with 300 horsepower was common. Fuel was good stuff and not this mule urine we call gas today. Low compression was 9 to 1, and cars were wild accelerating street demons. This point in time was called the sixties. Sure long hair and grungy clothes were quite common, and the times were a little weird. But it was all worth it to find rough idling GTOs, and sinister looking ram air Trans Ams. Right about the time these rides were getting refined, gas went up and emissions laws got stricter. As time went on horsepower numbers got smaller, and weight numbers got bigger. Since the beginning of hot-rodding people have been buying all of the cheap used cars and souping them up. The days of finding a straight and good running sixty-nine firebird for less than a thousand dollars are long gone. All of the classic cars from the 60s and early 70s are all either taken, ruined or very high priced. So in turn this leaves this generation of hot-rodders with the more affordable rides. The most affordable of the firebirds are the 80s-early 90s models. These f-bodies that were made between the years of 82 and 92 are called third generation or 3rd gen f-bodies.

The new third generation firebird was completely redesigned. It still had good looks like its older brothers. It also now weighed about 500 lbs more its oldest 67-69 brothers. This new firebird had a pathetically weak drive train. But it had good corner carving skills. Even with the new handling advantages it had over the old firebird, it now has different issues with its complicated computers and emissions controls. But worst of all, performance still had to take a backseat to economy and clean air. Still suffering from the power loss hangover from the mid 70s, the once proud firebird was now only equipped to compete in the Mustang battle with little more than 150 horsepower. Performance didn't return until about '87 when 220 horsepower was supposed to be a lot. To some, 220 horsepower may not seem like a lot but it was still enough to turn the tires into plumes of white smoke. Although the firebird was a bit scrawny, it still stayed ahead of the Mustang. Even though the firebird had gained more power towards the end of the 80s, it was no comparison to the drag-strip demons of the 60s and early 70s.

Fortunately it was equipped with the inexpensive small block Chevy. Unfortunately the early 3rd generation firebird only had a petite 305 small block. The 305 was made when performance was almost a dirty word. Even if the 305 didn't have the reputation of the 400 and 455 it could still be made to perform. Albeit the 305 couldn't perform as well as the bigger cubic inch engines the 305 had its advantages over the bigger cube engines, for example better fuel mileage. The small block Chevy is also about the cheapest and easiest engine to modify. Most people HATE the 305 and that is somewhat understandable. But once you think about it the 305 has an undeserved bad wrap. The 305 was made when performance was not the goal. It made its debut in 1976 (I believe) that was not what most consider the performance years. It was put in the 2nd Camaro and the firebird, some of these cars weighed nearly 4000lbs. And most of these heavy weights had high (like 2.41:1) gears. Combine the immense weight with high gears and a lowly 150 horsepower; this would disgust any acceleration fanatic, and place the blame on the motor. But the 305 can be a fine powerhouse with the right components.