26th Nov 2012, 20:58
1982, and most of the early 80's were a dismal point in time for performance, but yet reliability was decent.
The best thing you can do is swap it out with an Olds built 350 or 400 from the early to mid 70's.
Personally if the car is mint and original, I would leave it alone.
27th Nov 2012, 04:54
Must you 'make this car a beast'? Why not enjoy it for what it is - a perfectly designed cruiser. It isn't well suited to be a 'beast'.
How many miles are on the car? If it has the original 307, it will last 250k+ miles if well cared for.
The transmissions are not the strong point on these cars, but they're not terrible either, so chances are you could be fine on the original as well, if not too many miles... Is it a 4-spd or 3-spd auto?
26th Nov 2012, 11:03
To 25th Nov 2012, 16:37:
Tear out that 307 & drop in a 455 along with a TH-400 trans & a rear end big enough to stand up to the 455. You'll also need a larger radiator. Go to http://www.mondellotwister.com/ for advice & speed parts.