Jerry, you seem to have found out some good info on the HOLDEN V8's.
The strange thing is that although 100% identical to each other, there is no way you can turn a 253 into a 308 and vice versa.
Although sharing the same stroke, the 4" bore with the 308 is a completely different casting to cope with the increase in bore size over the 253.
They are very similar in design to the Chev, but for some reason seem to be a more tractable and "Revvy" engine.
This you have mentioned from yor previous experiences with smaller capacity Chev engines.
The stock factory 308 fitted to the L34 Torana that you bought off the showroom floor in 1975 pumped out 260 kiowatts !
Race engines climbed up to 350 - 400 kilowatt outputs by the end of their production in 1979.
The main upgrades for these motors are just as you have stated in regards to heads, valves, ignition and carburation etc.
Do yourself a favour and look on Wikipedia for some history of Australia's holy grail of V8 races......The Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama.
This race has been running since the early 60's and showcases some of the fastest Australian built factory race cars ever produced through the late 60's until the end of the 70's.
There is a lot of history there, but to hear one of HOLDEN's most famous race cars, the '79 A9X Torana, with 308 race engine at full noise down a long straight is nothing short of aural porn!
My little burnout car runs a stock 308 fitted with nothing but the home made pipes, electronic ignition and the tunnel ram.
Don't know the exact HP output, but it outperforms Big Block, Blown, Methanol and Nitrous fed engines in comptition.
Revability and reliability will win every time!
