The engine building team of Robinson Analytical took to the dyno stage for the first time in Engine Masters competition yesterday. While their 307 Oldsmobile (316 ci) won’t come close to winning, there’s a lot of merit to their entry, and that’s why it was my favorite entry for Tuesday’s competition. A look at the tech sheet shows some pretty basic bolt-ons. Starting with a stock late-model block, the Robinsons loaded it with an OEM Olds forged crank, Eagle rods, Ross pistons, and a COMP cams cam (.633-/.592-inch lift, 235/239-at-.050). A set of factory cast iron heads was hand ported (casting number 5A 3317), and topped with an Edelbrock Performer intake, and Edelbrock 800-cfm Thunder AVS carb. They mixture was lit by a budget MSD Street Fire ignition.
Now keep in mind that we’re talking about a 3.855-inch bore and a 3.384-inch stroke breathing through stock iron heads, and you’ll understand why 434.8 hp (5,900 rpm) is so impressive. It’s also a visually stunning engine that I think would look sweet under the hood of a mid-‘80s Cutlass. I like this low-buck Olds so much, I’ve decided to do a complete photo shoot and detailed story on the Robinson’s engine. It’ll come out sometime next year. Congrats to Dale and Glen for a job well done. If our contest was based on the additional factors of cost, uniqueness, and appearance, I have the sinking suspicion they would win.