Hot Rods 283

I agree with fordors advice to talk with someone knowledgeable at a few cam companies to get a recommendation to match your needs and desires, be it drivability, drive-thru impressive idle, all out performance.....

Also, J. A. Miller.....I agree my method used the extra step of RPM and then dividing by 2 for a 4-stroke engine, but wanted to get across the reality that it is only pulling in air/fuel every other revolution. But, I agree your formula gets to the same result with less cypherin'.

Lynn

 

Google Chevy L79 "151" camshaft, period!
Originally designed for the 327/350 hp engine but has been put in A BUNCH of 283's over the years, it's been said many times that GM sold more of these camshafts across dealership parts counters than was put in production engines, starting in 1965.
No need to pay for an NOS oem camshaft, aftermarket replacements are available for considerably less money.

 

097, the way

 

The L79 GM 151 cam is basically a 30-30 hydraulic, won't work with a Powerglide low vacuum and too high an rpm range for a basically stock 283. I run two '57 283 powered cars. One has a GM 097 solid lifter and the other has a Engle EP20H hydraulic lifter cam. Engle calls it their hot rod cam, 108 degree lobe centers. Both make good vacuum and if degreed correctly have good low rpm. I'm in agreement with those who recommend the Duntov 097 or my second choice the Engle EP20H.

 

Nope. Retired. But i am keeping the name alive. The next generation

 

I always used to use the 30-30 set lash a little tight like around .026 for a street motor. Run it straight up on a 283 that is close to stock dimensions. if you do a lot of work to the motor and make it way over square (big bore) like around 4.00" bore then retard it a degree or two to really make it sing.

 

300hp was a 0.398 hyd. Hipo 283, 327 solid lifter 097 cam was 0.398 solid. More rpm most likely difference. Later 65 327 picked up larger 30 30 cam 0.480 long duration solid.

 

Like Beano said the 500 vacuum secondary's will work best.
Thumper cams advertise the gnarly sound with the drivability that you are looking for but I don't have any experience with the Thumper series. Running the Duntov 30 30 cam might be fine with a higher stall converter .

My vote would be for the 300 H.P. 327 cam with the 2 X 500 vacuum secondary carbs.
200 r 4 O.D. automatic transmission (same length as glide) with 3.73 or 4.11 gears depending on tire size.
This combo would be easy for Mama to drive also the O.D. makes it happy on the interstate.

 

I think the Duntov cam is also not a huge improvement over the Thumpr cam, and still too much for a stock 283 SBC. I've looked at Howard's Cams Rattler series, which are nice sounding cams, but have longer LSA and better performance specs over Comp's Thumpr version. The Howards Rattler don't sound as beefy as the Thumpr, but their performance is more important, and they do perform much better.
This Howards with .488" lift, 109 LSA and 289/281 duration at .50" would be a better choice in my opinion.
I bought my first roller cam from Howards for my SBC 350 build, which is a much larger cam than this for my higher performance build. But I'm totally sold on them. They're not just a lot of noise like a Thumper.

I'd also go along with using 500 cfm vacuum secondary carbs, as they'll work much better with a stock engine, and a little more cam.

 

The 283 engine in my mordor '32 hiboy sedan was a strong running little engine, you might get in touch with Fordor Ron, he can tell you what he did to the engine.

 

I always associate thumper cams with rolled up blue jeans and sideburns.
toss in some rockabilly music and a clay smith tattoo.
Just kidding.
Not really.
Yea
What was the question?
We could take similar prepped engines, a 283 and a 350 and throw the same cam in each. Both engines will sound different.
listen to the advice from these guys that have lived the stuff.

 

Some C 1 Corvettes ran a 283 2 x 4 set up, what cam did they run and how did they sound ?

 

We've all had that shit eatin' grin at one time or another.....

 

The GM 097 cam....

 

Ed, I get what you are trying to do; give your car some "presence" with a good looking and mean sounding engine, maximum performance isn't really a consideration. And it's got to go from A to B with some reliability.
In the good old days guys would load up their engines with a Sig Erson 990B or Isky 550 Super leggera or some other monster cam and 12.5 to 1 compression and thump their way through the local hot spot. Some were built to run, some were built for the sound and fury but that combination isn't very workable today, mostly due to the crappy gas. Especially with an automatic trans. If you call a cam company help line they will point you to a very practical cam for your application. It will drive fine and improve your performance a little but it will have no personality. The only evidence that you swapped cams will be the gasket debris in your trash can and a half tube of silicone gasket maker on the workbench.
The best sounding small block Chevy powered cars in our area have: an Edelbrock Performer RPM cam, a Mother thumper and a Crower roller cam. At our big car show last year they each sounded pretty good so I asked what cam they used. Most had 4 speeds. With that Powerglide you may have trouble getting any of them to idle in gear.
Good luck.

 

Yep, you are right on the Erson 990B. I had that solid lifter cam in my 292" SBC in my '40 Chevy coupe.
WAY cool cam that had to idle at 1800 rpm. Got attention everywhere I went. My buddy had one in his
302" Z28, and as soon as I heard it I had to have one. Here was my rod...Phx. AZ.

 

What cam was in the Chevy 302?

 

GM 3849346. .485 lift 346 duration. rpm range 4,000-6,800. compression 11.0-1 to 12.5-1.
Crane replacement is #12364052. kit. Same, cut on 114 lobe centerline.

 

I remember these when they were new. Couldn't afford one though. Those have had been a real easy car to run around town in!

 

All 4 speeds if that tells you anything.. Although with the right convertor it could be used in front of a glide. Lippy

 

The .030"-.030" Vette cam....

 

Yeah Deuces is right. When you got the 346 cam effectively you got a .030-.030. Lippy

 

This is a Howard's Rattler hydraulic roller cam in my '39 Chev coupe. It's rated as a 1800-5900 rpm cam, and works with a stock torque converter. Makes great low end power, and runs out well. And surprisingly decent on gas mileage.

 

Go with it.... I am running a 292 in (bored 283) with Small Thumper cam, Power Pack heads,
four Ford 3 bolt carbs on a Weiand intake . runs regular gas. Makes 276 hp at 5600 RPM on
dino. It runs great. Best sounding SBC that I have owned. I liked the Thumper well enough to buy another for my 33 Willys Coupe with a bored 327 in SMC