Hot Rods Cam choice for this 283

Was that on a 283^^^ ?
The open plenum of the Torker gives up some low RPM torque. I think it was the Weiand 7546 that had a removable divider in the plenum and the divider would help build torque, but then it's really not a true 360* manifold is it?
The open plenum hurts low RPM torque and that's why I think a factory intake, or an aftermarket manifold with the Q-Jet base ( not an adapter) would be better. The other mismatch would be to use the light flywheel. Might be good for bragging rights but not day to day driving in a '53 Chevy.

 

I have aluminum Dart SHP heads with the matching dual-plain air gap intake. I have close to 10:1 CR and it is quite drivable with the Holley 700 DP.

 

My car weighs in at 3000lbs - a little lighter than when they left the factory. Great suggestion about the Edelbrock dual plenum manifold for better low rpm driving. I'll put that on the shopping list. I see the general consensus is to go for 4.11 gears. Much of the driving around where I live is between 35 and 50mph and that'll run the RPM at 1900 to 2600 in 4th with 4.11 gears then up to 2300rpm on the long stretches at 70mph. I do a lot of long miles in this car. Sitting for hours at 70mph isn't uncommon hence me being fussy about it. The 17lbs flywheel may be a little light, but I'm hoping the added low end torque of the engine and take off gears being much shorter than stock will alleviate some issues it may otherwise present.

My rebuild kit came with a choice of Melling cams and I chose the Melling MTC-1 'RV' cam which is good from idle to 4500rpm. Very much a low end torque cam. It was suggested by Melling when I emailed them with my setup so I'll go with that at least for now.

 

2300 at 70 sounds pretty good. I know a new car does 70 at 1200 rpm but it's going to down shift a couple gears when you go to pass someone. A lot of these older motors don't make much power down there so having the RPMs up at cruising speed will let you get out and moving better.

I've heard it said before that you want your "sweet spot" in the power band to be near where you are cruising so when you go to pass someone your pushing it further into the power curve, not down shifting trying to find it.

Sounds like you could do most your driving in 4th and when it's 70mph road trip time grab 5th

 

I had a 56 Chevy with a 58 Corvette 283 engine in it. Not sure of the gears in the posi -rear end, 4-speed Muncie trans. , 3-2's, ram horn exhaust, power pack heads and a Chevy Duntov F.E. cam. It had a lope that told people I was coming 1/2 block away. It ran good, and got good gas mileage.