Man, I love a good pun! And with a little one on the way I've really gotta step up my dad-joke game... Anyways, I am looking for some thoughts on a solid cam for my 331 Chevy. I'm planning on calling Competition Products this afternoon if they are open, but was curious what some opinions are here as well. Specs are, as I know it: small journal 327 +.030 461 heads, 1.94/1.50 Probably 9.5ish:1 I have a Weiand Stealth (80s era?), an old open plenum Holley Street Dominator, or a Performer for intake options. Quick Fuel Slayer 650 Muncie M20 (I believe, '64-65 casting case, no groove input) 3.70 rear 29" tire (but not set in stone) 3,600lbs car I am looking for stoplight to stoplight fun, with an idle that would sound "right" with the dump tubes open (not like a Silverado with a blown out cat like open pipes sometimes do). I'm not looking to build a rocket, but I do want something thats about on par with your average Joe street car c. late 60s. I'm open to any other thoughts about things you'd change, as well! Now's the time for me to consider any alterations. Many thanks!!!
Hi Shorty, if it was me, I'd build the short block to factory L-76 specs, get a pair of the Trick Flow aluminium double hump heads (painted orange ), run a Performer RPM manifold and a 600 vac. sec. Holley, stab in a good ignition and drive the shit out of it. Maybe go to a 4.11 gear too. Then you can sell me the 461 heads for dirt cheap, because nobody wants those boat anchors anyway!! Just my 2 cents worth. Whatever you do, have fun with It!
I have ruined the performance of more good running engines with lumpy, long duration cams then I care to remember.. I rather have a fast, fun, dependable car over making a fake sound....
My favorite is the 1966 327 cu in/350 hp cam. I think its the L-79 cam. Most cam manufactures have a duplicate (or near) version. Hydraulic, run the lifters one half turn from quiet. Great idle, just a little lumpy.
I have had a ton of fun with a similar specced engine with both a comp cams 294S, and the factory 69 Z-28 cam. The 294s will need double springs. Both did well for street driving
I’m going to put together a similar combo for my oldest Son’s Malibu shortly,and his gear and compression are quite similar to yours. I’m going with slightly different heads (late model-ish Vortec),but otherwise,we’re looking for roughly the same thing I think: a tough sounding muscle car motor that’s not a pain in the ass like a full-on race motor. I would go with an Isky 280 “mega cam”. They’re hydraulic,they have just a hair more lift and duration than a comparable grind from Comp Cams,and they’re on a 108 lobe separation instead of 110 like the Comp stuff,so they are really torquey right where you need it for a street engine. I would keep that Stealth intake,as it’s probably the best of the ones you have. The suggestion regarding the aftermarket aluminum cheater “double hump “ heads was an awesome recommendation,as they look period correct,but make great power,although I would go with a 750cfm mechanical secondary carb on a 4-spd car. Lots of guys will want to argue that 750 is too big for a 327,but the DZ 302s came with a 780cdm carb,and they worked great. If you’re planning to go with a 29” tire,a 3.70 gear should work pretty good with the deep first gear in that wide ratio Muncie. 3600lbs is pretty big,so you may want to go just a bit steeper on the gear,like a 3.90,or 4.10,as that tall tire will make it feel like there’s a lot less gear in it. Keep us posted!Sounds like you’re gonna have a blast with this one! Scott Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
Shorty, I have virtually the same long block with a Muncie in my daily driver 57’ Chevy. My cam is a .485 lift old Isky with a .230 duration at .50. It sounds plenty good and has great mid range but is slow off the line (I have 3.55’s) My plan when I rebuild the engine is to use the L-79 cam. Don’t be fooled into thinking you always need a big cam. My 10:1 400 with camel backs and a stealth intake had a comp cams .210/.216 @ .50 with 112 and .460 something lift. With headers and tuning people were always impressed with it’s sound and yet it had a very mild cam. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I ran the Z 28 cam in a LT1 350 with a 4 spd and 3.70’s. the gearing was a little tall for the OT late 60’s heavy Chevy but it was a lot of fun on the street. If you care not about mileage it is a fun cam. I won my fair share of street races. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Thanks so much for the replies!! powrshftr: I think you are right, the Stealth pribprob is my best bet. I was running the Street Dom with my current combo before, and with the mystery cam that is in there it didn't wake up until like 3,500. Switching to that Weiand actually brought it down under 3. I will check out that Isky 280, and will consider going to a shorter tire as well. New gears are a bit out of the budget on this one until later on, but I do have other wheels and tires. 31hotrodguy: what intake are you running with that setup? That cam sounds pretty close to another one that was suggested to me, the Elgin E920. I initially wanted to run solids just for the hell of it, but maybe I will stay with hydraulic after all..
Take a look at the 1970 LT1 solid lifter cam part # 2178 . Several companies make copies of it, nice street cam gives you the solids sound. Came in 70 Z28s they weighed 3600 lbs and had 3.73 gears.
I also like the old sb GM 350 hp cam. If you do find that you put a cam in with too long a duration, like I did, that made it just a little too ragged for everyday driving, you can do what I did to make the engine more flexible. I bought the Crane Hi Intensity (leak down) lifters, with the result that I am very happy with the low end and I get the full performance of the cam above 2000 rpm. The literature states that these lifters reduce the duration up to 10 degrees below 1500 RPM, which improves the vacuum for power brakes, and also improves drivability. Don't think of the leak down lifters are a panacea for a bad cam choice, they aren't, but that being stated, I still like them. There is a mild lifter clatter at idle, but the sound is as if the engine was running a solid lifter cam. I like it. My cam is a Comp 280 Magnum. If I was doing it all over again, the only thing I would change, would be to get the 270 duration cam instead of the 280. I must be getting old or something. Here is an article from Grumpy's garage, discussing the Rhodes lifters. I think it covers most questions. I have never used the Rhodes lifters, but wouldn't have any qualms about using them either. Both products have been around for a long time. http://garage.grumpysperformance.com/index.php?threads/rhodes-lifters.1552/ Bob
This is a good suggestion as well! I also didn't realize Camaros weighed that much. I guess there is really a lot of metal in them! Everyone always says my car is too big, being a full-size four door LOL!!!
I know the LT-1 was advertised to have 11:1 compression. How would that cam do with my lower 9.5-10:1?
Yes, the same cam was used from 1970 through 1972. Part No. 3972178, .458/.484 lift, 317/346 duration. Rated at 330 gross hp in 1971, down from 360 hp in 1970.
“31hotrodguy: what intake are you running with that setup? That cam sounds pretty close to another one that was suggested to me, the Elgin E920. I initially wanted to run solids just for the hell of it, but maybe I will stay with hydraulic after all..[/QUOTE]” So regarding my intake on my current setup. It’s an old Edlebrock street master. They are an open plenum small “ribbed” port. Not the best for performance but the SP2P I had would not allow my WCFB carb to mount up. When the engine gets rebuilt the plan is too add a solid cam an a 61’ injector with stahl headers. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I don’t believe that the LT1 had the solid cam in 71’ or 72’. I think GM went hydr along with the lower compression. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My 72 motor had solids, but I can't guarantee that it had the original cam in it. However, I got my clearances from a 1971 manual with 1971 specs.
Scott nailed it with carb, intake,tires and gears, the competition cams Extreme Energy 268 would work better with your heavy car, especially if your not changing gears. Got one in a 350 with vortec heads with 378 gears and love it, easy to drive and makes a ton of torque. By the way Scott, I love it when you talk Chevy Your Dad must be proud. Norb
You may be correct. My corvette knowledge tends to drop off at the 1970 mark. Man, that cam must have been not nearly as much fun with low compression. Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The Jalopy Journal
