My head is gonna explode! Ive been trying to pick a cam, and Im getting different opinions from eveywhere and every cam company. Jay @ Lunati told me to speak with UDHarold for optimum selection, so if you have time Id appretiate it greatly. Anyone else chime in as well please; and alhtough I love recomendations if anyone who replies can give me some thought process behind their suggestions Id appretiate it as well....I want to learn and undersatand. Here is what is what I got:

1966 Chevelle (guessing at 37-3800 lbs inc driver?); Car is primarily street and will see strip duty half a dozen times a year or so. (not a daily driver; just for fun, but do want a livable idle with some street manners; may run power brakes in future)

TH400 trans; no stall determined yet. Recomendations; no higher that 3000 though
rear tire height not determined yet; probably about 28"
rear differential to be determined; guessing at 350-373 rear gears

ENGINE:
454 .030 over
stock crank turned 10/10
Stock rods with ARP bolts, beams ground and rods polished
TRW L2349F .030 pistons, pressed pins, rods and pistons balanced
Heads: 781 castings, 2.19/1.88 SS valves, pocket porting, radii work etc
Approx comp ration 10:1
Intake: high rise dual plane (proabably stealth/ edelbrock rpm)
headers: To be determined (recomnedations?)
Carb: to be determined 750-850 cfm vaccum sec, (recomendations?)
RPM range: idle up to 6000-6200

Willing to give up some HP for streetable torque.

I am open to suggestions of hydraulic flat tappet, solid, solid roller and hydraulic roller. Think Id prefer hyd, flat tappet or hydraulic roller as I have experience with them.

One suggestion I was given from a friend/ memeber on here is as follows, nut Im a little afraid of a solid roller and wondered if there was a suggestion for this in hydraulic roller that is comparable: Lunati 502A3LUN

276/284
245/253
.660/.660 lift
112 LSA
I dont know if this is a good choice of not. Quite a bit of lift as compared to cam compay recomendations.

Any suggestions are very appretiated, as the more opinions and I learn the more I realize what a skill it is understanding this, and picking optimum.

Thanks in advance for all who respond!

Scott

scott - I feel your pain. My head exploded two days ago. Here's where I am going to go for Lunati 60204 -hydraulic flat tappet - cost effective and less adjustments required. good luck.

What is Streetable Torque from a 454 with full weight and small tires? ;)
Under 400ft/lbs?
Running over 600ft/lbs and you cant hook in either gear on street.

Aim for good power. Torque will come.

I recomend XR292R for that combo. Will be a little over 550ft/lbs and 600hp.

Use a Single plane intake to kill som torq. Weiand team G worked perfect for my 468 with 781 pocket ported heads and 11.2 compression.

Smaller cams = More detonation, less traction.

Camshaft teory isnt always most power etc. Its how fun you gonna have. And there is a lot of parameters there.

Use a 800DP unless youre going to tow alot or going Offroad.

Use 1-7/8 Headers.

How's this for torque? My new 10.3/1 454 .030 motor has GMPP heads w/2.25/1.88 valves, Air Gap, 1.75" headers, 233/236 .600/.610 hyd roller on 112LSA, running through a 10" converter and 3.73 gears on street tires. The very short shot I gave it last weekend was about the equivalent of driving a normal car on ice - instant torque. Point is, you can go conservative on the cam, get a good RPM range and have great throttle response. Keep in mind, a hyd roller will be about 8* shorter duration and about .020 less lift than a comparable solid.

Imho, a Holley Strip Dom., single plane intake is an under-rated intake FOR THE MONEY!!

Add a good old CC 282S solid cam and a tuned 750 Holley and go have more fun than the Law will allow!!

NOTE!! NOTHING fancy at ALL here...

pdq67

How's this for torque? My new 10.3/1 454 .030 motor has GMPP heads w/2.25/1.88 valves, Air Gap, 1.75" headers, 233/236 .600/.610 hyd roller on 112LSA, running through a 10" converter and 3.73 gears on street tires. The very short shot I gave it last weekend was about the equivalent of driving a normal car on ice - instant torque. Point is, you can go conservative on the cam, get a good RPM range and have great throttle response. Keep in mind, a hyd roller will be about 8* shorter duration and about .020 less lift than a comparable solid.

And with that you are saying? That the engine was a complete Error?

Who needs a car that doesnt Hook? And will be left at the red lights from Standard eagles and Subaru/evos.

Stay away from small cams. Big Cams idle nice too. Of you want nice throttle response. Throw away your carb. It will never respond as a good tuned Efi. (lot of old guys here will tell you it does, they scream, has god milage bla bla, in fact they dont know better ,))

I didn't build a race motor, I wanted a street motor that is just as happy at 35 - 40 mph or sitting in traffic if needed. As far as traction, not that worried, we will get it to hook better, just need a major tire upgrade.

Scott, I have the flat tappet version of that cam, and have always thought the SR version should be a real MONSTER!

Rest your mind,you found your cam if you want a roller. Hydraulic roller can't handle the lobe intensity of that profile? Then use the flat tappet version. At least it'll rev up to near 7000 without the float HRs can give, with lighter springs to boot. Not that you'll use 7000, but HR's in intense profiles can float very quickly. I'd use 'em for tow motors, 5500 rpmmotors, but nothing where I'd want to rpm it once in a while. My opinion only.

It took the solid a few lash settings to settle down, and then lash settings are very infrequent. Depending on how many times I let it go over 7000. :D

OK, here are my thoughts.....

If you want to stay with a hydraulic, get a Lunati 60203, the VooDoo 268. It is 268/276 at the seat, 227/233 at .050, .542"/.554" valve lift, and 110 LSA. It will work with a 2400 SS converter, 3.54-3.73, and still should be able to work P/Bs. I drove a 350 Camaro with one in it, and it was a real hoot! For a solid, get a Lunati 402A3LUN, it is 276/284 at .020, 243/251 at .050, .586"/.600" valve lift, and 110 LSA. It has gone over 100,000 miles in many BBCs, and should work P/B, although ;you may need a cannister. Many of Team Chevelle membership have used, or are using, this cam in their BBCs.
For a solid roller, use the Lunati 60232, the 273/279 VooDoo. It is 243/249 at .050, .655"/.663" valve lift, and 110 LSA. I don't know about its' vacuum, although Doug F. would, as he supervised the dyno testing.
In a 9.8:1 502 with 310 Canfields, it made over 560 ftlbs around 2500.....
If you want a hydraulic roller, the Lunati 60212 will like your CR, but need a 3000 SS converter, and probably a vacuum cannister. Its' specs are: 282/290 at .006, 231/239 at .050, .600"/.600" valve lift, and 110 LSA.
I designed all of those cams, and have heard nothing bad about them. The 402A3 has been called the "Classic Big Block" cam......

UDHarold

Tell Jay I said hi!!!