Crane is advertising a new line of cams, the "Z-cam". It has much faster opening rates than others. Maybe they are copying the XE or Voodoo series???

Although I've used Crane products since I was a kid, their cam grinds are not nearly as aggressive as others. In fact, when UD Harold got a new post, I was thinking it was Crane, since they needed a new design edge to compete with Comp head on. At least in the street/strip category.

It seems that so many of the hydralic cams from the larger manufacturers have VERY slow ramps. Seems like most of them were designed in the '60s and early'70s and haven't changed since.
Crane hydraulics had particularly sluggy valve action but I guess they were worried about valvetrain noise, durability, stock valve spring use, etc.
Glad to see Harold's new line, Comp XE, Engle and others out there now.

Randy

Valve train noise in hydraulic cams is caused by the valve-seating rate, not by how fast you open the valve. Just think, the valve moveswhen you start to open it, yet when it closes, it runs into the unmovable valve seat. If it is too fast, the valve makes a noise hitting the seat. Just about all solid lifter cams shut the valve faster than factory stock hydraulics do, and this is part of their sound.
Most racers don't want that sound, or else they would have installed solid lifter cams.
The VooDoo series, from smallest to largest, does not have that metallic ringing valve sound, but they do have a nice exhaust crackle.....

UDHarold

Here is another of their new concepts which is kinda different, check out the whole presentation (pdf):

http://www.cranecams.com/?show=techarticle&id=4

I thought the same thing when i saw their new cams in jegs. If i switch, it'll be a voo doo cam for me.