I'm trying to get around 500 hp, will be used primarily for the street and a few passes at the strip, from reading the posts I'm going with the oval ports(781's) open chamber 2.19/1.88valves.The block will be bored .60 over.I would like to run on pump gas if its possible to get 500 hp. I just have no clue on what pistons,cam,lifters,rockers,intake carb,etc. I'm a rookie and dont want to get screwed by the machine shop. he's trying to sell me top of the line everything. like I'll have to run 100 octane, might need a vacuum pump for my power brakes. As you know i'm on a real tight budget, can't afford $2000 heads a hyd. roller cam, etc. maybe I'm dreaming but you guys are the experts and know what works. Thanks for all the help...

I don't know any exact HP numbers, but I'm running 215 oval port heads (closed chamber) 2.19/1.88, a little over 10:1, solid cam duration at 240 @.050, .560 lift, and it is STRONG! It's pretty similar to the old BSE combo you've probably seen people talking about on here.

If you haven't bought you heads yet, you might want to consider going with a closed chamber, oval port instead of the open chamber. My heads are ~101cc, and with a .100 dome piston they make a little over 10:1, no problems with pump gas at all (93 octane is what I run). With the open chambers you'll have to run a lot more dome to get that high of compression and I don't know how well it would work with pump gas.

There's people around here who know a lot more about all this stuff than I do, but if you shoot for around 10:1 compression with a cam in the 230's @ ,050, with good oval port heads, decent set of headers (1 3/4" primaries) and a good dual plane intake, you'll probably be close to, maybe a little under that 500 horses but should end up with a pretty well behaving screamer. It'll certianly be a torque monster.

One last opnion here, don't waste a lot of money having someone go wild porting your oval port heads. Maybe a little bit of basic bowl work, but don't go modifying the ports.

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

I appreciate the help rich, any problem with vacumn with your cam. I just choose those heads cause I've heard of them so much through the searches. I dont know to much about heads, and havent really learned about the closed chamber. Also should I use hydraulic lifters and what kind of rocker arms and pushrods. Whats good in that range of h.p without getting ridiculous. Again thanks for the help!!!

Holy nonuplet post, remember, you only need to click on add reply once.

Jer, I'm currently not running power brakes, but when I first put the engine together I had it in my Camaro that had power brakes. I never got to run it around very much, but the power brakes seemed to work fine.

The full specs on my cam are 236/244 degrees @ .050, .555/.566 lift, 112 degree lobe seperation, solid flat tappet. They say run about 8 or so more degrees with a solid than you would a hydraulic, that'd put you in low-mid 230's @ .050. But, if you're looking for big horsepower, I'd say go with a solid lifter, they're supposed to make a little bit more power. The nice thing about a cam like this one cam I'm running is you can still run a stock diameter valve spring (save a little $). If you're not buying all your parts through your machine shop, you ought to call Competition Products, they've got a great deal on a kit with springs, retainers, valves, etc.