[badrad]

I have been gathering parts for a long time and now have enough to put together a stout strip engine, looking for consistant 11.5x times. I initially was looking at the Blue Collar 454 series but had a cracked head and scored the fresh Merlins for a song. Here's the breakdown.

4 bolt MK IV block +.060
Eagle crank and rods, balanced by my shop
Wiseco forged -48cc pistons
Merlin "Grumpy Jenkins" VR heads with .600 raised exhaust ports
Morel 4603 lifters (thanks Davey!)
Bullet hyd roller 312/319 with 260*/265* @.050", .527/.540 lift 110LSA +2
Edelbrock C427X intake
Holley 850 DP carb

The cam was chosen because I have it and it should be fairly easy on parts. I have a 3800 nitrous stall and TH400 with a transbrake, gears are unknown since I haven't dug that far into the '67 yet but plan to run 4.10 at a minimum. The goal is a strong strip with cruise night street time. I have no issues run race gas considering how little it will be driven. The '65 is set up for around town trips.

Any insight from the more knowledgable crowd? I'm considering a small 150HP NO2 shot eventually. I plan to drop the block off this weekend to start the process.

 

[427L88]

See what a real cam designer thinks, but those merlins are much, much too large for 4" crank, even at 7000. With all that duration avail, you *might* consider phasing that bumpstick WELL advanced to help inlet velocities if you're stuck with those heads. Like on a 102 ICL.

 

[Steve R]

It's often a bad sign when the reason for choosing a cam is because they already have it. I don't get why you are hesitant to buy a cam, yet are willing to spend in the neighborhood of $10 a gallon on race gas.

Steve R

 

[badrad]

I have other cams but they're bigger, solid rollers. I'm not totally opposed to a new cam, that's why I started a thread, to get some opinions. I realize cam is large and the heads are the 320cc port version. I'm not worried about low end, this is a strip focused build to get my feet wet again. I haven't raced consistently in 20 years.

I have compare it to other builds and the cam is the only part I'm willing to change. I have so much stuff on hand and trying to use it up per se.

Gas here is a bit cheaper, about $6/gal.

 

[mr 4 speed]

the lift on the cam is way too small to utilize those heads.
Get ahold of Chris Straub and get it right the first time,well worth the effort and then you will achieve your ET goal.
Also,you don't need a big cam or compression with a 468 to run mid 11's

 

[badrad]

I have been looking at his Legend series but my build didn't really fit any of those.

 

[cstraub]

The engine will start to pull at about 5500 rpm. Very peaky narrow powerband. Stall would have to be min. 5000 to be fun.

 

[badrad]

The engine will start to pull at about 5500 rpm. Very peaky narrow powerband. Stall would have to be min. 5000 to be fun.

Well, need to make some decisions. I might just dump the build costs of this one into the KB500 I have. It's a whole other animal as they say.

 

[cstraub]

Keep in mind if you wanted that roller to be equal to a hyd flat the duration would be 278/283 @ .050"

 

[badrad]

Keep in mind if you wanted that roller to be equal to a hyd flat the duration would be 278/283 @ .050"

Oh wow, rollers are new territory for me. Looks like I over shot the heck out of this one.

 

[cstraub]

The cam is that far off huh? After lookin over your Legend series nothing really matched and I'll have at least 12:1 compression so that is a consideration as well.

Engines are are pumps, they need a given amount of lobe area to to feed them to a given rpm range. Compression is an added benefit. The more you have the more power it will make.

You have large heads as if you CC'd those they would be around 325cc runners and a "fat" cam. Those both equate to narrow powerband. If this car is heavy it won't be fun.

 

[Tom Mobley]

what happened to the other .100 of lift? are those specs right?

Chris is right, you're going to need a 5K stall converter to get that deal moving.

 

[badrad]

Engines are are pumps, they need a given amount of lobe area to to feed them to a given rpm range. Compression is an added benefit. The more you have the more power it will make.

You have large heads as if you CC'd those they would be around 325cc runners and a "fat" cam. Those both equate to narrow powerband. If this car is heavy it won't be fun.

I know the heads are large but they're what I have. Except for sourcing a new cam, including machining costs I'm into this thing for less than $4K. Sometimes your wallet makes the decision for you. Would one of your Legend cams work for this?

 

[cstraub]

What is the max rpm you want to make power?

 

[gnicholson]

how much compression do you have?

 

[bracketchev1221]

Put the right cam in it, and it will be like every 10 second bracket car from the 1980's. The one you have is too small on lift. I think you may need to go to about 5-5500 on a converter though.

 

[badrad]

what happened to the other .100 of lift? are those specs right?

The specs are correct, it was ground originally for a ZZ502 superstock type build. That's a big stall, need to rethink the cam choice.

Chris is right, you're going to need a 5K stall converter to get that deal moving.

What is the max rpm you want to make power?

After all the comments a lower RPM would match my stall so peak at 5900-6000. I'm getting a different cam for sure, rollers are new to me and obviously need some guidance.

how much compression do you have?

At least 12:1, I still need to measure chambers but that spec is assuming 124cc chambers.

 

[cstraub]

I will work on it tomorrow

 

[kettbo]

you caught me off guard here Jimmy!
Chris will take care of you!

 

[badrad]

you caught me off guard here Jimmy!
Chris will take car of you!

Looks like he will. This roller cam stuff is pretty new to m so...