[Bad69chevelle]

Hello everyone I'm planning on a 355 build and pretty much have everything together as far as parts and would like some thoughts and opinions as what everyone thinks of the combo and how well things are, or are not matched up. Here's the run down.

69 Chevelle
Sbc 355
Keith black hyper pistons
Edelbrock rpm air gap intake
Holley 770 street avenger carb
Msd distributor and 6al2 ignition system
Turbo 350 trans with shift kit
3000 stall converter
12 bolt posi rear end with 373 gears
Headers with 3 inch dual exhaust 2 chamber flow master mufflers
This is pretty much set in stone I've got all this already and not planning to change any of it so the below is the uncertain

Now as for the undecided?
Afr heads for sure but 180cc or 195cc?

And cam? Edelbrock rolling thunder part number 2207. 594/594 lift, 112 lobe separation angle, 107 center line, adv duration 305/314, duration at 050'' 242/240

Or comp cam part number 12-433-8. 520/540 lift, adv duration 288/294, duration at 050'' 236/242, lobe separation angle 110, centerline 106

Which of the two cams would better suit the build? I'm planning or at least thinking of going with the 195cc Afr heads, is this wrong? Should I be thinking of the 180cc heads? And which cam would better pair up with the combo running the AFR 195CC heads? I'm thinking I'll be right around 9.5.1 cr using the 65cc heads and going off comps specs for the above cam it matches right about perfect for everything else I've got going on with the build as far as stall, gearing, and compression ratio. Kinda looking for some insight. I couldn't find the exact layout or recommended combo of parts on the edelbrock cam but it just was a thought that run a little more lift if it would help me to do so. The car will be driven on the street and rarely see the track, more or less a weekend warrior so to speak. What's the opinion of what cam would pair up best with the AFR 195CC heads? And are those the better head to suit my build up and not over kill compared to the 180cc head. Looking forward tohhearing everyones thoughts

 

[Bad69chevelle]

By the way both cams are retrofit hydraulic roller cams

 

[SleeperBBC]

If this is a full weight street car as you say, that cam looks a little big. Also, general consensus is a 195 head is better suited to a 383.

I would call one of the cam experts to get one made.

 

[Bad69chevelle]

It's a full weight street car

 

[Jake Wade]

That is more cam than I would want for a driver. 180's would be better for 355 cubes and driven on the street.

 

[69bu]

Between those 2 cams I would pick the comp cam and would go with the 180 heads.

 

[Highway Star]

I'd go with the 180's and a smaller cam with less duration split on a 107 or 108 LSA.

 

[artmalibu]

When I had to choose heads for my 355 I went with the AFR195s under the advice of Tony at AFR. But, I told him I had plans to build a 383 in the future. I still have the tiny flat cam and the motor runs well. With the cams you mentioned a big stall and gears would be needed, maybe more than you may want for a street cruiser.

The best advice I can give you is to contact a guy like cstraub on the board here and have him set you up with a cam.

 

[Bad69chevelle]

I was kinda leaning towards the 195cc Afr heads because I had thought the same thing one day going to a 383 and as costly as the heads are I would not want to be buying a second set. But the flip side is I don't want the 195cc heads to be to dramatically big for the time being on my 355

 

[Bad69chevelle]

Also you think that more gearing and stall would be needed then what I've got already? Comp cam website for the cam says it matches right about perfect for what my compression ratio would be and the gearing and stall I have. Is the edelbrock cam that much more dramatic over the comp?

 

[Bad69chevelle]

Artmalibu. What's the build up of your 355 with the 195cc heads? What kinda cam are you running specs wise? How does she run, pull good with those heads?

 

[Calculated Risk]

195 cc head and the bigger cam.

 

[imp-oster]

Well I have a 355 with a custom mike jones hyd roller and i have the 195 street eliminators and its in a 70 impala with a built to the teeth th350 with a ptc 2800 stall and mine has 9.8 to 1 comp, rpm airgap, 1 5/8s headers, but I would highly suggest a quickfuel 680 I hated the street avenger. But i would always say plan for the future so the 195s would be definite and id call someone like Mike Jones or Chris Straub and let them get you the perfect cam for your intended use and I promise youll be much happier. They are about same price anyway so why not get a better cam imho.

Mine is street driven daily, but will see the track here and there but mainly its a street car.

 

[eric13617]

IMO, both of those cams are a bit large for a street car. I have a Bullet solid roller in my 67 with a 3500 stall and 3.89 gears on 275's. Ported 200cc heads,1 5/8" to 3" exhaust, zero deck height block,830cfm. carb, yada,yada,yada. It's 236/ 242 @.050, .598/.603 lift on 112LSA. Custom solid roller to work with the car. I have driven the car more than 3000 miles in the last three years and it is fun. I was even out Jan 1st. this winter and today too, but........ it will soon have a LS1, because the whole combo while fun to drive and pulls a 91mph. in the 1/8th. on hard radials is not what I call street able. I cant drive it 400 miles to a car show, because I don't own a trailer. And at 12mpg. which is about what it gets on winter fuel, 10 or 11 on summer. It isn't feasible for such a pretty car.
92 octane is a must. Adjusting valves which you won't have to do,is a pain. Swapping converters to get it right is a PITA. Constantly retightening bolts and nuts pisses me off. Not to mention fender bolts, hood bolts, intake bolts, trans bolts, suspension bolts,.......... It's a dam race/ street car. And every rice rocket on three states wants a piece of you. Or at least they thunk they do.
So next week the Turbocharged LS goes in; carb and all. Mild mannered $3000 beast.

 

[Bad69chevelle]

So look to the future and go with the 195cc Afr heads? It's my understanding that the 180cc and 195cc heads flow basically the same numbers at 500 and under lift but the 195cc shine above 500 lift that's what basically set the two apart. That's kinda why I wanted to go with 195cc so I had room to grow down the road. Is that a far and true statement?

 

[artmalibu]

Artmalibu. What's the build up of your 355 with the 195cc heads? What kinda cam are you running specs wise? How does she run, pull good with those heads?

Its a basic 350 .040 over that is balanced, best guess on compression is around 9.8 or so. The cam is a isky flat with .445 lift and 216 @ .050. The convertor was a crapy B&M that flashed at 2200 that created a bogging take off with 3.42 gears and 28 inch tall tires(2.0x 60 foot). With a race weight of 3500 pounds it would run 13.20s at 104 mph with no track tuning. I am trying to finish a frame off but did change the convertor which should make a good bit of difference. I would guess that a cam swap would add 5-6 mph by it self but most likely will not do the cam until it gets a stroker kit.

Overall the car runs well but the old convertor was a pain with slow launches and hard to get the carb idle right. I believe 70imp355 had similar issues that a convertor fixed. Once up in rpm it pulled pretty well and was fun to cruise on the streets. My car is a bit of a mismatch so not a good reference point of what can be don with a 355. Look at what Aaron does with his 355 running 12.20s with street gears I think is pretty awesome! The problem I am having is I dont want to buy parts twice, the cam I would want for the 355 is not the cam that would be good for a 383.

 

[Bad69chevelle]

Any other 355 builds that anyone has similar to what I'm looking to do with the same layout I have or close to the same layout? How's it working for you? Btw which one of the two previous listed cams would match up well with the 195cc heads?

 

[imp-oster]

Id go custom if it were me but ull hve to chose that route until u try either one no way to tell which is a better cam. Both look pretty big for a mainly street car mine that was done is a 228/228 at .050 with .576/ .512 using 1.6 and 1.5 rockers on a 108 lobe sep and it wks great. I did have a converter issue at the beginning but that was trying to use a stock converter with the above cam they dont wk well together now with the new converter it works great.

An yes go with the AFR 195s they are amazing heads

 

[Bad69chevelle]

Thanks for all information and opinions its very helpful. I'll go with the 195cc Afr heads, which I kinda was leaning towards from jump. But as far as cam I just don't really know, thought maybe a good of the shelf cam would work good with everything expecially after reading the requirements of the comp cam it seemed to pair up well. But on the flip side I couldn't seem to find any good information on the edelbrock cam as far as required compression ratio and stall and gears other than operating range so that's why I was looking for some opinions on if it would fair better than the comp would with everything else I had going on. Anyone know much about that specific cam edelbrock part 2207? Better or worse for my application over the comp part number 12 - 433 - 8?

 

[SleeperBBC]

Thanks for all information and opinions its very helpful. I'll go with the 195cc Afr heads, which I kinda was leaning towards from jump. But as far as cam I just don't really know, thought maybe a good of the shelf cam would work good with everything expecially after reading the requirements of the comp cam it seemed to pair up well. But on the flip side I couldn't seem to find any good information on the edelbrock cam as far as required compression ratio and stall and gears other than operating range so that's why I was looking for some opinions on if it would fair better than the comp would with everything else I had going on. Anyone know much about that specific cam edelbrock part 2207? Better or worse for my application over the comp part number 12 - 433 - 8?

Call Chris Straub. I am not quite ready for one but I spoke with him about it and took away one interesting recommendation and some pretty simple logic. If you have a little too much head, you can optimize the combo with a little less cam. Makes perfect sense.