[kettbo]

Super Budget 454 is coming together.
Welfare Motor Building at its best!

It all started with me thinking about an upgrade for the 350 SBC in my 70 Elky. Costs for nice heads and stroker kits just got outa hand. Then I had true inspiration..... I realized there was a use for the low-mile 101cc 063s closed chamber ovals I took off my 68 RatVette when I put big-valve 781s on. Springs and clearance good for .550" lift

I bought a $200 late 1977 454 shortblock.....STD bore. Team Member Darryl 'Doc' FRYNTYR took a look, got the mikes out....bores good, cast GM pistons good, crank good. So, a hone of the cylinders, a polish of the crank, new rings, bearings, oil pump, timing set, and gaskets. The block has been serviced and the broken bolts removed.

I have gathered High-lift Chevy rockers, Taylor wires, HEIs, PERF 2-O, several carbs; 3310 Holley, 800 Eddy, a few Q-Jets, and some small tube headers. Elky has 2.5" Flowmaster pipes and the MagnaFlow Shorties will be replaced by some long case Hemi Super Turbos to keep the noise down.

Gearing is 3.42 12-bolt posi, beefed TH350, Hughes 2500 stall ready to install if needed. I have all the rear suspension bolt-ons gathered.

About the only thing I've not finalized is the cam. This is my remodel my house stuff hauler that I use most every day..... Once a month the TC NorthWest guys get together at the strip so in addition to the goals of great manners, acceptable mile per gallon, vacuum for the power brakes....I'd like to fry the tires and get some decent ET/MPH just like everyone else. Needed here are some Cahones!!! When I do the math....CR is 8.8:1:boring:

Keith, thanks for suggesting the Cam Dynamics/Crane Energizer 272
Doc, ditto on Erson TQ-20 experiences:yes:
Mr 4 speed Chris, your counsel is always appreciated
Gene, :thumbsup:

Don't try gearhead stuff and remodel at the same time. :noway:
I have what I have....took me nearly three years of horse-trades to get this far. I'm not going to swap heads, etc. Any good tips for a cam accepted, comments as to why you recommend the cam most appreciated. TIA.

 

[Malibu ss 64]

One of Summits own brand

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM-1302&autoview=sku

or a Lunati Voodoo

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN-60201&autoview=sku

This one has little to much lift on the exhaust but maybe you can get away with that?

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN-60203&autoview=sku

But for budget I think the Summit is the one.

Marcus

 

[dreis454]

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=LUN-60203&autoview=sku

I see this one working real nice with that converter for you George.

 

[Bunz-T]

I think the question to be answered is whether the once a month performance at the strip is more important than absolute drivability. The 114 LSA of the Summit is going to give you so much better street manners than the 110 of the Voodoo but you are not even comparing apples to apples in performance.

I believe it has been Chris who has reccomended this Crane, 228/228....544/544....112 . Or if you would like a little more split you might look at the one I used, 224/232....527/553....114.

I think these 4 represent some nice options and your decision has to be choosing the one that represents what you desire the most. Should not be too hard even for an Army guy.

 

[mr 4 speed]

Goerge,if cash was no object,either the 60203 or my cam

If you use what you have in stock,the Summit 228/238

 

[71454Chevelle]

I have always wanted to try this Crane cam (PN# 10307) in a mild / budget 454 build. Looks like it would make killer torque in the low & mid ranges. :yes: 282 degrees adv., [email protected], .533" lift ground on a 108 LSA.

http://www.cranecams.com/?show=brow...6-454 C.I.&partNumber=10307&partType=camshaft

 

[mr 4 speed]

I have always wanted to try this Crane cam (PN# 10307) in a mild / budget 454 build. Looks like it would make killer torque in the low & mid ranges. :yes: 282 degrees adv., [email protected], .533" lift ground on a 108 LSA.

http://www.cranecams.com/?show=brow...6-454 C.I.&partNumber=10307&partType=camshaft

Tom aka mc71454 used that cam in a 454 for his 1970 SS clone.
I believe it made 475 flywheel HP with 10 to 1 compression,781 heads w/2.19,1.88 valves

 

[71454Chevelle]

Tom aka mc71454 used that cam in a 454 for his 1970 SS clone.
I believe it made 475 flywheel HP with 10 to 1 compression,781 heads w/2.19,1.88 valves

Chris,

I thought that was the one he used but couldn't remember for sure. Did he ever get his car to the track?

 

[Jason Snyder]

ELGIN sells the same one as crane 228-228 544-544 112lsa for 109.95 (cam ,lifters). oh competition products.

I like the elgin ,231-231 .544-.544 109lsa same price .

 

[kettbo]

Chris,
these are the specs of your cam, right? (copied from pdq's message from Harold)

"280/288 112 .525/.550 223/231 Lope at idle, strong bottom and mid range. Headers recommended but not required. Canister maybe needed for power brakes. 2000-6000"
I cannot argue too much when you run mid 12s and 108 with 3.31s but you have some other stuff this bottom-feeder 454 will not have.

Trying to figure out those 'small LSA' cams..that Isky 264 Mega and that Crane 10307. The sheet indicates more compression required...

Yes, the Summit 228/238* .540/.540" 114 LSA is sitting under the bench......this is my primary fighting position. Secondary fighting position would be to take this to Delta and have them tweak it a bit...$40. Nice to have them only about 20 minutes away. A Harold grind like the Ultradyne or VooDoo or any other of 10,000 profiles is thus possible at very reasonable rates.

John, I did have a Crane 228/228* .544/.544" 112 LSA but I traded it away.......
I think Team Member DAVE used you cam to run 13.0/109.9 mph the other evening on street tires! More compression than I have....
Army guy, RETIRED! Two years already!
YUP, do I want a total nice-driving lumber-hauler or a good-driving engine that does a bit better on track day.....

Some tough Hombre's up in the NW. Berg is exporting his go-fast know-how faster than Roosevelt sold/Lend-Leased tanks and planes to the Brits and the Russians! Can't be dead slow but need to be reasonably strong-running or I'd get left behind like my 350. I think 13s are achievable with good street manners AND mpg.....

 

[71454Chevelle]

George, I guess I'm not sure what this vehicle was going to used for. Did I read correctly that it's going to be a daily driver/parts hauler? If that is the case, I think the cam that I was thinking about may be a bit too big.

For a "true" daily driver/hauler you want -need low rpm torque. A good possibility is the Isky 264 Mega that you mentioned. I think this cam in a 454 would make tremendous amounts of torque, even with low scr.

http://www.iskycams.com/timingchart.php?product_number=396264

http://www.iskycams.com/productdisp...=396264&sku=1957&hdwt=31101&loc=101&dealer=no

 

[kettbo]

Darren,

I drive the Elky for my errands, trips to Lowe's and home depot. Drywall sheets, HardiBacker, 2x4s, kinda stuff. I'm remodeling at home. Occasional cruise to Seattle area. Not a daily commuter but thinking I should complete this as a SANE build as this is more my driving style 29 out of 30 days. But that one day out of the month I'd like to see 13 sec ETs if at all possible.

With cast slugs and 3.42 gears....RPMs are a non-issue.
Broad flat torque curve is!
Still curious on how 108 LSA and small duration works with 8.8 or 9:1 CR
Seems the narrow LSA would make the engine PEAKY rather than have a wide torque curve.....

 

[mr 4 speed]

Darren,Tom is getting the Chevelle together with that 454 as we speak
George,before I installed the ported heads with the 2.19/1.88 valves,my combo ran 12.85 @ 105.5 MPH and the heads where totally stock.

 

[Guest]

From Harold's older cam list so please take your pick.

"272/272 112 .515/.515 217/217 The best cam for pulling trailers, car-hauler or boats.
Excellent bottom end and mid-range torque. Works power accessories. 1600-5500

276/276 112 .515/.515 221/221 The cam for pick-ups, 4 W.D. mud racers, performance and mileage on the interstate. 9:1 compression, 3.50 gears and up, and headers help. 380 HP at 5000 RPM. 1800-6000

276/286 112 .515/.515 221/230 Stout street cam for stock type valve train. Lopey idle. 2000-6000

280/288 112 .525/.550 223/231 Lope at idle, strong bottom and mid range. Headers recommended but not required. Canister maybe needed for power brakes. 2000-6000"

pdq67

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[Kevin R]

George are you interested in a hyd roller? I have a cam but no lifters. I will dig out the cam card and give specs. Its pretty tame but its a roller.

 

[kettbo]

Kevin, send the specs. The lifters would put me over budget and on The Accountant's Radar Screen....but an upgrade in the future some Saturday//////

PDQ67 Paul,
Thanks for the list. I surfed into that message just this morning looking up Chris' 280/288 UD. mr 4 speed is swearing the 280/288 would be "da bomb" with my 8.8:1 CR. I've heard of a few others using this grind that liked it....looks to me to be middle ground between a 60202 and 60203 Lunati. I'm giving this a serious look.....

 

[rustbucket79]

Comp XE262H, maybe XE268H if you put in the 2500 stall. I have yet to use one of Comp's XE cams and not been impressed at the output. I've got an XE256H in a 289 Ford with Edelbrock RPM heads and it has razor sharp throttle response and lights up the tires with no brakes like it has a big block in it.

IMHO all the old school grinds give way too much with their excessive advertised duration, even more so when you have limited static compression to start with.

 

[1967chevelless396]

You might want to consider a small solid FT cam like the Comp 270S. It's specs are
something like 270/270, 224/224 @ .050, .530/.530 lift, 110 LSA, 106 ICL. This cam would
really produce monster bottom end in a low CR 454 and give excellent street driveability.

I believe I would favor a solid FT over a hydraulic FT when you talk about a short duration
cam for a low CR engine and regular street use. Just my opinion here.

Charles

 

[Guest]

He, He!!

I wouldn't call Harold's OLD cams, "Old-School" at all!

Suckers just aren't the VooDoo line nowadays is all so if you want Harold's SOTA, buy a VooDoo.

pdq67

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[kettbo]

Thanks gents, certainly some food for thought. Thank you for your suggestions. I have a few emails in to the cam company tech reps.....