[mechanic17]

Found this in a 6-year old thread:
"Pontiac guru Pete McCarthy did some comparisons on a 400 engine & the results were in HPP magazine April 92. He compared the RA IV cam with a slightly larger Comp Cam 236/244 @ 050, with 108 LSA. The RA IV was 231/240 @ 050 with 113.5 LSA. With the CC cam advanced to 104 degrees, it made 456 f/lb @ 4300 pk tq; aver tq 3500 to 4500 was 444 ft/lb; aver power 3500 to 4500 was 338hp. For the RA IV the corresponding figures are; 438 @ 4400;427 aver tq; aver power 326. The RA IV had slightly higher pk power @ 418 v 402, but lost out in the lower ranges.
Pete's comments on the RA IV cam: ".... the power curve generated by the IV cam is not particularly broad, but rather peaky. It packs a wallop from 4500 to 5800 rpm, but outside that range, it ius not much beter than the 068HO or 744 RA III cam. [ HPP Feb, 92 ]"

So there is a case where a "15 hp gain" (for the 041 cam) on the dyno would definitely be a case of reduced performance in the real world, unless the car was optimized in the narrow 4500-5800 rpm range--certainly NOT on the street.

Anyone know the grind # on Pete's Comp Cam? Remember, I believe these numbers were just with unported, 72cc d-ports--so approaching 10:1 SCR. He didn't mention detonation, as I recall. What kind of ETs could this engine see in a heavy car?