[Robert Williams]

1-800-826-3045

[GR8ONE68]

Firebird455,

I don't know if you got your heads back yet, but if you are going with 1.65:1 rockers, make sure that you have the pushrod holes in the heads elongated. If you don't you will have clearance problems with them. I would also recommend the comp cams 995 valve springs.

[Firebird455]

Originally posted by GR8ONE68:
Firebird455,

I don't know if you got your heads back yet, but if you are going with 1.65:1 rockers, make sure that you have the pushrod holes in the heads elongated. If you don't you will have clearance problems with them. I would also recommend the comp cams 995 valve springs.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Gr8one68,
I just found out that my aunts b/f works in a machine shop not to far from me and they do EVERYTHING, even head porting. He told me to bring the heads by there and he'll hook me up with a deal, so I'll be sure to mention the pushrod holes need to be elongated.

To everyone else, I ordered a set of PAW Stage II connectings rods that have already been shotpeened, magnafluxed, checked from cracks and had the large ends resized for $180. I found ARP main studs, so when I get the rods the shortblock will be done so I'll take pictures.

[78lemans]

Originally posted by Floyd Hand:
73TA,

Please explain to me how the RA4 cam is outdated.Then I can go back to my friends,Bob Cook and Nolan Parker that run the Ram Air 4 cams and tell them that is why they are only running 11.80's in a 64 GTO street car and 12.27 in a street driven 4000# 77 Can Am.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">don't the parkers run the spc3 mellins ram air 3 cam? or is that what the used to run. it's been over a year since i have talked with them. but going on their advice and a little of my own using the R/A 3 cam, i got my car to run it's first pass of 7.82 in the 1/8 no nitrous with my 1983 trans am. but i'm having converter problems. i'm only MPH'ing 82-84 mph. the converter acts like it's not locking up in 3rd gear. i'm going thru the traps in 3rd at 5000 with 3.23 gears. if that was right it would be like 120+ mph so i know somethings wrong. the cars only been running for 2 weeks i'm sure i'll work the bugs out. but any help would be great.

[Floyd Hand]

78 lEMANS,
Yes, Nolan Parker did run the RA3 cam in the past. About two months ago he installed the RA4 and at the last MCCC his first run he ran a 11.88. Weather was real humid, cars were off maybe two tenths. On the first run, the tech man told no more 11's without roll bar. He ran the throttle stop the rest of the day.

Your speed is down some. It should be around 87-89. A Continental 10 inch converter with around 3200 stall will wake your car up. It's the best performance money I've spent on mine. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Skip Fix]

I'll have to chime in here and further a discussion Jim Hand and I had at the PSN.The factory cams are definitely big enough to go as fast as alot of people want . I personally feel it is the duration at 0.050 of a cam,that is what gets you the power needed.

I think comparing factory cams with aftermarket is an apples to oranges comparison.

I'll explain: factory cams almost always have slower ramps(compare seat duration, 0.050 duation and 0.200 duration). So how do you compare cams? on seat duration? A comp with a RAIV seat duration would have 258/268 @ 0.050 ALOT bigger. A 0.050 duration an Ultradyne 288/296 is closer, look at how much smaller the seat duration is, theoretically should make a noticable idle quality change. Many of the aftermarket cams have even more duration at 0.200 lift especially the hydraulic rollers! More "area under the curve" means more time for airflow. How would you even design a dyno comparison.

I'm sure the GM and Ford bean counters didn't go to the expense of using hydraulic rollers if there wasn't a benefit (I'm sure Tom can add some input there).

Whether most of us can use the let's say 1-2% improvement or loose it from poor tuning is another question totally. As I said they are big enough to make good hp with a good combination and go fast as Jim and others have for years.Look at allthe guys running high 11s with a bunch of different cams with duration around [email protected] has even said the Wolverine and RAIV cams run pretty close.

I'll still bet with modern Spintron fixture design there are aftermarket designs that are more aggressive and just as gentle on valvetrain as the factory cams are.

I also think that any aftermarket cam with even similar lobe spec as factory is NOT a factory RAIV cam. The different degres of durations and lobe sep do make them different.

I think the Parker's used a Comp with [email protected] in the 64 GTO with the SD motor used in the HPP shootout that ran mid 11s. A great combination.

[78lemans]

i have john hodges ultradyne out of his brown t/a before he went to the roller, i'll use it when i get the lemans going. right now i'm running 9:1 compression and it's my daily driver. the lemans will be alot more compression with johns old cam and 469 vs. the stock 455 mill i'm running right now. i was real happy with it running a 7.8 with no tuning, and you remember the weather wed night. i think the converter i have it way to big. i'll just sell it to some of my chevy buds.

i'm also glad i got it running it's been six years of saving parts to get it on the road. and i'm probably the only street driven 455 powered third gen trans am in town! real cool when guys at the track ask you how muck nitrous it took to run in the 7's and i just tell them all motor.

i hoped to have it running by the PSN but i just missed it, i guess i'll be there next year. i guess i might make it out to a DAPA meet sometime. i'll see you guys later

[Skip Fix]

455 in a third gen sounds neat! The mini tubbed BBC Cutlass I blasted past when I ran a 6.90 swore I was spraying too.

[78lemans]

well i tryed a the 2900 stall today vs. the 3500 i was running and the car felt so slow, and after the sec. pass i blew up the tranny or the converter, or both. i got it back out maybe i'll be able to get ahold of some one to find out what when wrong.

[Will]

Firebird455,

If you change from factory main bolts you will need to have the mains align-honed. Frankly, I would just stick with the original factory main bolts, there is nothing wrong with them at the power levels a RAIV cam will provide.

Do those PAW rods come with ARP bolts? While factory main bolts are good, factory rod bolts are not. ARP rod bolts would be a worthwhile upgrade, but again the rod needs to be resized on the big end with whatever bolts will be used in it as different bolts will locate the caps differently.

Have the head shop stay conservative on the port job. Are they familiar with Pontiacs?

Good luck on the buildup!

[Half-Inch Stud]

FireBird455 : Can you get the Factory Main Cap bolts. Never seen one fail and I use them.

for the Hands:
other note: ...seriously reconsidering the RAM IV cam now. I only have 1.5:1 rockers....do you recommend 1.5s for the 455 .030 and .60 with Tall-ported D-Ports that got 11.0 with the Lunati SPC1-320?....I'm looking to maintain 12.00 in 3650LBs.

H.I. Stud